LOS ANGELES – It was his idea.
Back in the offseason, Khaliel Rodgers met with the USC coaches and suggested a position change.
Rodgers, who spent his first three seasons with the Trojans at center and guard, volunteered to switch to defensive tackle.
“I honestly just want to help out the team any way I can,” Rodgers said. “I felt there was a spot on the line where we needed help, and I just went in there and said, ‘how can I help out?’”
There was a clear need. While the Trojans return all five starters on their offensive line – a group with 117 career starts – they have far less experience on the other side of the line.