After Saturday's scrimmage, USC football hit the practice field again on a sunny Tuesday afternoon.
- Head coach Clay Helton announced that LB Cam Smith sat with a stiff neck today. RB Ronald Jones II (toe), RB Aca'Cedric Ware (foot), WR/DB Keyshawn "Pie" Young (groin), TE Tyler Petite (shoulder) and RB Dominic Davis (concussion) also missed practice.
- Helton called today's practice the best so far for the Trojan offense, praising USC's young receivers in particular for their performances.
- Helton noted that he was impressed with the chemistry between Velus Jones and QB Sam Darnold, and with Darnold's ability to spread the ball out and not rely solely on his veteran receivers. "Usually, you get a little bit nervous that he would always look for Deontay [Burnett] or always look for Daniel [Imatorbhebhe], and he's really mixing the ball around nice," Helton said.
-
Darnold noted that at every practice this spring, he's working towards building chemistry with the newer players on offense. He recalled a play during Saturday's scrimmage when RB Vavae Malepeai didn't turn around in time for a ball that went over his head, and used it to explain QB coach Tyson Helton's concept of "talking with the ball" in order to get on the same page. "It's just speaking to them with the ball," Darnold said. "If they're not around and the ball's over their head, it's kind of talking to them, like, 'Hey, get your head around. The ball's coming."
- After the departure of three starters from the 2016 team, Darnold is also working towards getting more comfortable with the new offensive line. He joked that he's glad he doesn't have to throw over Zach Banner's 6-foot-8 frame anymore -- today, Chris Brown (a mere 6-foot-5) practiced at right tackle, after spending the first few weeks of camp at left guard.
- Brown, who started the first game of last season at left guard, said he's comfortable on the left and right side, but that the transition between guard and tackle was more difficult, "just because you go from these big strong guys [at guard] to the fast guys that try to beat you off the edge [at tackle]."
- Helton acknowledged that the staff had planned to switch up the offensive line at the midway point of spring ball, hence moving Brown to right tackle and Roy Hemsley to left guard today. Helton said they will remain at those positions for the remainder of spring ball, after which the staff will evaluate who fits best at which spot.
- Chuma Edoga (pictured) looks ripe to earn the starting left tackle spot. Helton called Edoga athletic, but acknowledged that "he's always been a talented player with flashes of brilliance -- now we need a consistent 80 plays out of him. Not 30, not 40 -- 80, especially when you're at that left tackle position."
- Here is Helton's full press conference:
