Highlights from our latest interviews...
RBs COACH DELAND MCCULLOUGH
--on Ronald Jones II
“RoJo, he’s like, just like this rough mold of clay that I think we’re doing some great things with as far as getting his eye discipline much better. His attention to detail has really grown. He wants to be a great player, he’s bought into what we’re talking about and I’m excited for the type of season he’s going to have.”
--on Aca’Cedric Ware
“Ced Ware, another kid that has great leadership ability, great attention to detail. He’s kind of a do it all player, I’ve really challenged him about standing on his feet and being a guy who can be as explosive as he was in high school. And he’s rose to that challenge.”
--on Vavae Malepeai
“Vae is to me, a very complete player. He can pass protect, run hard, run with velocity, run faster than you think. He’s deceptively fast. He’s very strong. He’s got the twinkle in his eye that you like as far he sees the opportunity, he wants to take advantage of it.”
--on changes he’s implemented
“We have the fumble pro on the way, it’s been backordered for two weeks. So those are some things I’m really big on. As far as just ball security, really emphasizing it. Again, it’s one of those deals where you get what you stress. If you stress that as well as other things you’ll get the results you want. … You have to have some type of special nozzle to do the water ball. We did those at Indiana also.”
--on when he started doing all this
“A couple of years ago, a couple of years ago. One way, you're still, even during the warmup period, you get another five, six, seven, eight minutes with the heavy ball. When you put all of the periods together, you end up with probably around twelve or thirteen minutes of ball security. So we’ll just have it overlap with some other things we’re doing.”
--on techniques and core fundamentals he preaches
“I just like tough guys. Tough guys who want to be great. Again, if they have a great attitude and great effort, we’re going to get it done. So that’s kind of what I made my mark with, just finding those guys with the core skill set. But more importantly that these guys have great attitude. Tough, they want to be great players, they have great effort obviously. And we’ve had some good things that have happened.”
--on what he emphasized to Clay Helton and Tee Martin in his interviews with them
“I just stressed to them the small things, whether it be a lineman, whether it be our reads on runs, whether it be footwork, whether it be hand placement, all the things that I’m hollering out here to these guys now. I’m just a detailed freak with that. And one thing I think is overlooked as a running back coach, I always do this with our clinic and say, our job is a big job, it ain’t just hand the ball to the guy and he just do it. You have to give them reads, you have to give them angles to take and different things like that. You try to become a great student of the game and then you turn around and be a teacher as well.”
--on what he’s stressing to RoJo
“Footwork, just his footwork, his reads. These guys, they really been versed on the reads. They just got out there and ran and made plays. I think today was a perfect example of Vae taking it and just really 100-percent rolling with those reads and this guy was gashing these guys. So you make believers of them, you have to build trust. And the trust is built through being consistent and then the results that they’ve see on the football field. And they’ve been seeing those.”
--on Stephen Carr
“I got to hang out with him on Saturday, talk to Stephen a lot. Great kid, looking forward to going down and meeting his family and everybody. He’s somebody, again, a high skilled kid who can do a lot of different things with the ball, he can do a lot of things in space. He’s a big strong dude. And he can run. That’s enticing to me.”
--on his running back history
“Stephen Houston was the first one, then the next year was Tevin Coleman and then Jordan Howard and then Devine Redding. Actually Jordan will be up here tomorrow and he’ll hang out with us. But yeah I mean, I recruited those guys and was obviously the point person in their development and everything like that. I’ve got a formula that I think really think works as far as getting guys trust and being genuine about that and more importantly showing them what I can do to help them advance in what they’re trying to do in their life. A lot of it ain't just football too, there’s other parts to it. As far as developing guys, young men, into productive adults in society.”
--on what he thought when he got contacted by USC
“I was excited. I said, Man, if this is something that could happen, it would be definitely something that I would be interested in. But I wanted to come up and get a chance to meet people, get around the program, be around Coach Helton and just plan. And what I had seen as far as the makeup of the staff and the makeup of the team, it was very enticing. But at the end of the day, these guys had to want me. And I’m glad that they did and I’m very grateful for that and I’m going to show that everyday when I’m out here.”
--on whether he spent much time in Los Angeles before being hired by USC
“None. Zero, never. In the state, we were in the Foster Farms Bowl, so when we played there in December.”
***
OC TEE MARTIN
--on the offensive line
“They’re working hard, really playing physical. Real focused on the run game and playing physical upfront and being able to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage. And I think they’re doing a good job. We’re still a ways to go in terms of knowing where we’re going and things. Some young guys in there, we’re moving some guys around and playing different positions, just trying to get a fit when we’re talking about the ones. With twos, a lot of young guys that haven’t played a whole lot. They’re giving us great effort, doing a good job and we just want to continue to progress towards where we want to to be towards the end of spring.”
--on a receiver that has made great improvement from Day 1
“Jalen Greene has shown a lot of improvement. Deontay (Burnett) hasn’t dropped the ball. He’s like 35 of 35 with no drops and he’s only had three MAs (missed assignments) in seven practices. And that is unbelievable. And then Velus Jones is playing out of sight right now and Tyler Vaughns has shown some really great signs the last three or four practices. Michael Pittman has been consistent. Those are the guys that are standing out right now.”
***
Coming later: QBs coach Tyson Helton, WR Velus Jones and video interviews with QB Sam Darnold, TB Vavae Malepeai and OL Chris Brown.
RBs COACH DELAND MCCULLOUGH
--on Ronald Jones II
“RoJo, he’s like, just like this rough mold of clay that I think we’re doing some great things with as far as getting his eye discipline much better. His attention to detail has really grown. He wants to be a great player, he’s bought into what we’re talking about and I’m excited for the type of season he’s going to have.”
--on Aca’Cedric Ware
“Ced Ware, another kid that has great leadership ability, great attention to detail. He’s kind of a do it all player, I’ve really challenged him about standing on his feet and being a guy who can be as explosive as he was in high school. And he’s rose to that challenge.”
--on Vavae Malepeai
“Vae is to me, a very complete player. He can pass protect, run hard, run with velocity, run faster than you think. He’s deceptively fast. He’s very strong. He’s got the twinkle in his eye that you like as far he sees the opportunity, he wants to take advantage of it.”
--on changes he’s implemented
“We have the fumble pro on the way, it’s been backordered for two weeks. So those are some things I’m really big on. As far as just ball security, really emphasizing it. Again, it’s one of those deals where you get what you stress. If you stress that as well as other things you’ll get the results you want. … You have to have some type of special nozzle to do the water ball. We did those at Indiana also.”
--on when he started doing all this
“A couple of years ago, a couple of years ago. One way, you're still, even during the warmup period, you get another five, six, seven, eight minutes with the heavy ball. When you put all of the periods together, you end up with probably around twelve or thirteen minutes of ball security. So we’ll just have it overlap with some other things we’re doing.”
--on techniques and core fundamentals he preaches
“I just like tough guys. Tough guys who want to be great. Again, if they have a great attitude and great effort, we’re going to get it done. So that’s kind of what I made my mark with, just finding those guys with the core skill set. But more importantly that these guys have great attitude. Tough, they want to be great players, they have great effort obviously. And we’ve had some good things that have happened.”
--on what he emphasized to Clay Helton and Tee Martin in his interviews with them
“I just stressed to them the small things, whether it be a lineman, whether it be our reads on runs, whether it be footwork, whether it be hand placement, all the things that I’m hollering out here to these guys now. I’m just a detailed freak with that. And one thing I think is overlooked as a running back coach, I always do this with our clinic and say, our job is a big job, it ain’t just hand the ball to the guy and he just do it. You have to give them reads, you have to give them angles to take and different things like that. You try to become a great student of the game and then you turn around and be a teacher as well.”
--on what he’s stressing to RoJo
“Footwork, just his footwork, his reads. These guys, they really been versed on the reads. They just got out there and ran and made plays. I think today was a perfect example of Vae taking it and just really 100-percent rolling with those reads and this guy was gashing these guys. So you make believers of them, you have to build trust. And the trust is built through being consistent and then the results that they’ve see on the football field. And they’ve been seeing those.”
--on Stephen Carr
“I got to hang out with him on Saturday, talk to Stephen a lot. Great kid, looking forward to going down and meeting his family and everybody. He’s somebody, again, a high skilled kid who can do a lot of different things with the ball, he can do a lot of things in space. He’s a big strong dude. And he can run. That’s enticing to me.”
--on his running back history
“Stephen Houston was the first one, then the next year was Tevin Coleman and then Jordan Howard and then Devine Redding. Actually Jordan will be up here tomorrow and he’ll hang out with us. But yeah I mean, I recruited those guys and was obviously the point person in their development and everything like that. I’ve got a formula that I think really think works as far as getting guys trust and being genuine about that and more importantly showing them what I can do to help them advance in what they’re trying to do in their life. A lot of it ain't just football too, there’s other parts to it. As far as developing guys, young men, into productive adults in society.”
--on what he thought when he got contacted by USC
“I was excited. I said, Man, if this is something that could happen, it would be definitely something that I would be interested in. But I wanted to come up and get a chance to meet people, get around the program, be around Coach Helton and just plan. And what I had seen as far as the makeup of the staff and the makeup of the team, it was very enticing. But at the end of the day, these guys had to want me. And I’m glad that they did and I’m very grateful for that and I’m going to show that everyday when I’m out here.”
--on whether he spent much time in Los Angeles before being hired by USC
“None. Zero, never. In the state, we were in the Foster Farms Bowl, so when we played there in December.”
***
OC TEE MARTIN
--on the offensive line
“They’re working hard, really playing physical. Real focused on the run game and playing physical upfront and being able to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage. And I think they’re doing a good job. We’re still a ways to go in terms of knowing where we’re going and things. Some young guys in there, we’re moving some guys around and playing different positions, just trying to get a fit when we’re talking about the ones. With twos, a lot of young guys that haven’t played a whole lot. They’re giving us great effort, doing a good job and we just want to continue to progress towards where we want to to be towards the end of spring.”
--on a receiver that has made great improvement from Day 1
“Jalen Greene has shown a lot of improvement. Deontay (Burnett) hasn’t dropped the ball. He’s like 35 of 35 with no drops and he’s only had three MAs (missed assignments) in seven practices. And that is unbelievable. And then Velus Jones is playing out of sight right now and Tyler Vaughns has shown some really great signs the last three or four practices. Michael Pittman has been consistent. Those are the guys that are standing out right now.”
***
Coming later: QBs coach Tyson Helton, WR Velus Jones and video interviews with QB Sam Darnold, TB Vavae Malepeai and OL Chris Brown.
