USC was in shells and shorts today. I'm told that was the case last Wednesday as well. (I was still on leave.)
"Trying to keep them from getting too heavy-legged," Clay Helton said.
This means that their third-down and red-zone prep isn't in full pads.
I can't recall if USC reduced full-pad practices to just once a week at the beginning of last season. Maybe so. Still, I wonder if it's prudent. I know that's the way more schools are going these days, but not all of them do. Not trying to be that guy, but it's definitely not what 'Bama does. For some reason I thought USC would still have two days in full pads for part of the season (i.e. until mid-October, especially when Thursday is in no pads.
We also didn't see the first-team offense face the first-team defense -- "goods on goods." I guess we'll find out Saturday how much it even matters.
CB Greg Johnson returned after being sick Tuesday. He was with the first team. S Isaiah Pola-Mao was sidelined for the same reason today. Helton said there's a virus going around. Freshman Talanoa Hufanga claimed some of the first-team reps at strong safety.
DT Brandon Pili did not practice. He's wearing a cast to secure a wrist injury he suffered in the opener. Helton said he expects him to play. He did practice Tuesday in the cast. Jay Tufele worked at nose tackle while Marlon Tuipulotu lined up outside. Those guys are seemingly interchangeable. Malik Dorton was the third defensive lineman at times, as Christian Rector lined up in various spots.
LT Austin Jackson was held out, I'm presuming to rest his ankle. Clayton Bradley filled in for him.
TE Josh Falo (hamstring) remained out.
C Toa Lobendahn was again a full participant and Helton felt like he "looked great." Helton said he wasn't in pain coming out of the last practice. He'll start Saturday.
Helton confirmed that the Pac-12 still allows just 70 players to travel for conference road games. Some conferences have increased this number in light of the new redshirt rules.
LB Palaie Gaoteote -- most call him "E-A" -- was a full participant, and he made his mark on his first day back in team periods.
***
1-on-1s (OL vs. DL)
Porter Gustin beats Jalen McKenzie
Chris Brown stops Dorton
Rector beats Bradley
Gustin beats Andrew Vorhees
Alijah Vera-Tucker stops Tufele
Tuipulotu beats an OL on the scut team (couldn't make out the number)
Brown stops a DL from the scout team
Hunter Echols beats Bernard Schirmer
Mckenzie stops Kana'i Mauga
Vorhees stops Liam Jimmons
Brown stops Dorton
Schirmer stops Connor Murphy
Gustin beats Vorhees
AVT stops Jimmons
McKenzie stops Abdul-Malik McMclain
Jacob Lichtenstein beats AVT
***
A couple plays of note from 11-on-11: JT Daniels dropped a pretty deep ball down the middle of the field to Velus Jones, who had a step on his defender but couldn't hang on. Daniels' deep ball is definitely an updgrade from his predecessor. Practice ended with another downfield pass, this one to Erik Krommenhoek, who wasn't looking for the ball as it sailed directly into the arms of Johnson. For the 11th year in a row, it's probably safe to bet the under on receptions from the tight ends.
Helton echoed a point he made earlier in the week about winning first down on both sides of the ball being the key to this matchup with Stanford.
With Ykili Ross no longer on the team and Bubba Bolden likely not on it much longer, I asked DBs coach Ronnie Bradford about the possibility of moving another player to safety, where USC has just four available scholarship bodies. He somewhat causally stated that there are corners on the roster who could make that transition if needed. (He might be referring to Jonathan Lockett.) But Bradford said the staff isn't planning to move a corner to safety "anytime soon."
We have more from Bradford, Biggie Marshall, Clancy Pendergast and Cam Smith coming later. We also recorded a podcast! It'll be up soon.
"Trying to keep them from getting too heavy-legged," Clay Helton said.
This means that their third-down and red-zone prep isn't in full pads.
I can't recall if USC reduced full-pad practices to just once a week at the beginning of last season. Maybe so. Still, I wonder if it's prudent. I know that's the way more schools are going these days, but not all of them do. Not trying to be that guy, but it's definitely not what 'Bama does. For some reason I thought USC would still have two days in full pads for part of the season (i.e. until mid-October, especially when Thursday is in no pads.
We also didn't see the first-team offense face the first-team defense -- "goods on goods." I guess we'll find out Saturday how much it even matters.
CB Greg Johnson returned after being sick Tuesday. He was with the first team. S Isaiah Pola-Mao was sidelined for the same reason today. Helton said there's a virus going around. Freshman Talanoa Hufanga claimed some of the first-team reps at strong safety.
DT Brandon Pili did not practice. He's wearing a cast to secure a wrist injury he suffered in the opener. Helton said he expects him to play. He did practice Tuesday in the cast. Jay Tufele worked at nose tackle while Marlon Tuipulotu lined up outside. Those guys are seemingly interchangeable. Malik Dorton was the third defensive lineman at times, as Christian Rector lined up in various spots.
LT Austin Jackson was held out, I'm presuming to rest his ankle. Clayton Bradley filled in for him.
TE Josh Falo (hamstring) remained out.
C Toa Lobendahn was again a full participant and Helton felt like he "looked great." Helton said he wasn't in pain coming out of the last practice. He'll start Saturday.
Helton confirmed that the Pac-12 still allows just 70 players to travel for conference road games. Some conferences have increased this number in light of the new redshirt rules.
LB Palaie Gaoteote -- most call him "E-A" -- was a full participant, and he made his mark on his first day back in team periods.
***
1-on-1s (OL vs. DL)
Porter Gustin beats Jalen McKenzie
Chris Brown stops Dorton
Rector beats Bradley
Gustin beats Andrew Vorhees
Alijah Vera-Tucker stops Tufele
Tuipulotu beats an OL on the scut team (couldn't make out the number)
Brown stops a DL from the scout team
Hunter Echols beats Bernard Schirmer
Mckenzie stops Kana'i Mauga
Vorhees stops Liam Jimmons
Brown stops Dorton
Schirmer stops Connor Murphy
Gustin beats Vorhees
AVT stops Jimmons
McKenzie stops Abdul-Malik McMclain
Jacob Lichtenstein beats AVT
***
A couple plays of note from 11-on-11: JT Daniels dropped a pretty deep ball down the middle of the field to Velus Jones, who had a step on his defender but couldn't hang on. Daniels' deep ball is definitely an updgrade from his predecessor. Practice ended with another downfield pass, this one to Erik Krommenhoek, who wasn't looking for the ball as it sailed directly into the arms of Johnson. For the 11th year in a row, it's probably safe to bet the under on receptions from the tight ends.
Helton echoed a point he made earlier in the week about winning first down on both sides of the ball being the key to this matchup with Stanford.
With Ykili Ross no longer on the team and Bubba Bolden likely not on it much longer, I asked DBs coach Ronnie Bradford about the possibility of moving another player to safety, where USC has just four available scholarship bodies. He somewhat causally stated that there are corners on the roster who could make that transition if needed. (He might be referring to Jonathan Lockett.) But Bradford said the staff isn't planning to move a corner to safety "anytime soon."
We have more from Bradford, Biggie Marshall, Clancy Pendergast and Cam Smith coming later. We also recorded a podcast! It'll be up soon.
