We cover Ceyair Wright's emergence and first career INT, De'jon Benton's club hand that he calls "Thing 1", my repurposed Korey Foreman thoughts that I mostly already shared on here, Andrew Vorhees on his role in the "Neilon Nudge", Tyrone Taleni's return to action, some woeful blocking stats from last week and Lincoln Riley talking about ASU's interim head coach Shaun Aguano.
usc.rivals.com
Ceyair Wright came into USC last year as the No. 5-ranked cornerback in the entire 2022 recruiting class, but he played just 24 defensive snaps as a true freshman and may have gotten overlooked by some heading into this season with a new coaching staff and several notable newcomers at the position.
With both starting cornerbacks, Chris Steele and Isaac Taylor-Stuart, leaving after last season, the position was wide open for Wright or anyone else to seize a role, but the Trojans had brought in veteran transfer Mekhi Blackmon from Colorado, former four-star prospects Latrell McCutchin (who has since moved to safety and then nickel) from Oklahoma and Jacobe Covington from Washington, along with five-star freshman Domani Jackson.
The newcomers grabbed the spotlight, but when fall camp rolled around it was Wright who had taken hold of one of those starting jobs, receiving praise from coach Lincoln Riley as one of the most improved players on the team from the spring.
He's already logged 200 defensive snaps over the first four games and snagged his first career interception Saturday at Oregon State, taking advantage of an overthrown pass from Chance Nolan as a result of QB pressure from Solomon Byrd.
"Honestly, I was just playing Cover 2, getting back, sinking a little bit, I saw the quarterback, he got pressure, he threw the ball up and I had to go get it," Wright said. "It means the world to me. I've had a long road that a lot of people don't understand. ... Just coming back from all the people who doubted me, thinking that I wasn't going to be able to make an impact on this team. I worked hard to be where I am today."
Not only was there his quiet freshman season -- which is, of course, the case for most true freshmen -- but Wright could also feel that some questioned his commitment to football amidst a thriving acting career, as he played LeBron James' son in 2021's Space Jam: A New Legacy and has a recurring role on the ABC Freeform sitcom "grown-ish" that started airing over the summer.
"I definitely feel like some people looked at [my acting] as a thing that's taking away from football, and I just wanted to say that's not what it is -- I can be passionate about multiple things and I feel you should be able to do what you want to do as long as you can do it at a high level," Wright said this week. "You see it wherever, hear it from whomever. It's not really [anyone] specifically, but that's just like a common theme."
So far, he hasn't heard it from any receivers he's been matched up against this season, though.
"Nobody's mentioned [it]. Actually, when I was in high school people mentioned it, but nobody's mentioned it this year," he said.
Per PFF, Wright has given up 7 receptions on 12 targets for just 58 yards and 0 touchdowns with the interception and a pass breakup.
As much as he sought to prove to any doubters that he was very serious about his football career, Wright isn't ready to actually say he's accomplished anything yet.
And indeed, he'll face competition while continuing to have to earn his spot throughout the season with Jackson, the highly-touted five-star freshman, now back from injury while making his debut with 6 snaps played last week.
"I don't think I've really proved anything yet, but I'd say that I've been working hard and that's what's important to me," he said. "Just being able to work hard and show that I can at least be on the field. I have a lot farther to go, a lot better that I can get so that's what I'm excited for."
Defensive lineman De'jon Benton on his club hand -- 'Thing 1' -- and his breakout season
When redshirt junior defensive lineman De'jon Benton showed up to practice at the start of Week 2 with what looked to be a cast on his left hand, it seemed dubious when Riley said he didn't expect the defensive lineman to miss much time.
Sure enough, though, after sitting out one game Benton was back on the field playing 34 snaps in Week 3 and 46 last week at Oregon State -- albeit with a massive protective wrap/club on his hand. (There has been no information given on the nature of the injury.)
"It's my baby. I call this Thing 1," he said, referring to the extensive protection on his left hand. "Thing 1, Thing 2 (referring to his uninjured right hand)."
It's understandable why Benton would want to return to the field as quickly as possible. His 101 defensive snaps played in three games this season have almost matched his total from his first three years in the program (110), as Benton finally has a steady role as a starter on the defensive line -- one of the surprises coming out of fall camp.
On the list of players who have benefitted from or taken advantage of a new coaching staff coming in, Benton is near the top.
"It means everything to me. It's just a blessing," he said this week, talking to reporters for the first time this year. "It's been a good fit for me, most definitely. Me personally, it's been a good fit. Dealing with change and coming into new things, new beginnings, I feel like myself I also had to come correct. I had to have a real talk with myself, what I wanted to do, how I wanted to approach it, what was going to be my role and how I wanted to best play my role for the team."
Overall, he has 7 tackles, a half tackle for loss and a QB hurry so far. Per PFF's own metric, he has 5 pressures, which is tied for fifth on the team.
TrojanSports - Football Notes: Ceyair Wright's rise, De'jon Benton's club, Korey Foreman
In-depth USC football notebook touching on Ceyair Wright, De'jon Benton, Korey Foreman, the OL, Tyrone Taleni and more.
usc.rivals.com
Ceyair Wright came into USC last year as the No. 5-ranked cornerback in the entire 2022 recruiting class, but he played just 24 defensive snaps as a true freshman and may have gotten overlooked by some heading into this season with a new coaching staff and several notable newcomers at the position.
With both starting cornerbacks, Chris Steele and Isaac Taylor-Stuart, leaving after last season, the position was wide open for Wright or anyone else to seize a role, but the Trojans had brought in veteran transfer Mekhi Blackmon from Colorado, former four-star prospects Latrell McCutchin (who has since moved to safety and then nickel) from Oklahoma and Jacobe Covington from Washington, along with five-star freshman Domani Jackson.
The newcomers grabbed the spotlight, but when fall camp rolled around it was Wright who had taken hold of one of those starting jobs, receiving praise from coach Lincoln Riley as one of the most improved players on the team from the spring.
He's already logged 200 defensive snaps over the first four games and snagged his first career interception Saturday at Oregon State, taking advantage of an overthrown pass from Chance Nolan as a result of QB pressure from Solomon Byrd.
"Honestly, I was just playing Cover 2, getting back, sinking a little bit, I saw the quarterback, he got pressure, he threw the ball up and I had to go get it," Wright said. "It means the world to me. I've had a long road that a lot of people don't understand. ... Just coming back from all the people who doubted me, thinking that I wasn't going to be able to make an impact on this team. I worked hard to be where I am today."
Not only was there his quiet freshman season -- which is, of course, the case for most true freshmen -- but Wright could also feel that some questioned his commitment to football amidst a thriving acting career, as he played LeBron James' son in 2021's Space Jam: A New Legacy and has a recurring role on the ABC Freeform sitcom "grown-ish" that started airing over the summer.
"I definitely feel like some people looked at [my acting] as a thing that's taking away from football, and I just wanted to say that's not what it is -- I can be passionate about multiple things and I feel you should be able to do what you want to do as long as you can do it at a high level," Wright said this week. "You see it wherever, hear it from whomever. It's not really [anyone] specifically, but that's just like a common theme."
So far, he hasn't heard it from any receivers he's been matched up against this season, though.
"Nobody's mentioned [it]. Actually, when I was in high school people mentioned it, but nobody's mentioned it this year," he said.
Per PFF, Wright has given up 7 receptions on 12 targets for just 58 yards and 0 touchdowns with the interception and a pass breakup.
As much as he sought to prove to any doubters that he was very serious about his football career, Wright isn't ready to actually say he's accomplished anything yet.
And indeed, he'll face competition while continuing to have to earn his spot throughout the season with Jackson, the highly-touted five-star freshman, now back from injury while making his debut with 6 snaps played last week.
"I don't think I've really proved anything yet, but I'd say that I've been working hard and that's what's important to me," he said. "Just being able to work hard and show that I can at least be on the field. I have a lot farther to go, a lot better that I can get so that's what I'm excited for."
Defensive lineman De'jon Benton on his club hand -- 'Thing 1' -- and his breakout season
When redshirt junior defensive lineman De'jon Benton showed up to practice at the start of Week 2 with what looked to be a cast on his left hand, it seemed dubious when Riley said he didn't expect the defensive lineman to miss much time.
Sure enough, though, after sitting out one game Benton was back on the field playing 34 snaps in Week 3 and 46 last week at Oregon State -- albeit with a massive protective wrap/club on his hand. (There has been no information given on the nature of the injury.)
"It's my baby. I call this Thing 1," he said, referring to the extensive protection on his left hand. "Thing 1, Thing 2 (referring to his uninjured right hand)."
It's understandable why Benton would want to return to the field as quickly as possible. His 101 defensive snaps played in three games this season have almost matched his total from his first three years in the program (110), as Benton finally has a steady role as a starter on the defensive line -- one of the surprises coming out of fall camp.
On the list of players who have benefitted from or taken advantage of a new coaching staff coming in, Benton is near the top.
"It means everything to me. It's just a blessing," he said this week, talking to reporters for the first time this year. "It's been a good fit for me, most definitely. Me personally, it's been a good fit. Dealing with change and coming into new things, new beginnings, I feel like myself I also had to come correct. I had to have a real talk with myself, what I wanted to do, how I wanted to approach it, what was going to be my role and how I wanted to best play my role for the team."
Overall, he has 7 tackles, a half tackle for loss and a QB hurry so far. Per PFF's own metric, he has 5 pressures, which is tied for fifth on the team.
