Thoughts from Thursday afternoon's practice, through the eyes of USCRipsIt...
- Just a few hours after a mediocre performance during the day's first workout, Matt Barkley rebounded with a solid show on Thursday afternoon. Barkley's deep ball was on the money and he made numerous smart decisions by checking down to a running back or throwing the ball away. He didn't give up a turnover all day to highlight an all-around exceptional bounce-back effort for the offense. "We came back and battled," Coach Carroll said in the post-practice huddle. "We came back and got back on track."
- As a whole, the offense was on fire -- and it flowed from the top, as quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach for the offense Jeremy Bates was noticeably fired up throughout the workout. With the usually reserved Bates running around and yelling most of the day, the offense dominated goal-line and short-yardage situational series, along with scoring several touchdowns on the ground and through the air throughout the practice. "Bates is getting after it today!" a surprised Coach Carroll said between plays.
- Though the offense turned around after an average outing in the morning, the defense won a seesaw final team period, 16-15, with a sack by linebacker Michael Morgan on the sudden-death overtime play, prompting the defensive players to join in singing the fight song at midfield. The final set of plays went back and forth, with the offense winning five straight to make it 14-11 before the defense stormed back to win five of the next six snaps.
- During 7-on-7 drills, Matt Barkley scrambled to complete a 55-yard touchdown to wide-open tight end Bryson Lloyd, but the play that got the coaches excited was a simple 15-yard completion to wideout Travon Patterson along the left sideline. Barkley read the coverage perfectly and threw before his window closed. "That's what I'm talking about!" Jeremy Bates said while passionately high-fiving the freshman quarterback.
- Mitch Mustain completed numerous pretty throws of his own, including nice balls to tailback Joe McKnight and wideout Ronald Johnson during team period.
- On one play in team period, tailback Allen Bradford delivered a brutal block in the backfield on a blitzing linebacker, igniting his teammates and allowing Matt Barkley time to complete a 15-yard pass.
- During team drills, wideout David Ausberry laid a leveling block on the cornerback to pave the way for a lengthy Joe McKnight rush to the outside.
- One of the standout plays during team period came when wideout Ronald Johnson stiff-armed the cornerback on a receiver screen pass, which cleared the way for a huge gain.
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