Notes and observations from Thursday's practice.
USC was in full pads today. Practice lasted for a hair over two hours.
11-on-11:
Max Browne hits De'Quan Hampton for a first down.
Browne's pass is tipped by a blitzing linebacker (couldn't make out who) and Isaiah Langley picks it off.
Browne finds Ajene Harris deep middle for a big gain.
Christian Rector chases Aca'Cedric Ware out of bounds.
Jalen Greene's pass is tipped at the line of scrimmage and walk-on safety Deion Hart intercepts it. The QBs were under duress all day. (That's not necessarily an indictment on the O-line. Dealing with pressure seemed to be a focus for the offense in this practice.)
***
Sam Darnold gets the ball out quick for a completion to Darreus Rogers.
Darnold immediately unloads again, this time to Josh Imatorbhebhe.
Michael Hutchings recovers a fumble. (We couldn't tell how it squirted out as this period took place behind a wall of players obstructing our view.)
Ajene Harris takes a jet sweep for a first down.
Matt Fink enters and connects with Deontay Burnett.
Fink completes a pass to Tyler Petite.
***
Special teams:
Matt Boermeester makes 5 of 6 field goals, all from 36 yards out from the left hash.
Ajene returned several kickoffs for long gains. Langley, Dom Davis and JuJu Smith-Schuster also had solid returns.
7-on-7:
Browne hits Taylor McNamara.
Browne hits Burnett.
Browne runs.
J. Imatorbhebhe make a one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone over Langley. Great showing from the younger Imatorbhebhe today.
***
Sam Daronld tries to go over the top to Hampton but it falls incomplete.
Dom Davis slips at the line of scrimmage but Darnold had already committed to throwing his way and Davis impressively hauls it in from the ground.
Darnold hits Isaac Whitney on a short pass.
Darnold throws an incomplete pass.
***
Browne throws to Justin Davis.
Browne throws low to Burnett. Jonathan Lockett was blanketing him and Burnett went down and made the catch. Great effort, great hands.
Browne hits Tyler Petite in deep middle.
Browne tries for Petite in the corner of the end zone but Petite turns the other way and it falls incomplete.
Browne hits James Toland.
***
11-on-11:
Uchenna Nwosu sacks Browne.
The next play is whistled dead, seemingly because Browne didn't get the ball out in time. (Browne completed a pass to Hampton as the whistle blew.)
Darnold hits Petite on a crossing pattern.
Darnold goes over the middle to Ajene.
Malik Dorton sacks Darnold. (Hutchings applied pressure as well.)
***
Browne just misses J. Imatorbhebhe.
Browne hits Ajene on a crossing pattern.
Browne completes a pass to Darreus Rogers.
Wole Betiku sacks Darnold.
Jabari Ruffin pressures Darnold, who scrambles and gets a few.
***
Browne throws incomplete to Hampon, who's draped by Biggie Marshall.
Browne hits J. Davis.
Browne throws incomplete to J. Imatorbhebhe. Good defense by Langley.
Browne throws a shuffle pass to J. Davis.
J. Davis runs off tackle and scores. A one-cut special from Davis.
***
Darnold goes deep to Whitney but it falls incomplete.
Darnold hits Ajene for a short pass.
Olajuwon Tucker holds Ware to a short gain.
Darnold hits Hampton in the end zone but he's ruled out of bounds.
Browne connects with Ajene.
***
Browne throws deep to Burnett and it falls incomplete.
(fumbled snap)
Ware runs for a first down.
Darnold tries for the end zone and it's incomplete. He impressively threw that one downfield off his back foot.
Darnold completes a screen pass.
Darnold is sacked by Kevin Scott.
Final challenge:
Davis runs up the middle for a first down.
Davis runs left and is stopped short of the marker.
Quinton Powell records a TFL.
Browne looks for Petite downfield and it's broken up. Defense wins.
***
Not the strongest day for Browne. Darnold was better, though he's still probably taking a few too many sacks. The defense was playing noticeably faster today. Don't know that I'd read too much into it yet since these team periods are scripted a certain way sometimes. But they definitely won the day.
USC was in full pads today. Practice lasted for a hair over two hours.
11-on-11:
Max Browne hits De'Quan Hampton for a first down.
Browne's pass is tipped by a blitzing linebacker (couldn't make out who) and Isaiah Langley picks it off.
Browne finds Ajene Harris deep middle for a big gain.
Christian Rector chases Aca'Cedric Ware out of bounds.
Jalen Greene's pass is tipped at the line of scrimmage and walk-on safety Deion Hart intercepts it. The QBs were under duress all day. (That's not necessarily an indictment on the O-line. Dealing with pressure seemed to be a focus for the offense in this practice.)
***
Sam Darnold gets the ball out quick for a completion to Darreus Rogers.
Darnold immediately unloads again, this time to Josh Imatorbhebhe.
Michael Hutchings recovers a fumble. (We couldn't tell how it squirted out as this period took place behind a wall of players obstructing our view.)
Ajene Harris takes a jet sweep for a first down.
Matt Fink enters and connects with Deontay Burnett.
Fink completes a pass to Tyler Petite.
***
Special teams:
Matt Boermeester makes 5 of 6 field goals, all from 36 yards out from the left hash.
Ajene returned several kickoffs for long gains. Langley, Dom Davis and JuJu Smith-Schuster also had solid returns.
7-on-7:
Browne hits Taylor McNamara.
Browne hits Burnett.
Browne runs.
J. Imatorbhebhe make a one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone over Langley. Great showing from the younger Imatorbhebhe today.
***
Sam Daronld tries to go over the top to Hampton but it falls incomplete.
Dom Davis slips at the line of scrimmage but Darnold had already committed to throwing his way and Davis impressively hauls it in from the ground.
Darnold hits Isaac Whitney on a short pass.
Darnold throws an incomplete pass.
***
Browne throws to Justin Davis.
Browne throws low to Burnett. Jonathan Lockett was blanketing him and Burnett went down and made the catch. Great effort, great hands.
Browne hits Tyler Petite in deep middle.
Browne tries for Petite in the corner of the end zone but Petite turns the other way and it falls incomplete.
Browne hits James Toland.
***
11-on-11:
Uchenna Nwosu sacks Browne.
The next play is whistled dead, seemingly because Browne didn't get the ball out in time. (Browne completed a pass to Hampton as the whistle blew.)
Darnold hits Petite on a crossing pattern.
Darnold goes over the middle to Ajene.
Malik Dorton sacks Darnold. (Hutchings applied pressure as well.)
***
Browne just misses J. Imatorbhebhe.
Browne hits Ajene on a crossing pattern.
Browne completes a pass to Darreus Rogers.
Wole Betiku sacks Darnold.
Jabari Ruffin pressures Darnold, who scrambles and gets a few.
***
Browne throws incomplete to Hampon, who's draped by Biggie Marshall.
Browne hits J. Davis.
Browne throws incomplete to J. Imatorbhebhe. Good defense by Langley.
Browne throws a shuffle pass to J. Davis.
J. Davis runs off tackle and scores. A one-cut special from Davis.
***
Darnold goes deep to Whitney but it falls incomplete.
Darnold hits Ajene for a short pass.
Olajuwon Tucker holds Ware to a short gain.
Darnold hits Hampton in the end zone but he's ruled out of bounds.
Browne connects with Ajene.
***
Browne throws deep to Burnett and it falls incomplete.
(fumbled snap)
Ware runs for a first down.
Darnold tries for the end zone and it's incomplete. He impressively threw that one downfield off his back foot.
Darnold completes a screen pass.
Darnold is sacked by Kevin Scott.
Final challenge:
Davis runs up the middle for a first down.
Davis runs left and is stopped short of the marker.
Quinton Powell records a TFL.
Browne looks for Petite downfield and it's broken up. Defense wins.
***
Not the strongest day for Browne. Darnold was better, though he's still probably taking a few too many sacks. The defense was playing noticeably faster today. Don't know that I'd read too much into it yet since these team periods are scripted a certain way sometimes. But they definitely won the day.
