USC offensive linemen couldn’t stay out of the weight room over the summer.

According to Trojan linebacker Shane Lee, a group of 10-12 USC offensive linemen would come back into the weight room after team workouts for up to two hours sometimes to get in more work.

“I’ve never seen anything like that anywhere I’ve been,” the former Alabama linebacker said Monday night on the in-house USC radio show. “Those guys are a different breed.”

The Alabama piece of it is important to note. Lee played on a Crimson Tide team that won a national championship in 2020 and then went back to the title game in 2021.

USC needs its offensive line to be championship-caliber this season for it to accomplish its goals.

With a Heisman Trophy quarterback in the backfield and plenty of talent at the skill positions, keeping Williams clean, protected, and healthy could be the difference between a Pac-12 title and not.

There are still questions about the USC defense, but the Trojans made a Pac-12 title appearance last season despite defensive shortcomings. If not for an injury to Williams in that game, USC might have won a title in Lincoln Riley’s first season.

The Trojans take the field again on Saturday against Stanford, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. PT on FOX.