Notes and observations from Wednesday's practice ...
First practice of fall in full pads.
11-on-11s:
Chad Wheeler is at left tackle, Toa Lobendahn at right guard.
Darreus Rogers beats Adoree' Jackson on a comeback.
Calude Pelon and Cam Smith stop Tre Madden.
Max Browne connects with Christian Tober, just over the outstretched arms of Ykili Ross, for a 30-yard touchdown.
***
Caleb Wilson gets some work with the twos and makes a catch.
Ricky Town scrambles for a long run.
Sam Darnold hits Daniel Imatorbhebhe for a long gain.
Jordan Simmons stuffs a run play.
Darnold hits Jalen Greene.
Pride drill (1-on-1 - offensive player picks up ball at 2-yard line with a defender standing on the goal line trying to keep him from scoring)
Ronald Jones is stopped on a run - Hawkins was there but I couldn't see if he made the tackle.
Jones is stopped on another run - Felix was there …
Su'a Cravens sniffs out a throw to Jones.
Aca'Cedric Ware is stopped.
Ware responds with a big gain.
***
Christian Rector sacks Browne.
Ware has another nice run.
Matt Lopes pounces on Dom Davis.
Lopes blitzes but not before Davis makes a good catch coming out of the backfield.
Rogers catches a ball in front of Adoree' after it was batted at the line.
***
Darnold makes a shaky throw into coverage that's nearly picked off.
Browne, despite heavy pressure, finds Tober on a crossing route. He's seeing the field well.
Jones is stopped by Hawkins.
Ware goes up the middle and picks up handful. He looks very comfortable with contact.
Browne hits Connor Spears for a big gain.
7-on-7s:
Cody Kessler finds to JuJu deep.
Ware catches a ball out of the backfield.
Kessler goes outside to Tyler Petite.
Kessler hits Rogers.
Kessler finds Petite up the seam.
Kessler completes two more to finish 7-for-7. Excellent series for Kessler. I notice he's really flattened out his intermediate throws.
***
Browne hits Hampton deep down the sideline in stride.
Kessler hits Steven Mitchell Jr. in the flat.
Kessler goes back to Mitchell, this time up the seam.
JuJu is physically overpowering people. (More on this in <em>They Said It</em>.)
Rogers can't hang on to a tough catch over the middle. He probably should have used two hands. Sark mentioned this moment after practice, noting that he appreciated how Rogers was disappointed in not coming down with what wasn't an easy catch. In the past, according to Sark, Rogers might have just shrugged it off.
Ross nearly picks off Browne.
11-on-11s:
Anthony Sarao blitzes and sacks Kessler.
Kessler throws one to Kevon right in the numbers but it's dropped. Not a good play all around.
Darreus makes another catch on Adoree'.
Darreus makes Hawkins miss and picks up a big chunk of yards.
Hampton drops a fairly easy pass from Browne.
***
Uchenna Nwosu sacks Browne. We're seeing a lot more sacks from the linebackers in fall than we did in spring. I would be remiss to note we saw a lot of this from the linebackers last fall and then not nearly as much during the season. They've definitely generated pressure thus far.
Hutchings picks off Browne.
Browne hits Kolanz down the sideline with Langley covering. Perfect timing on the throw.
Kessler hits Mitchell, who turns around Hawkins during the run after the catch.
***
Kessler connects with Taylor McNamara.
Lockett is called for PI against JuJu.
Mitchell catches a deep ball up the seam vs. Lockett.
Jones hits another gear while running up the sideline for a really big gain.
JuJu can't quite hang on to a pass in the corner. Good D by Langley.
Hutchings lays a big hit on Kolanz.
***
Osa Masina forces a fumble from Spears and it's recovered by John Houston Jr.
Ware is tough and strong on another nice pickup.
Mitchell shows off his rabbit moves following another catch.
JuJu hauls in an intermediate throw. He's having another huge camp.
Town throws back-to-back picks to Jalen Jones.
Hampton drops a deep ball from Browne.
Hutchings stuffs Ronald Jones for a TFL.
Final challenge:
Cameron Smith and Porter Gustin take down Ware but not before he picks up about five yards.
Kessler throws it behind Spears and it falls incomplete.
The defense is flagged for holding on Mitchell.
Rogers beats Leon McQuay over the middle and catches a touchdown, and the offense wins. Rogers is practicing at a higher level than he was at any point in the previous 12 months.
USC has Thursday off. Next practice is Friday at 8:45 a.m. and is open to the public.
First practice of fall in full pads.
11-on-11s:
Chad Wheeler is at left tackle, Toa Lobendahn at right guard.
Darreus Rogers beats Adoree' Jackson on a comeback.
Calude Pelon and Cam Smith stop Tre Madden.
Max Browne connects with Christian Tober, just over the outstretched arms of Ykili Ross, for a 30-yard touchdown.
***
Caleb Wilson gets some work with the twos and makes a catch.
Ricky Town scrambles for a long run.
Sam Darnold hits Daniel Imatorbhebhe for a long gain.
Jordan Simmons stuffs a run play.
Darnold hits Jalen Greene.
Pride drill (1-on-1 - offensive player picks up ball at 2-yard line with a defender standing on the goal line trying to keep him from scoring)
- Chris Hawkins stuffs Tober
- Adoree' stuffs De'Quan Hampton
- George Katrib beats Leon McQuay
- Greene beats Biggie Marshall
- Deontay Burnett beats Isaiah Langley
- Kevon Seymour pops a fumble out of Isaac Whitney
- Whitney beats Kevon
- McQuay stuffs Rogers
- Rogers beats Biggie, despite a nice second effort
- Hampton beats Adoree'
- Greene beats Hawkins
- Hampton beats Kevon
- The drill ends with JuJu Smith-Schuster pitted against his LB Poly buddy. Our view was completely blocked by JuJu said afterward he got under Biggie's shoulder pads and lifted him up and scored. "I give it up to Biggie," he said, "for a freshman to step in like that and just go."
Ronald Jones is stopped on a run - Hawkins was there but I couldn't see if he made the tackle.
Jones is stopped on another run - Felix was there …
Su'a Cravens sniffs out a throw to Jones.
Aca'Cedric Ware is stopped.
Ware responds with a big gain.
***
Christian Rector sacks Browne.
Ware has another nice run.
Matt Lopes pounces on Dom Davis.
Lopes blitzes but not before Davis makes a good catch coming out of the backfield.
Rogers catches a ball in front of Adoree' after it was batted at the line.
***
Darnold makes a shaky throw into coverage that's nearly picked off.
Browne, despite heavy pressure, finds Tober on a crossing route. He's seeing the field well.
Jones is stopped by Hawkins.
Ware goes up the middle and picks up handful. He looks very comfortable with contact.
Browne hits Connor Spears for a big gain.
7-on-7s:
Cody Kessler finds to JuJu deep.
Ware catches a ball out of the backfield.
Kessler goes outside to Tyler Petite.
Kessler hits Rogers.
Kessler finds Petite up the seam.
Kessler completes two more to finish 7-for-7. Excellent series for Kessler. I notice he's really flattened out his intermediate throws.
***
Browne hits Hampton deep down the sideline in stride.
Kessler hits Steven Mitchell Jr. in the flat.
Kessler goes back to Mitchell, this time up the seam.
JuJu is physically overpowering people. (More on this in <em>They Said It</em>.)
Rogers can't hang on to a tough catch over the middle. He probably should have used two hands. Sark mentioned this moment after practice, noting that he appreciated how Rogers was disappointed in not coming down with what wasn't an easy catch. In the past, according to Sark, Rogers might have just shrugged it off.
Ross nearly picks off Browne.
11-on-11s:
Anthony Sarao blitzes and sacks Kessler.
Kessler throws one to Kevon right in the numbers but it's dropped. Not a good play all around.
Darreus makes another catch on Adoree'.
Darreus makes Hawkins miss and picks up a big chunk of yards.
Hampton drops a fairly easy pass from Browne.
***
Uchenna Nwosu sacks Browne. We're seeing a lot more sacks from the linebackers in fall than we did in spring. I would be remiss to note we saw a lot of this from the linebackers last fall and then not nearly as much during the season. They've definitely generated pressure thus far.
Hutchings picks off Browne.
Browne hits Kolanz down the sideline with Langley covering. Perfect timing on the throw.
Kessler hits Mitchell, who turns around Hawkins during the run after the catch.
***
Kessler connects with Taylor McNamara.
Lockett is called for PI against JuJu.
Mitchell catches a deep ball up the seam vs. Lockett.
Jones hits another gear while running up the sideline for a really big gain.
JuJu can't quite hang on to a pass in the corner. Good D by Langley.
Hutchings lays a big hit on Kolanz.
***
Osa Masina forces a fumble from Spears and it's recovered by John Houston Jr.
Ware is tough and strong on another nice pickup.
Mitchell shows off his rabbit moves following another catch.
JuJu hauls in an intermediate throw. He's having another huge camp.
Town throws back-to-back picks to Jalen Jones.
Hampton drops a deep ball from Browne.
Hutchings stuffs Ronald Jones for a TFL.
Final challenge:
Cameron Smith and Porter Gustin take down Ware but not before he picks up about five yards.
Kessler throws it behind Spears and it falls incomplete.
The defense is flagged for holding on Mitchell.
Rogers beats Leon McQuay over the middle and catches a touchdown, and the offense wins. Rogers is practicing at a higher level than he was at any point in the previous 12 months.
USC has Thursday off. Next practice is Friday at 8:45 a.m. and is open to the public.
