Cotton Bowl Practice #4: Notes

The Trojans kicked off their week with a competitive practice on Monday evening.

Injury report, per USC head coach Clay Helton: WR Velus Jones Jr. (foot), LB Oluwole Betiku Jr. (groin), WR Jalen Greene (AC sprain), DL Jake Lichtenstein (ankle), CB Jack Jones (ankle).

Since the announcement that QB coach Tyson Helton would join Tennessee's staff next season, offensive quality control coach Bryan Ellis has stepped into that role for the Trojans, which he said has been an easy transition. Ellis, who spent three years on the offensive staff at Western Kentucky before coming to USC in March, said the most difficult thing about his new role is "Trying to help Coach [Tee] Martin put a game plan together, and a successful one at that, against a really good team."

Clay Helton said Ellis is "doing a wonderful job" guiding USC QB Sam Darnold. "Our players have a lot of faith and trust in him," he said. "The quarterbacks absolutely love him. He's doing a great job out here, helping us prepare to hoepfully take on a great Ohio State team and have a chance to win a Cotton Bowl."

Helton also said that Ellis would be a candidate for the full-time QB coach position next year, but that no staff decisions will be made until the end of the season.

Darnold and the other quarterbacks have made great strides in their chemistry with the WR corps since Game 1. "We've grown a lot —maturity-wise and all that," said senior WR Steven Mitchell Jr. "When we're in the film room, we look at what we all have to do better and we help each other out. We take that onto the field and it becomes easier."

Mitchell, who's third on the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns, is looking forward to capping off his USC career with a huge Cotton Bowl matchup against the Buckeyes. "I've just been wanting to play Ohio State for so long, so it's a great game to finish up with," he said. "They've always been a great team. Ever since I was young, I heard Ohio State, USC at the top. I know it's going to be a dog fight, but I'm excited."

Helton congratulated Mitchell on his great career at USC and on the physical and mental toughness he showed in overcoming two ACL injuries during his time here. "To be able to put two injuries behind you like that and play at such a high level has been mind-blowing to me," Helton said. "To see what he's done his senior year — by far his best year as a Trojan — has been special."

Mitchell explained, "I've been through a lot, but at the end of the day, I came out with two degrees, a Pac-12 championship, Rose Bowl champions. Now we have this big game ahead of us, so I couldn't ask for any better of an experience. I'm real grateful."

Helton also praised senior center Nico Falah for his perseverance throughout the years. "I thought he was one of those guys that made the most of when his opportunity came," said Helton of Falah. "He always prepared like he was a starter, even when he was fourth string, then third string, then second string, then the starter. And has just been a rock for our offensive line."

Falah is one of many Trojans who will look ahead to the 2018 NFL Draft once the Cotton Bowl has passed. Helton explained that USC's draft eligible players will get their evaluations within the next week or two to help them determine whether to pursue an NFL career, or, for the underclassmen, to return to USC.

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