Thoughts from Saturday's practice, through the eyes of USCRipsIt...
- The Trojans opened Fall Camp 2009 with a competitive bang Saturday, closing out the action-packed workout with a tightly contested team period that didn't decide the victor until the final snap of the afternoon, when the offense clinched a 16-15 win on a 10-yard run by tailback Stafon Johnson. "That's exactly the way it should end on the first day," Coach Carroll excitedly said in the post-practice huddle, "coming down to the last play like that."
- Quarterbacks Aaron Corp and Matt Barkley both shined throughout the workout, smoothly leading the offense during the lengthened practice. Carroll on Corp: "He was comfortable today. He was having fun playing." Carroll on Barkley: "Barkley was a whole leap ahead of where he was [in the spring]."
- Carroll wore a black USC hat at Saturday's workout, one of the rare times he's donned a cap on the field. "Sun protection," Carroll explained.
- The Trojans did a team-wide punt coverage drill named after legendary NFL coach Bud Grant during special teams period. The sprinting-based exercise had the players in laughter after watching all the linemen race 50 yards downfield before being juked by a shifty punt returner.
- USC women's volleyball coach Mick Haley attended the workout. Haley's squad, which has made the Final Four in four of the last seven seasons, reports to their fall camp Sunday.
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