USC practiced in shells and shorts Wednesday. Spoke with OL coach Neil Callaway and RBs coach Tim Drevno about the O-line play. Have some good intel on that. Also talked to some of the receivers about JT Daniels and what makes him so good in practice. He was outstanding again today.
But first, here's the news:
Clay Helton said there there's isn't a target date for the return of TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe. Helton was asked if his injury is any different now than the original prognosis -- a torn quad -- and he said no. Imatorbhebhe has been working on the side and limited to a select few individual periods for the entirety of camp.
"We're staying away from contact until he truly feels comfortable with it," Helton said. "He's doing a ltittle bit of contact drill work, people leaning on him, trying to get all that strength back in that leg."
For months now, Helton has held out hope that LB Wole Betiku could return this season. Today he sort of recanted, acknowledging that Betiku probably won't be available until midseason at the earliest and is likely to redshirt. Under the new NCAA rule, he could still appear in up to four games and redshirt. Given the double hip surgeries, I wouldn't expect him to play at all this season.
LT Austin Jackson made a partial return, participating in individuals. The hope is he'll be full speed by next week. (As an aside, I'm predicting he'll be the starting left tackle. Pretty sure you guys know the other four, but in case you're unsure, Chris Brown will be the left guard, Toa Lobendahn the center, Andrew Vorhees the right guard, though if he isn't available it's probably Alijah Vera-Tucker, and then Chuma Edoga at right tackle.)
TE Erik Krommenhoek was in pads and might be close to returning.
LB Cam Smith and S Ykili Ross remained out.
OT Clayton Bradley was pulled from practice because of back pain. Jalen McKenzie was the first-team left tackle.
CB Chase Williams and DL Liam Jimmons also did not practice.
Helton said DL Jacob Lichtenstein should return next week.
Jonathan Lockett and Olaijah Griffin took punt return reps, along with Ajene Harris.
Helton was effusive in his praise of his tailbacks coming out of Tuesday's full-pad practice.
He also noted the offensive system has been altered over the course of the past two years to incorporate the tight ends more in the passing game. I guess I remain a bit skeptical. Sometimes we see it, sometimes we don't, though Daniels seems inclined to target them.
1-on-1s (WR vs. DBs)
Tyler Vaughns beats Biggie Marshall outside
Velus Jones beats Ajene Harris on a deep post
Amon-Ra St. Brown had a step on Olaijah Griffin but the pass missed
Marvell Tell picks off a throw from Jack Sears that was behind Trevon Sidney
***
Devon Williams' extra effort to bring downs Sears' deep ball leads to an INT for Greg Johnson
Vaughns beats Biggie again on a throw downfield from Daniels
Keyshawn Young beats Isaiah-Pola Mao deep and is rewarded with a perfect pass from Daniels
Grimes beats Isaac Taylor-Stuart deep and Daniels delivers again
***
Velus beats Ajene again and catches a deep ball from Thomas Holden
Langley covers Williams well and picks off Holden
Vaughns beats Biggie again and Fink connects
C.J. Pollard breaks up a pass from Sears to Sidney
St. Brown beats Griffin deep but drops a pass from Sears
Helton said there'll be 1-on-1 pass rush drills Thursday. They're always fun.
Impressions:
Matt Fink had a really good day today. I want to make sure I point this out because I realize he's been written off in this competition. That's probably unfair, since I don't believe there is a competition anymore. It's clearly Daniels, with the other two jockeying for the lead backup role (until one transfers).
Fink and Daniels took the majority of reps today, and Fink came out strong. He completed three consecutive passes to Tyler Vaughns, who's clearly the go-to receiver. The QBs trust him to do everything right. It's as if they can simply throw to a spot and expect him to be there and finish, and he almost always does.
Fink did a nice job of working from inside the pocket. He doesn't seem nearly as jittery as he might have been in spring. He also completed passes to Randal Grimes, Tyler Petite and Velus Jones.
Daniels made the best throws of the day, including a 35-yard dime to Vaughns, who hauled it in between Ajene Harris and Bubba Bolden. Daniels is unafraid to challenge DBs. He knows he can put it where he wants it and he has the receivers to win 50-50s. Makes for a lethal combination. Daniels also zipped a pass over the middle to Amon-Ra St. Brown and found tight ends Josh Falo and Petite for first downs.
I've been asked if Daniels sometimes locks onto St. Brown, which I passed along to Helton. His answer, if you didn't hear it earlier this week, was that Daniels' ball distribution has been a plus (which I totally agree with). My only observation is that Daniels does seem to lock onto where he's going to throw based on what he sees pre-snap. But I don't know that he has any particular favorites. He'll throw to whoever is open. He's like Sam Darnold in that way. We've probably seen him target St. Brown a little more because he already knows how to utilize him best. But Daniels' timing with all the receivers has been one of his more impressive traits.
Daniels did take a sack from Ajene Harris, who has been somewhat of a nemesis for him in practice. He's responsible for both of Daniels' interception in training camp and I believe he's sacked him twice now also.
Sears had a rough go of it. He was sacked by Malik Dorton. He hit LB Juliano Falaniko in the back on a pass intended for Stephen Carr, who had a step on Falaniko. His final throw was picked off by Jonathan Lockett, and there wasn't a receiver in the vicinity. Sears tried to go downfield and ended up throwing right at the defense. Perhaps there was a miscommunication on a route.
Sears did connect with St. Brown over the middle, as part of a sequence highlighting the freshman wideout. St. Brown initially tipped the ball in the air and came down with it while taking a hit. One play later, St. Brown beat Biggie on an inside route and caught a pass while getting slammed by Marvell Tell. The kid is fearless and powerful.
Not much else in the way of defensive highlights, though I thought the D-line did a good job of applying pressure on the QB. Marlon Tuipulotu also had a nice run stop.
USC will be in shells Thursday, and Friday is setting up to be without pads before Saturday's scrimmage. We have interviews coming later with Vaughns, Petite, Drevno and Callaway.
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