Notes and observations from Tuesday's practice:
USC went for nearly three hours today. Coach Clay Helton said he wanted to slow things down a bit in response to all the injuries. The team was in half pads.
11-on-11:
(This period was badly obstructed by players on the sideline.)
Justin Davis ran for a long gain up the right side.
Davis runs right again and is taken down by Isaiah Langley, who I imagine is really benefiting from all these reps.
Aca'Cedric Ware goes left for a handful.
Max Browne hits Josh Imatorbhebhe for a first down. (Converted FB Reuben Peters was in on that play.)
Browne goes back to Imatorbhebhe for a short pass. Quinton Powell is right there.
***
Sam Darnold enters and hits Deontay Burnett on a crossing route. (Play-action worked well there.)
Darnold throws a quick out to Ajene Harris for a couple.
Darnold hits Ajene on a screen that goes for about 20.
Peters drops a screen. He's had some trouble catching passes.
Special teams:
Matt Boermeester makes 5 of 7 attempts from 34-yards out. (One was blocked by Jonathan Lockett.) Interestingly, there was a day last week where he exclusively kicked from the exact same spot, always on the left hash.
USC worked on punt coverage/returns, having two defenders go up against two blockers while a fifth player returned a simulated punt. Dom Davis ran two all the way back, dodging would-be tacklers in the process. Ajene and Langley also had good returns.
9-on-7:
Browne hits Burnett in the deep middle.
Browne tries for Whitney over the middle and the pass is tipped by Marvell Tell and then Langley.
McNamara catches a pass near the sideline but grabs for his shoulder after being twisted by CJ Pollard, who's back at safety after a foray at cornerback.
Darnold hits Ajene over the middle.
Browne connects with Daniel Imatorbhebhe.
Browne throws a great ball to De'Quan Hampton on a corner post.
11-on-11:
Langley deflects a pass from Browne to Hampton.
Browne steps up in the pocket amid pressure and hits Ajene on a crossing route. (If it's not obvious from my notes, Ajene has been the second best receiver in spring.)
Michael Hutchings sniffs out a screen to Justin Davis.
Browne hits Burnett deep.
***
Darnold completes an out to Hampton.
Darnold finds Ware in the flat. (Wole Betiku was in the backfield a moment after the snap.)
Darnold hits Mitchell downfield.
Rasheem Green tackles Davis in the backfield. He hit Davis immediately after Davis received the handoff.
Browne avoids pressure and hits Isaac Whitney.
***
Browne is hurried by Porter Gustin and dumps the ball off to Davis in the flat.
Darnold connects with Tyler Petite.
Darnold hits Burnett.
Kevin Scott sacks Darnold. (Liam Jimmons applied pressure as well.)
Final challenge:
Browne hits D. Imatorbhebhe on a beautiful deep ball down the sideline. The play went for about 30 yards.
Browne throws incomplete to Hampton.
Malik Dorton sacks Browne.
Green is in the backfield instantly and Browne is forced to throw the ball away. Green has been so disruptive.
(They play on despite the defense already winning on points.)
***
Browne hits Petite down the middle of the field for a big gain.
Browne throws a pair of incompletions in the red zone.
Browne looks for Steven Mitchell Jr. over the middle but his pass falls incomplete because Biggie Marshall is right there. The defense wins and the offense runs a lap.
***
As Helton noted after practice, Darnold had an excellent day. He demonstrated a better handle of the offense and better timing with the receivers. But as he improves, so does Browne. I see Browne reading the defense better than he was before and being more instinctual in the pocket. He dealt with a lot of pressure today and handled it really well.
Also, Daniel Imatorbhebhe. That is all.
USC went for nearly three hours today. Coach Clay Helton said he wanted to slow things down a bit in response to all the injuries. The team was in half pads.
11-on-11:
(This period was badly obstructed by players on the sideline.)
Justin Davis ran for a long gain up the right side.
Davis runs right again and is taken down by Isaiah Langley, who I imagine is really benefiting from all these reps.
Aca'Cedric Ware goes left for a handful.
Max Browne hits Josh Imatorbhebhe for a first down. (Converted FB Reuben Peters was in on that play.)
Browne goes back to Imatorbhebhe for a short pass. Quinton Powell is right there.
***
Sam Darnold enters and hits Deontay Burnett on a crossing route. (Play-action worked well there.)
Darnold throws a quick out to Ajene Harris for a couple.
Darnold hits Ajene on a screen that goes for about 20.
Peters drops a screen. He's had some trouble catching passes.
Special teams:
Matt Boermeester makes 5 of 7 attempts from 34-yards out. (One was blocked by Jonathan Lockett.) Interestingly, there was a day last week where he exclusively kicked from the exact same spot, always on the left hash.
USC worked on punt coverage/returns, having two defenders go up against two blockers while a fifth player returned a simulated punt. Dom Davis ran two all the way back, dodging would-be tacklers in the process. Ajene and Langley also had good returns.
9-on-7:
Browne hits Burnett in the deep middle.
Browne tries for Whitney over the middle and the pass is tipped by Marvell Tell and then Langley.
McNamara catches a pass near the sideline but grabs for his shoulder after being twisted by CJ Pollard, who's back at safety after a foray at cornerback.
Darnold hits Ajene over the middle.
Browne connects with Daniel Imatorbhebhe.
Browne throws a great ball to De'Quan Hampton on a corner post.
11-on-11:
Langley deflects a pass from Browne to Hampton.
Browne steps up in the pocket amid pressure and hits Ajene on a crossing route. (If it's not obvious from my notes, Ajene has been the second best receiver in spring.)
Michael Hutchings sniffs out a screen to Justin Davis.
Browne hits Burnett deep.
***
Darnold completes an out to Hampton.
Darnold finds Ware in the flat. (Wole Betiku was in the backfield a moment after the snap.)
Darnold hits Mitchell downfield.
Rasheem Green tackles Davis in the backfield. He hit Davis immediately after Davis received the handoff.
Browne avoids pressure and hits Isaac Whitney.
***
Browne is hurried by Porter Gustin and dumps the ball off to Davis in the flat.
Darnold connects with Tyler Petite.
Darnold hits Burnett.
Kevin Scott sacks Darnold. (Liam Jimmons applied pressure as well.)
Final challenge:
Browne hits D. Imatorbhebhe on a beautiful deep ball down the sideline. The play went for about 30 yards.
Browne throws incomplete to Hampton.
Malik Dorton sacks Browne.
Green is in the backfield instantly and Browne is forced to throw the ball away. Green has been so disruptive.
(They play on despite the defense already winning on points.)
***
Browne hits Petite down the middle of the field for a big gain.
Browne throws a pair of incompletions in the red zone.
Browne looks for Steven Mitchell Jr. over the middle but his pass falls incomplete because Biggie Marshall is right there. The defense wins and the offense runs a lap.
***
As Helton noted after practice, Darnold had an excellent day. He demonstrated a better handle of the offense and better timing with the receivers. But as he improves, so does Browne. I see Browne reading the defense better than he was before and being more instinctual in the pocket. He dealt with a lot of pressure today and handled it really well.
Also, Daniel Imatorbhebhe. That is all.
