University Southern California Trojans
Photo by: John McGillen
Texas Thursday: Notes
September 14, 2017 | Football, USC Ripsit Blog, Features
The Trojans hit the field for their last practice before a sold-out Saturday evening battle with Texas.
- USC head coach Clay Helton held LB Porter Gustin (toe) from practice after his surgery yesterday. Starting RT Chuma Edoga (knee) practiced and is expected to play Saturday. LB John Houston Jr. (stinger) is starting to make some progress, but is questionable for Saturday.
- Helton praised the red zone and third down efficiency. "We're right at 78 percent for the year on third downs and that's helping us in the red zone."
- The team compares having Stanford and Texas back-to-back this year to having Washington and UCLA back-to-back last year. "Not only did you just come off a physical battle where you have three or four injuries, that's going to be next man up, but you also may have to make sure you don't get comfortable, you don't settle, you have to have the mental focus and preparation to execute a plan."
- Helton commended the players for their focus today. "I thought they had the right attitude. It was a very business-like attitude today and they were mentally glued in."
- Helton is proud that the team has discovered its identity. "[The players] did a wonderful job of really establishing what our identity is, run the ball, stop the run, be explosive in the pass game, play great special teams and win the turnover battle. If you do that, you're going to be champions and that's our MO, that's what we're going to stick to."
Players Mentioned
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