2017 Spring Practice #1: Notes

By Aubrey Kragen on March 7, 2017 7:42 PM | No Comments

USC football kicked off its preparation for the 2017 season with the first practice of spring football today.

Junior LB Cam Smith summed it up best. "It was awesome. It feels so good to be out here," he said. "It was a great day one."

USC head coach Clay Helton noted that the following players won't take the field with Smith this spring, as they're still recovering from injury: C Toa Lobendahn (ACL), DB Jonathan Lockett (hip surgery), WR Steven Mitchell Jr. (ACL), WR Trevon Sidney (hip surgery), OT Nathan Smith (ACL).

Helton also mentioned that the following players would be limited in spring practice: DT Kenny Bigelow (ACL), DT Jacob Daniel (hamstring), LB Porter Gustin (hand surgery), C Nico Falah (back), OG Viane Talamaivao (hamstring) and RB Dominic Davis (concussion symptoms).

Aside from injured players, four notable Trojans will be absent from USC's spring practice: all four of the 2016 team captains. QB Max Browne transferred to Pitt, while LB Michael Hutchings and OT Zach Banner graduated and CB Adoree' Jackson left for the NFL. As a result, one of Helton's main focuses this camp is developing leadership. "It's going to be a time for young people that were freshmen and sophomores to step up and take more of a leadership role," he said.

QB Sam Darnold (pictured), who won the 2016 Archie Griffin Award and was named a 2016 Freshman All-American, is a natural candidate to step into a leadership position. "He's pushed himself into a bit of a vocal role," Helton said of his QB. "I've asked Sam to just be him. One of the great things that Sam does: he is a great one-on-one leader, to pull a guy aside and communicate with him."

In addition to honing his leadership skills, Darnold has spent his offseason studying film, getting more flexible and developing relationships with a young wide receiving corps following the departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Darreus Rogers, the two most prolific wideouts last season. "There's not really that go-to guy yet," Darnold said. "Everyone can make plays, and that's my point: that I can trust anyone on every single play."

Deontay Burnett, the most productive returning WR, echoed Darnold's sentiment. "I don't plan on there being a go-to guy," he said. "Everybody is going to get their opportunity. That's how I'm going to approach this season. I'm not going to think just because Darreus and JuJu left, it's my turn. It's everyone's turn. We're going to need everybody to win a national championship."

Burnett did look like an emerging No. 1 receiver on the field, though, with sophomore Michael Pittman Jr. just behind. Redshirt freshman Tyler Vaughns got a number of good looks, as well. "We really want to bring those younger guys along, and when we do I think we are going to be a scary offense to deal with," said Darnold.

Darnold, his teammates and his head coach all emphasized that while proud of their accomplishments last season, they want to start fresh in their quest for a Pac-12 title and a national championship this year. "Last year was extremely rewarding, going to the Rose Bowl," Helton said. "But that is in the past now, and we move on, because it is a new year, and there are a lot of things that we have to address."

One issue the Trojans must address is the departure of three starting offensive linemen (Banner, Chad Wheeler and Damien Mama). Helton said that junior Chuma Edoga and redshirt sophomore Roy Hemsley are the likeliest candidates to replace Wheeler and Banner on the left and right flanks of Darnold, respectively. Edoga has four starts under his belt, while Hemsley saw action in two games last year.

On the other side of the ball, USC must replace "the middle of a defense," as Helton characterized NT Stevie Tu'ikolovatu, Mike LB Michael Hutchings and FS Leon McQuay III. But several young Trojans are on the rise, according to their teammates. "He's athletic, and he knows his stuff," said Smith of redshirt sophomore LB John Houston. Senior safety Chris Hawkins called redshirt freshman safety Jamel Cook "a good football player," and said he's excited to see him go full speed once he learns the playbook.

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