Thoughts from Tuesday's practice, through the eyes of USCRipsIt...
- Just three days removed from one of its strongest games of the year, the defense produced a shutdown performance Tuesday, taking an early 5-0 lead before cruising to a 12-8 overall practice victory on the last competition-themed workout of the regular season. The defense had a 10-3 lead at one point during the dominating 20-play final team period, prompting linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. to repeatedly shout, "This is still a defensive team!" "The defense had another huge Competition Tuesday," Coach Carroll said in the post-practice team huddle.
- The offense found success in the 7-on-7 passing-focused period, completing 12-of-15 tosses behind Matt Barkley's efficient and sharp passing.
- Joe McKnight (thigh bruise) sat out of practice for the second straight day, but he made his presence known regardless of his on-field absence, as the junior tailback was a main participant in the traditional Competition Tuesday banter between the offense and defense. Carroll said McKnight should return to practice Wednesday. "I think he's going to be OK for the weekend but he might not get much work in this week," Carroll said.
- Relegated to the bench with a knee injury for the last five games, center Kristofer O'Dowd will be back in the starting lineup Saturday, Carroll said. O'Dowd's return will shift Jeff Byers to left guard and Butch Lewis to right guard, which will sideline Alex Parsons.
- Tight end Rhett Ellison, wearing receivers gloves for the first time, made a spectacular catch over the middle during 7-on-7 period, eliciting Norton's half-serious comparisons to legendary Dallas Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek.
- Chilly temperatures and the Trojan Marching Band's constant tunes during the Trojans' practice created a prototypical night for football under the lights on the first day of December.
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