Lincoln Riley explains why Tahj Washington thrives in USC's system

When USC kicked off the season it Week 0, Tahj Washington was on the receiving end of the first electric play. After Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams recovered from a fumble on a play-action attempt, he found Washington galloping down the right side for a 76-yard touchdown, the longest of his career.

It’s been that way ever since Washington arrived on campus in 2021 as a transfer from Memphis. Through a coaching change in his second season and the addition of several transfer receivers the past two years, he’s managed to remain one of USC’s most productive playmakers.

On the Trojans Live radio show Tuesday, coach Lincoln Riley praised the receiver for his selflessness, saying his willingness to take on any task has earned him respect from teammates and coaches alike.

“He’s one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever coached,” Riley said. “He just comes to work every single day. He’s really competitive. There’s no job too big and no job too small. He’s just tremendous. He’s a great special teams player. He’s a great blocker. He’s really focused. He’s really worked hard at his craft. There was a laundry list of things when we got here evaluating that we knew he needed to improve on quickly. We laid those out for him in the plan and he just takes it and runs with it.”

Washington has finished as USC’s second-leading receiver each of the past two seasons, trailing only future first-round picks Drake London and Jordan Addison. Through the first two games this year, he leads the team with five catches for 160 yards and three touchdowns. He followed up his Week 0 performance with with a pair of touchdowns in Week 1 against Nevada, including one for 45 yards.

His impact hasn’t just been limited to receiver either. Washington also saw time as a kick returner the past two seasons. He hasn’t run back any kickoffs so far this season, but the ability is there if needed.

The USC offense features multiple other talented receivers and likes to spread the ball around, and Washington understands that. He actually entered this season listed with the second team on the Trojans’ opening depth chart, but has never complained about playing time.

“Not once has he ever come to my office saying, ‘Can I get more plays? Can I get more touches?'” Riley said. “He just goes and works. He’ll have the same look on his face after the game if he played 20 snaps and caught two balls or if he played 80 snaps and caught 12 balls. That’s just him.”

Washington figures to continue to be a big part of the offense as USC hopes to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff this season. With his proven track record and experience, he has the entire team behind him.

“I think there’s a lot of trust from us as coaches, from his teammates,” Riley said. “With that has come opportunities and he continues to make the most of them.”