USC Athletics

The Trojans held their Spring Football Showcase in front of a vibrant crowd at Cromwell Field on Saturday.

USC head coach Clay Helton took the opportunity to give a comprehensive injury report: S Talanoa Hufanga underwent successful surgery for a broken collarbone. OT Jalen McKenzie (hyperextended elbow), TE Josh Falo (AC sprain), TE Jude Wolfe (back), DL Solomon Tuliaupupu (foot) OL Clayton Bradley (back) are all dealing with injuries. OLs Austin Jackson and Bernard Schirmer missed the showcase due to personal family matters.

Helton is pleased with how far the team has come since the start of spring ball. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see where we were Practice 1 to where we are Practice 12," he said. "It's a team playing faster, a team playing with great energy and great focus. They've become more fundamentally sound, they're playing more disciplined, and on both sides of the ball, there's a sense of urgency."

The defense showed its sense of urgency on two huge plays during the scrimmage. Senior DB Dominic Davis forced a fumble and freshman DE/OLB Drake Jackson hauled in a one-handed pick-six to electrify the crowd. "He reminds me a lot of Leonard [Williams]," Helton said of Jackson, who enrolled early out of Corona Centennial HS. "Looks like a grown man as an 18-year-old ... He was playing in the backfield all day. It was great to see for a young person to come out here and take advantage of graduating early."

On the other side of the ball, USC's running backs showed their command of the new offense. Markese Stepp and Vavae Malepeai both muscled their way in for TDs while Stephen Carr took a pass from Jack Sears to the house. "Those backs catch a lot of balls," Helton explained. "Not only do they have to be runners, they have to catch out of the backfield ... You have to be a dual-threat at the running back position."

Helton called Stepp a bruiser but also noted his speed and praised the rising redshirt freshman for maintaining his 230-lb. frame since getting on campus. "He knows how important it is to be athletic, be fast and be able to move in space in this offense," Helton said. "He's really done a good job of keeping his weight where he needs it to be to perform in this offense."

Helton explained that in USC's offensive scheme, the Trojans will draw up 60% pass plays and 40% run plays.

Those pass plays were split up between JT Daniels, Jack Sears, Matt Fink and Kedon Slovis today. "You know what I really liked — they took advantage of what the defense gave them," said Helton. "I don't see them forcing the ball. They're making decisive decisions."

USC football alumni JuJu Smith-Schuster, Nelson Agholor and Dion Bailey all came out to practice to support the Trojans.

After practice, the USC football team attended the 39th Annual Swim With Mike fundraiser and participated in a relay race with the USC Song Girls.