Notes and observations from today's practice...
USC practiced for a bit less than two hours today in full pads.
Random notes:
The quarterbacks had a drill where they sat up on their knees and pantomimed running downfield while a coach tried to knock the ball out of their arms.
Connor Murphy beat Damien Mama and Wole Betiku beat Chuma Edoga in 1-on-1s between the OL and DL.
Jack Jones and Jonathan Lockett each blocked a field goal.
Max Browne threw a gorgeous deep ball to Darreus Rogers during the service team period. It was just perfect.
Sam Darnold completed a series of passes to JuJu Smith-Schuster, Michael Pittman and De'Quan Hampton.
Trevon Sidney, also during a service team period, made a leaping catch right in front of Marvell Tell for a long TD. Matt Fink delivered the pass there.
Highlights from 7-on-7:
Biggie Marshall intercepts Darnold and runs it back for an easy pick-6. Likely some type of miscommunication there as the intended receiver broke in and the pass was toward the sideline.
Browne connects with Daniel Imatorbhebhe for a first down.
Jordan Iosefa smashes Pittman over the middle to force an incompletion. Looked like they went helmet to helmet, but that might have been accidental. Iosefa initially drilled Pittman with his shoulder.
Darnold threads the needle to Greene for a nice gain.
Darnold hits Tyler Petite.
Darnold completes a first down to Deontay Burnett.
Darnold hits Isaac Whitney downfield.
Highlights from 11-on-11:
Isaiah Langley had a nice pass break-up.
Darnold hits JuJu Smith-Schuster for about 15 yards over the middle.
Darnold goes outside to Jalen Greene for another 15 yards or so.
Darnold goes deep and connects with Whitney.
Darnold hits JuJu for a 35-yard TD. JuJu beat Ykili Ross on the play.
***
Darnold finds Pittman over the middle.
Aca'Cedric Ware runs for a big gain and then strikes CJ Pollard at the end of the play. He can be a bit short-tempered at times.
Vavae Malepeai runs for a first down.
Dom Davis takes it between the tackles for a long run.
Darnold hits Petite for a 30-yard TD. Petite went high to bring it down.
***
Biggie breaks up a pass.
Browne completes a pass to Sidney.
Browne throws consecutive passes to Malepeai, who cuts hard and fast. He looks pretty comfortable as a pass-catcher.
Darnold goes deep to a wide open Hampton but Hampton drops it. The ball was slightly underthrown, which allowed Jack Jones to recover and pop Hampton a moment after the ball arrived. But it's a ball Hampton should have caught (and thus was tasked to run a lap for not doing so).
Darnold hits Burnett outside for a first down.
***
Darnold finds a wide open D. Imatorbhebhe for a TD.
Darnold completes a short pass to Taylor McNamara.
Dom Davis is stripped by J. Jones and Keyshawn Young recovers.
Malepeai runs for a pair of short gains, one stopped by Michael Hutchings and the other by Uchenna Nwosu.
Browne hits Sidney over the middle for a modest gain.
Malepeai runs up the middle for a first down, showing good pad level in the process.
Browne completes a first down to Tyler Vaughns, and that is how practice ends.
***
We have interviews with QBs coach Tyson Helton, QB Sam Darnold and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster coming in They Said It.
USC practiced for a bit less than two hours today in full pads.
Random notes:
The quarterbacks had a drill where they sat up on their knees and pantomimed running downfield while a coach tried to knock the ball out of their arms.
Connor Murphy beat Damien Mama and Wole Betiku beat Chuma Edoga in 1-on-1s between the OL and DL.
Jack Jones and Jonathan Lockett each blocked a field goal.
Max Browne threw a gorgeous deep ball to Darreus Rogers during the service team period. It was just perfect.
Sam Darnold completed a series of passes to JuJu Smith-Schuster, Michael Pittman and De'Quan Hampton.
Trevon Sidney, also during a service team period, made a leaping catch right in front of Marvell Tell for a long TD. Matt Fink delivered the pass there.
Highlights from 7-on-7:
Biggie Marshall intercepts Darnold and runs it back for an easy pick-6. Likely some type of miscommunication there as the intended receiver broke in and the pass was toward the sideline.
Browne connects with Daniel Imatorbhebhe for a first down.
Jordan Iosefa smashes Pittman over the middle to force an incompletion. Looked like they went helmet to helmet, but that might have been accidental. Iosefa initially drilled Pittman with his shoulder.
Darnold threads the needle to Greene for a nice gain.
Darnold hits Tyler Petite.
Darnold completes a first down to Deontay Burnett.
Darnold hits Isaac Whitney downfield.
Highlights from 11-on-11:
Isaiah Langley had a nice pass break-up.
Darnold hits JuJu Smith-Schuster for about 15 yards over the middle.
Darnold goes outside to Jalen Greene for another 15 yards or so.
Darnold goes deep and connects with Whitney.
Darnold hits JuJu for a 35-yard TD. JuJu beat Ykili Ross on the play.
***
Darnold finds Pittman over the middle.
Aca'Cedric Ware runs for a big gain and then strikes CJ Pollard at the end of the play. He can be a bit short-tempered at times.
Vavae Malepeai runs for a first down.
Dom Davis takes it between the tackles for a long run.
Darnold hits Petite for a 30-yard TD. Petite went high to bring it down.
***
Biggie breaks up a pass.
Browne completes a pass to Sidney.
Browne throws consecutive passes to Malepeai, who cuts hard and fast. He looks pretty comfortable as a pass-catcher.
Darnold goes deep to a wide open Hampton but Hampton drops it. The ball was slightly underthrown, which allowed Jack Jones to recover and pop Hampton a moment after the ball arrived. But it's a ball Hampton should have caught (and thus was tasked to run a lap for not doing so).
Darnold hits Burnett outside for a first down.
***
Darnold finds a wide open D. Imatorbhebhe for a TD.
Darnold completes a short pass to Taylor McNamara.
Dom Davis is stripped by J. Jones and Keyshawn Young recovers.
Malepeai runs for a pair of short gains, one stopped by Michael Hutchings and the other by Uchenna Nwosu.
Browne hits Sidney over the middle for a modest gain.
Malepeai runs up the middle for a first down, showing good pad level in the process.
Browne completes a first down to Tyler Vaughns, and that is how practice ends.
***
We have interviews with QBs coach Tyson Helton, QB Sam Darnold and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster coming in They Said It.
