University Southern California Trojans
2018 Colorado Tuesday: Notes
October 09, 2018 | Football, USC Ripsit Blog, Features
The Trojans are coming off a bye week and looking for a big win against the undefeated Colorado Buffaloes.
- Full injury report, per USC head coach Clay Helton: DL Jay Tufele (held out for precautionary reasons after enduring a car accident last week), DL Malik Dorton (ankle), LB Porter Gustin (ankle), LB Levi Jones (illness), LB Raymond Scott (finger surgery), OT Clayton Bradley (lower back), OL Bernard Schirmer (neck).
- Helton also confirmed that S Bubba Bolden is no longer enrolled at USC.
- The bye week gave USC's coaching staff the chance to evaluate what it could do better in every phase of the game. On defense, Helton noted that he wants to see more takeaways. On offense, he's looking for consistency, while on special teams, he's content with the last two weeks, but wants to make sure he doesn't see any more lapses like the blocked FG at Texas.
- Helton also issued a challenge to his coordinators during the bye week. "I challenged our coordinators to make sure we stay aggressive at all times," he said. "Play with no fear ... Play to win and be aggressive in all moments."
- As for position coaches, Helton encouraged them to be critical of fundamentals and technique. "I don't want to see poor hand placement that leads to penalties," he said.
- Coming off the bye, USC QB JT Daniels was impressed with the team's intensity in practice. "It was one of the best practices we've had since I've been here, in my opinion," he said. "There was a real intensity in the run game. Offense and defense, 1-on-1, couple other competition periods we have on Tuesdays, both sides were going at it and winning battles."
- Daniels said he used the bye week to rest his arm and fine-tune certain aspects of his game. "I'd say pocket presence is one for me that I just wanna keep getting better at" said the freshman. "Not fleeing too early, and perfection on the deep ball."
- Daniels connected with tight end Josh Falo on a 37-yard deep ball against Arizona, which ended up being Falo's best game of the season so far after missing the first two weeks with a hamstring injury. "I'm just showing people what I can do at the times I get my chance," Falo said. "I go hard, no matter what."
- This weekend, Falo will be competing against his older brother, Nu'umotu, who plays linebacker at Colorado. "It's pretty big," Falo said. "I talk to him every day. He's my brother and everything, but once it comes game time, it's a whole different world."
- At the midway point of the season, RB Aca'Cedric Ware had the following to say about the team's identity: "I think we're a great team, but we've still got stuff to tighten up on. The small details. We have the potential to be a great, great team. I feel like we can really make a run. We just gotta keep working on the small stuff and keep getting better.
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