USC Athletics

The Trojans practiced in full pads under cloud cover on Thursday.

• USC defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast once again praised early enrollee Drake Jackson's performance so far. "I thought [Jackson] was the guy that jumped out the most in the live situations when we put him in there with the first group," he said.


• Pendergast also complimented early enrollee Briton Allen's performance. Allen, who was recruited as a safety, has practiced at corner throughout spring ball, but Pendergast confirmed he'll play at safety during Saturday's Spring Football Showcase.


• Allen's not the only player who's tried out a new position this spring. Palaie Gaoteote IV has been practicing at Will linebacker, while Jordan Iosefa has played predominantly inside after playing outside linebacker last season. John Houston has moved from Will to middle linebacker.


• While there's a youth movement in certain positions on defense, the defensive line features veterans like Marlon Tuipulotu, Jay Tufele and Brandon Pili. The elder members of the unit are looking to find their voice during spring ball. "We don't really have a prominent leader on the defensive line right now," Pili explained. "But I think that'll change within the next few weeks."


• Pili noted that the unit is thriving in Pendergast's simplified defensive scheme. "We've narrowed it down to see what we really want to do and we've got some pretty athletic defensive tackles and we can move a lot," he said. "So [Pendergast has] been calling movement and we've been able to get in the backfield and make plays."


• Pendergast echoed Pili's positivity about the defensive line. "The way they're practicing right now, I like what I see," Pendergast said. "I think they're making a lot of improvements in the details within the position: their hand placement, their foot quickness and their ability to get off blocks when they do strike and move their feet has been impressive out here so far."


• The defensive coordinator thinks the Trojans have taken a step forward in defending the run this spring. "I think particularly up front, we're doing a really good job of moving our feet upon contact, playing with gap integrity and the linebackers within the different defenses we have are doing a nice job of fitting the run and playing with a  lot of physicality," Pendergast explained.


• USC football alums Chad Wheeler and Marvell Tell III attended practice today.


• USC's next practice is the Spring Football Showcase on Saturday, April 6 at 11 a.m. The practice, which is free and open to the public, will take place on USC's Cromwell Field and will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network.