Notes and observations from Saturday's practice:
USC practiced in full pads for just over two hours on this rainy morning. There was a lot of 11-on-11 today. A couple of differences between Helton and Sark that I might not have explicitly stated before: Helton seems to put the team in more situational periods (which we saw today) and it almost always consists of the first team offense facing the first team defense (and 2nd team O vs. 2nd team D). Sark's team periods were more free flowing and typically featured the first team offense against the second team defense and vice versa.
11-on-11:
Dom Davis runs for a long gain.
Rasheem Green records a TFL.
Aca'Cedric Ware runs up the middle for a big gain.
Justin Davis catches a wheel route and runs up the sideline for a 30 yards.
Ronald Jones II has a long run.
J. Davis runs right for a few.
***
Max Browne completes a short pass to Deontay Burnett.
Sam Darnold hits Isaac Whitney deep.
Darnold scans the field and the whistle blows. (It was a coverage sack, though Christian Rector and Liam Jimmons were both in the vicinity.)
Darnold hits Steven Mitchell Jr. in the slot.
John Houston sacks Fink.
Rector slams D. Davis.
***
The offense was given one play to move down the field and then spike the ball to set up a last-second field goal.
Browne finds Darreus Rogers over the middle for about 15 yards.
-The ensuing field goal. Looks like McQuay did it, but Biggie Marshall and Isaiah Langley were there too.
Browne completes a quick out to Darreus.
-Matt Boermeester connects from about 50 yards out.
Darnold steps up in pocket and fires a 20-yard pass to Burnett.
--No field goal is attempted. The offense resets from its original spot.
Darnold throws incomplete to Whitney downfield.
***
The ball is moved to the 2-yard line. Helton says there are three seconds remaining and the offense is down five. In other words, it's touchdown or bust. Browne rolls right, doesn't find anything and Uchenna Nwosu busts through for the sack.
Red zone:
Darnold to De'Quan Hampton for a TD.
Darnold to Mitchell for a TD.
Darnold throws incomplete.
11-on-11:
J. Davis runs right
Mitchell drops a pass from Browne.
JuJu Smith-Schuster catches a pass over the middle and he's dragged down. Couldn't see who exactly the defensive back was but it was a really physical play, and you could tell JuJu appreciated that. He seems to feed off the energy and competitiveness of others.
J. Davis runs for about five yards and is tackled by Nwosu.
J. Davis runs for a longer gain before he's stopped by Biggie.
***
Malik Dorton stuffs Ware.
RoJo runs to his right and picks up a few before taking a hard hit. Sometimes he runs a bit too upright.
Jalen Greene hits Josh Imatorbhebhe on an out. JI runs hard after the catch and doesn't go down easily.
RoJo takes a carry from the 5 and cuts inside. He's taken down just before the goal line by Jacob Daniel
RoJo gets another crack at scoring but is slammed behind the line by John Houston.
***
(Darnold enters - 1st team O vs. 1st team D)
Ware runs left for a few.
Darnold runs and picks up a yard before he's stopped by Porter Gustin.
Darnold throws downfield and there's no one there. (Mitchell was lined up outside. Must have been some miscommunication there.)
D. Davis is stuffed.
Michael Hutchings sacks Darnold.
Darnold throws downfield to Hampton and it pegs Langley in the shoulder and almost sticks there. He corrals it and returns it for a TD. First INT from Darnold this spring.
***
Final challenge:
Dorton recovers a fumbled snap.
Quinton Powell records a TFL on J. Davis.
RoJo takes a sweep to the right and splits two defenders for a TD.
Nwosu and Dorton tackle RoJo in the backfield -- the defense wins, the offense runs a lap.
***
I'll have Standouts from Week 4 later this weekend.
USC practiced in full pads for just over two hours on this rainy morning. There was a lot of 11-on-11 today. A couple of differences between Helton and Sark that I might not have explicitly stated before: Helton seems to put the team in more situational periods (which we saw today) and it almost always consists of the first team offense facing the first team defense (and 2nd team O vs. 2nd team D). Sark's team periods were more free flowing and typically featured the first team offense against the second team defense and vice versa.
11-on-11:
Dom Davis runs for a long gain.
Rasheem Green records a TFL.
Aca'Cedric Ware runs up the middle for a big gain.
Justin Davis catches a wheel route and runs up the sideline for a 30 yards.
Ronald Jones II has a long run.
J. Davis runs right for a few.
***
Max Browne completes a short pass to Deontay Burnett.
Sam Darnold hits Isaac Whitney deep.
Darnold scans the field and the whistle blows. (It was a coverage sack, though Christian Rector and Liam Jimmons were both in the vicinity.)
Darnold hits Steven Mitchell Jr. in the slot.
John Houston sacks Fink.
Rector slams D. Davis.
***
The offense was given one play to move down the field and then spike the ball to set up a last-second field goal.
Browne finds Darreus Rogers over the middle for about 15 yards.
-The ensuing field goal. Looks like McQuay did it, but Biggie Marshall and Isaiah Langley were there too.
Browne completes a quick out to Darreus.
-Matt Boermeester connects from about 50 yards out.
Darnold steps up in pocket and fires a 20-yard pass to Burnett.
--No field goal is attempted. The offense resets from its original spot.
Darnold throws incomplete to Whitney downfield.
***
The ball is moved to the 2-yard line. Helton says there are three seconds remaining and the offense is down five. In other words, it's touchdown or bust. Browne rolls right, doesn't find anything and Uchenna Nwosu busts through for the sack.
Red zone:
Darnold to De'Quan Hampton for a TD.
Darnold to Mitchell for a TD.
Darnold throws incomplete.
11-on-11:
J. Davis runs right
Mitchell drops a pass from Browne.
JuJu Smith-Schuster catches a pass over the middle and he's dragged down. Couldn't see who exactly the defensive back was but it was a really physical play, and you could tell JuJu appreciated that. He seems to feed off the energy and competitiveness of others.
J. Davis runs for about five yards and is tackled by Nwosu.
J. Davis runs for a longer gain before he's stopped by Biggie.
***
Malik Dorton stuffs Ware.
RoJo runs to his right and picks up a few before taking a hard hit. Sometimes he runs a bit too upright.
Jalen Greene hits Josh Imatorbhebhe on an out. JI runs hard after the catch and doesn't go down easily.
RoJo takes a carry from the 5 and cuts inside. He's taken down just before the goal line by Jacob Daniel
RoJo gets another crack at scoring but is slammed behind the line by John Houston.
***
(Darnold enters - 1st team O vs. 1st team D)
Ware runs left for a few.
Darnold runs and picks up a yard before he's stopped by Porter Gustin.
Darnold throws downfield and there's no one there. (Mitchell was lined up outside. Must have been some miscommunication there.)
D. Davis is stuffed.
Michael Hutchings sacks Darnold.
Darnold throws downfield to Hampton and it pegs Langley in the shoulder and almost sticks there. He corrals it and returns it for a TD. First INT from Darnold this spring.
***
Final challenge:
Dorton recovers a fumbled snap.
Quinton Powell records a TFL on J. Davis.
RoJo takes a sweep to the right and splits two defenders for a TD.
Nwosu and Dorton tackle RoJo in the backfield -- the defense wins, the offense runs a lap.
***
I'll have Standouts from Week 4 later this weekend.
