University Southern California Trojans
2019 Mock Game Wednesday: Notes
August 21, 2019 | Football, USC Ripsit Blog, Features
Click the play button above to watch JT Daniels's press conference.
With 10 days left until the opener, the USC offense is brimming with confidence led by sophomore QB JT Daniels.
- Daniels was pushed throughout the offseason by Kedon Slovis, Matt Fink and Jack Sears, but ultimately overcame the competition. "He was just the most consistent throughout," offensive coordinator Graham Harrell said. "In this offense, that's what you've got to be."
- Despite starting most of last season, Daniels embraced the open competition and took nothing for granted. "Obviously, I was excited," Daniels said about his reaction to the news. "I really appreciate Coach trusting me with the team and the offense, but I really can't say enough how great of a competition it was."
- Along with consistency, the sophomore has been focused on his footwork. "I have also made a big emphasis on pocket movement and pocket mobility in general."
- While all the quarterbacks enjoyed good camps, the final decision was unanimous, according to Harrell. "I think it was fairly clear to me, to Coach Helton, and the entire offensive staff, that this was the direction we needed to go. It puts us in the best position to win."
- Freshman QB Kedon Slovis has been the biggest surprise in the QB battle. He was able to beat out two experienced veterans for the backup job. "Kedon is a special talent. Talent-wise, he's as good as I've ever seen," Harrell said about why Slovis got the nod at No. 2. "He didn't act like a freshman."
- Slovis took the good news in stride, understanding that he has a bright future ahead at USC if he continues to improve at this pace. "Being No. 2 is great because you're one play away, but at the same time, you're not No. 1, you're not the guy," he said. "There's always room for improvement."
- Understandably, Fink and Sears were disappointed with the decision, but supported their teammates. Harrell said all four quarterbacks improved and put their best foot forward, so when it came time to deliver the bad news, he was "honest with them. That's all you can do."
- With Daniels at the helm, the Trojans broke camp with a lot more belief on the offensive side of the ball than what they showed at the end of last season. "Everybody is very confident in the system. Everybody knows their assignments and they are really comfortable in running the offense," Daniels said. "We know how to play fast now."
- Harrell is new to the program, so he did not dwell on last season, but his primary goal was to bring a swagger back to this offense. "As far as talent goes, I think we have a ton of it," he said. "We had to establish an identity, and establish a sense of confidence about themselves that when we step on the field good things happen."
Players Mentioned
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