Notes and observations from Friday's practice ...
USC is in full pads again.
11-on-11:
Scott Felix opens things up with a nice run stop.
Cody Kessler hits Darreus Rogers.
The trio of Antwaun Woods, Delvon Simmons and Kenny Bigelow help stuff consecutive runs by Aca'Cedric Ware. Lamar Dawson got around Zach Banner to make one of the tackles. Great start by the D.
Kessler hit Ware in the flat for a big gain. Leon McQuay forces Ware out of bounds with a nice hit. McQuay doesn't shy away from contact.
Ronald Jones II is stopped by Osa Masina and Greg Townsend.
Porter Gustin follows with a tackle nar the line of scrimmage.
Adoree' Jackson makes a deflection.
John Houston Jr. stops a run.
Deontay Burnett makes a diving catch.
***
Gauntlet drill (a ball-carrier tries to get into the end zone from about 15 yards out while three levels of blockers and tacklers engage)
11-on-11:
Big gain for Ware.
Kessler hits Steevn Mitchell in the slot.
Biggie makes a big hit on Jones.
Dom Davis is stopped for a short gain.
Ware gallops down the right side for a long run.
Masina makes a stop.
Greene catches a short pass and is quickly tackled by Houston.
Cameron Smith stops Jones.
***
7-on-7:
Jabari Ruffin is moving a bit slowly through the drill and can't chase down Ware. (Ruffin told us near the end of summer workouts he was 100 percent but that doesn't appear to be the case.)
Max Browne throws a TD to Caleb Wilson.
He follows with a TD to Tober.
And then a TD to Tyler Petite.
A pass to Taylor McNamara falls incomplete as Kevon Seymour applies tight coverage.
Kevon is called for PI on JuJu Smith-Schuster. (Someone wonders aloud whether the refs are over-legislating things to prepare the team for Pac-12 officiating.)
Kessler scrambles to his right and finds Darreus. Nice play by Kessler.
***
A hard cut from Davis makes Grant Moore fall and results in a TD.
Ricky Town is picked off by Matt Lopes. Town made a good read but needed to deliver it sooner.
Town throws a TD to Daniel Imatorbhebhe the following snap.
Town goes back to Imatorbhebhe but he can't hang on to a would-be touchdown.
Brwone runs to his left for a TD. The mobility was good, the fact that he didn't try to force a throw was better.
Jonathan Lockett makes a good defensive play and nearly picks off Browne.
***
Matt Boermeester: good from 33, 38 and 38+, missed from 38
Alex Wood: good from 33, missed from 38, missed from 38 (appeared to be tipped)
***
11-on-11:
Kessler throws it behind Mitchell. If the ball is ahead of him it's an easy touchdown.
Kessler goes back to Mitchell and he falls after making the short catch.
Kessler throws a long swing pass to Soma Vainuku for a touchdown (Gustin was in coverage).
Kessler throws a short pass to Mitchell, who scores after Chad Wheeler slams Lockett to create a big lane.
Greene drops an easy toss in the flat. He's working hard to transition from quarterback but has experienced some growing pains the past few days.
Adoree' blankets Isaac Whitney.
Hampton scores a TD while defended by Hawkins.
***
Jones runs for a big gain behind Mama and Toa Lobendahn. We've mainly seen Davis working as a tailback the past few days, and almost always with the third team. I'm a little surprised he hasn't been used as a slot back with the first/second teams.
Su'a tackles Jones near the line.
McQuay is called for PI.
Su'a tackles Ware for a short gain.
Kessler throws a TD to Connor Spears.
Kessler goes deep to a wide-open Mitchell for a TD.
Hawkins busts through the line and records a TFL about five yards deep.
***
Final challenge:
Kessler passes to Davis for a big gain.
Simmons stuffs a run from Ware.
Ware runs again and is taken down by Biggie but not before picking up a nice gain.
A pass to Vainuku goes for enough yards to give the offense the win.
USC's practice this evening is closed to the media and public. Saturday's practice is open and begins at 2:30 p.m.
USC is in full pads again.
11-on-11:
Scott Felix opens things up with a nice run stop.
Cody Kessler hits Darreus Rogers.
The trio of Antwaun Woods, Delvon Simmons and Kenny Bigelow help stuff consecutive runs by Aca'Cedric Ware. Lamar Dawson got around Zach Banner to make one of the tackles. Great start by the D.
Kessler hit Ware in the flat for a big gain. Leon McQuay forces Ware out of bounds with a nice hit. McQuay doesn't shy away from contact.
Ronald Jones II is stopped by Osa Masina and Greg Townsend.
Porter Gustin follows with a tackle nar the line of scrimmage.
Adoree' Jackson makes a deflection.
John Houston Jr. stops a run.
Deontay Burnett makes a diving catch.
***
Gauntlet drill (a ball-carrier tries to get into the end zone from about 15 yards out while three levels of blockers and tacklers engage)
- Felix tackles Jahleel Pinner.
- Anthony Sarao tackles Ware.
- Adoree' tackles Yoofi Quansah.
- Simmons beats Damien mama and tackles Jackson Boyer.
- Biggie Marshall and Su'a Cravens combine to take down Christian Tober.
- Claude Pelon beats Banner and tackles Conner Sullivan.
- Simmons beats Mama for a tackle.
- Jones bursts through for a touchdown, although De'Quan Hampton is flagged for holding on Adoree'.
- Banner gets just enough of the D-lineman to free up Sullivan for a score.
11-on-11:
Big gain for Ware.
Kessler hits Steevn Mitchell in the slot.
Biggie makes a big hit on Jones.
Dom Davis is stopped for a short gain.
Ware gallops down the right side for a long run.
Masina makes a stop.
Greene catches a short pass and is quickly tackled by Houston.
Cameron Smith stops Jones.
***
7-on-7:
Jabari Ruffin is moving a bit slowly through the drill and can't chase down Ware. (Ruffin told us near the end of summer workouts he was 100 percent but that doesn't appear to be the case.)
Max Browne throws a TD to Caleb Wilson.
He follows with a TD to Tober.
And then a TD to Tyler Petite.
A pass to Taylor McNamara falls incomplete as Kevon Seymour applies tight coverage.
Kevon is called for PI on JuJu Smith-Schuster. (Someone wonders aloud whether the refs are over-legislating things to prepare the team for Pac-12 officiating.)
Kessler scrambles to his right and finds Darreus. Nice play by Kessler.
***
A hard cut from Davis makes Grant Moore fall and results in a TD.
Ricky Town is picked off by Matt Lopes. Town made a good read but needed to deliver it sooner.
Town throws a TD to Daniel Imatorbhebhe the following snap.
Town goes back to Imatorbhebhe but he can't hang on to a would-be touchdown.
Brwone runs to his left for a TD. The mobility was good, the fact that he didn't try to force a throw was better.
Jonathan Lockett makes a good defensive play and nearly picks off Browne.
***
Matt Boermeester: good from 33, 38 and 38+, missed from 38
Alex Wood: good from 33, missed from 38, missed from 38 (appeared to be tipped)
***
11-on-11:
Kessler throws it behind Mitchell. If the ball is ahead of him it's an easy touchdown.
Kessler goes back to Mitchell and he falls after making the short catch.
Kessler throws a long swing pass to Soma Vainuku for a touchdown (Gustin was in coverage).
Kessler throws a short pass to Mitchell, who scores after Chad Wheeler slams Lockett to create a big lane.
Greene drops an easy toss in the flat. He's working hard to transition from quarterback but has experienced some growing pains the past few days.
Adoree' blankets Isaac Whitney.
Hampton scores a TD while defended by Hawkins.
***
Jones runs for a big gain behind Mama and Toa Lobendahn. We've mainly seen Davis working as a tailback the past few days, and almost always with the third team. I'm a little surprised he hasn't been used as a slot back with the first/second teams.
Su'a tackles Jones near the line.
McQuay is called for PI.
Su'a tackles Ware for a short gain.
Kessler throws a TD to Connor Spears.
Kessler goes deep to a wide-open Mitchell for a TD.
Hawkins busts through the line and records a TFL about five yards deep.
***
Final challenge:
Kessler passes to Davis for a big gain.
Simmons stuffs a run from Ware.
Ware runs again and is taken down by Biggie but not before picking up a nice gain.
A pass to Vainuku goes for enough yards to give the offense the win.
USC's practice this evening is closed to the media and public. Saturday's practice is open and begins at 2:30 p.m.
