- As the intensity starts to ramp up, bumps and bruises are a natural side effect. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is dealing with a sprained toe, but he made several impressive catches before putting his foot on ice. Other injuries mentioned by head coach Clay Helton: LB Quinton Powell (calf cramp), WR Jalen Greene (tight hamstring), CB Keyshawn Young (shoulder) and DL Noah Jefferson (back pain).
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On the positive side, LB Cam Smith and C Toa Lobendahn, who have been on a play count to monitor their recovery from knee surgeries, are doing more and more each day. Smith declared himself "100%".
- Smith is showing the same elite instincts that made him a Freshman All-American. Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast noted that his inside linebacker has a "nose for the ball."
- Smith struggled to explain his innate ability, saying, "I don't know if I can describe that. It's something that feels comfortable to me. I see it and just react."
- While Smith is only a true sophomore, he has more starting experience than most of the Trojans in the front seven and he plays a natural leadership position, so he has not been hesitant to speak up. "I feel very comfortable leading, voicing my opinion and taking control," he said. "It's not something you give to yourself. It's something you earn and people feel comfortable listening to you. As fall goes on, we'll see who ends up taking that role."
- CB Adoree' Jackson has also been watched closely by the coaches as he assimilates back into football after spending his spring on the track. In his first real competitive work this camp, he picked off Max Browne and took it back for six. "I'm just focused on technique and doing everything right, so at the end of the day, interceptions are going to come," he said. "I had a whole bunch [of opportunities] freshman year and sophomore year, I just didn't take advantage of them. I would usually drop balls out there. But this time it's about me taking chances and taking care of my opportunities. As a DB, you really don't get many, so when it does come to you, you've got to take advantage of them."
- In his dream scenario, Jackson would have been walking with the rest of the Olympians in the Opening Ceremonies tonight. While he did not make the cut, he will be watching his fellow Americans in the long jump. "I'm cheering for everybody that made it out there, so I'm excited for those guys that are out there because I feel like they have the potential to all win gold, no matter who's out there," said Jackson who made the finals at the U.S. Olympic Trials. "I'm just excited for them to see what they're gonna do. Hopefully they go 1-2-3."
- Jackson is a star for the USC defense on the outside, and Helton feels equally comfortable with the perimeter of his linebacking corps. He expressed confidence in outside linebackers Uchenna Nwosu and Porter Gustin.
- Gustin is a weight room warrior, so the next step is learning how to make that physicality count. "We know his 'want to' is there, we know his 'try' is there," said Pendergast about Gustin. "We challenged him to know what to do and really wanted him to get more flexible and so far, watching him in the drills and making him move around, he's improved in those areas."
- Behind Nwosu and Gustin, USC has a host of highly-touted freshmen who will push for playing time as they develop. Helton said that Oluwole Betiku, Connor Murphy and Jordan Iosefa all "look the part" coming off the edge.
- As always, Pendergast is looking for his defense to attack, which means the Trojans have to play without hesitation. "We'd like to have 11 guys out there that aren't thinking - that are just lining up and playing ball."
- The highlight of the day came courtesy of 15-year-old T.J. Vargas (pictured), who is a USC fan with cerebral palsy from Reno, Nevada. After being given a signed ball, Vargas flew down the field in his wheelchair and scored a touchdown as the Trojans raucously celebrated around him.
- Here is Helton's entire press conference, starting with a shout out to the Trojan Olympians:
