News and notes from Wednesday's practice...
USC was in shells and shorts in another two-hour practice.
WR Joseph Lewis did not finish practice after suffering an apparent hand injury. Coach CLay helton did not address it after practice.
WR Josh Imatorbhebhe also might have suffered an injury in practice.
TE Daniel Imatorbhehe (hip) is expected to play in Saturday's opener vs Western Michigan after reporting to Helton that he feels "95 percent." Imatorbhebhe remained limited in today's practice and wasn't running at full speed.
OG Viane Talamaivao (ankle) continued to be a full participant.
X-rays came back negative for DL Liam Jimmons, who suffered a high ankle sprain in Tuesday's practice and sported a boot today. Helton did not say when Jimmons is likely to return.
WRs Keyshawn Young (hamstring) and Michael Pittman (ankle) remained out.
CB Isaiah Langley (quad) remained limited.
WR Tyler Vaughns took some first-team reps ahead of Steven Mitchell.
For the second consecutive day, WR Randal Grimes took reps with both the scout team and the first-team offense. It's looking more and more likely that he plays.
TE Josh Falo also got some work with the first team.
Helton said he's going to visit with the placekickers either tonight or tomorrow morning and announce the starter tomorrow. Michael brown made 2 of 4 field goal attempts today. Chase McGrath made 2 of 5 and had two of his kicks blocked. (It's going to be Brown.)
DC Clancy Pendergast confirmed he intends to play freshman CB Greg Johnson this season.
Helton said trust has grown considerably in a slew of defensive players, including Connor Murphy, John Houston, Jordan Iosefa, Ykili Ross and Christian Rector.
As expected, Iosefa will start at middle linebacker with Cam Smith forced to sit out the first half because of his targeting penalty in the Rose Bowl. Pendergast said the two are similar and expressed a good deal of confidence in Iosefa.
"He knows the defense as well as anybody," Pendergast said. "I don't think there's really any dropoff there. ... Jordan gives you a little bit more of a flexibility skill set, to be able to rush off the edge as up inside, where Cam's maybe more of a between-the-hashmark type guy."
***
In 7-on-7, Matt Fink tried for a short pass inside and Greg Johnson stepped in front of the receiver and picked it off, punctuating the play with a long return. Johnson has really begun to stand out the past couple of weeks. Sam Darnold also completed a pair of long passes, to Trevon Sidney and Velus Jones.
Juliano Falaniko was reprimanded for making contact with Darnold during the scout period.
***
1-on-1 (OL vs. DL):
Viane Talamaivao stops Rasheem Green
Nico Falah stops Josh Fatu
Chris Brown stops Green
Connor Murphy beats Toa Lobendahn
Andrew Vorhees stops Juliano Falaniko
***
Green beats Jordan Austin
Malik Dorton beats Roy Hemsley
Clayton Johnston stops beats Murphy
Betiku beats Chuma Edoga
Talamaivao beats Christian Rector
***
Smith stops Marlon Tuipulotu
Kenny Bigelow beats Chris Brown
Green beats Austin Jackson
Vorhees stops Juliano Falaniko
Rector beats Austin
***
Falah stops Tuipulotu
Hemsley stops Bigelow
Betiku beat Lobendahn
Murphy beats Johnston
Talamaivao stops Jacob Lichtenstein
***
Brown stops Jay Tufele
Edoga stops Murphy
Austin stops Lichtenstein
Cole Smith stops Brandon Pili
Tufele beats Hemsley
***
Highlights from 11-on-11:
Darnold hits Ronald Jones II on a screen but it's stopped short as Daniel Imatorbhebhe looks uncomfortable trying to make a block.
Darnold conncts downfield with Jalen Greene.
Darnold has Vaughns for a short completion, only Vaughns starts to make his move before securing the ball and it trickles out of his hands and into Jamel Cook's for an INT.
Darnold hits Steven Mitchell on a deep slant.
Vaughns and Velus Jones each record long TD catches.
Rector registers a sack to end practice.
***
Per (the new) usual, USC will hold a closed practice Thursday and only Helton will be made available afterward. We have video interviews posted with Pendergast, LB Cam Smith, LB Jordan Iosefa, S Chris Hawkins, CB Biggie Marshall and CB Jack Jones
USC was in shells and shorts in another two-hour practice.
WR Joseph Lewis did not finish practice after suffering an apparent hand injury. Coach CLay helton did not address it after practice.
WR Josh Imatorbhebhe also might have suffered an injury in practice.
TE Daniel Imatorbhehe (hip) is expected to play in Saturday's opener vs Western Michigan after reporting to Helton that he feels "95 percent." Imatorbhebhe remained limited in today's practice and wasn't running at full speed.
OG Viane Talamaivao (ankle) continued to be a full participant.
X-rays came back negative for DL Liam Jimmons, who suffered a high ankle sprain in Tuesday's practice and sported a boot today. Helton did not say when Jimmons is likely to return.
WRs Keyshawn Young (hamstring) and Michael Pittman (ankle) remained out.
CB Isaiah Langley (quad) remained limited.
WR Tyler Vaughns took some first-team reps ahead of Steven Mitchell.
For the second consecutive day, WR Randal Grimes took reps with both the scout team and the first-team offense. It's looking more and more likely that he plays.
TE Josh Falo also got some work with the first team.
Helton said he's going to visit with the placekickers either tonight or tomorrow morning and announce the starter tomorrow. Michael brown made 2 of 4 field goal attempts today. Chase McGrath made 2 of 5 and had two of his kicks blocked. (It's going to be Brown.)
DC Clancy Pendergast confirmed he intends to play freshman CB Greg Johnson this season.
Helton said trust has grown considerably in a slew of defensive players, including Connor Murphy, John Houston, Jordan Iosefa, Ykili Ross and Christian Rector.
As expected, Iosefa will start at middle linebacker with Cam Smith forced to sit out the first half because of his targeting penalty in the Rose Bowl. Pendergast said the two are similar and expressed a good deal of confidence in Iosefa.
"He knows the defense as well as anybody," Pendergast said. "I don't think there's really any dropoff there. ... Jordan gives you a little bit more of a flexibility skill set, to be able to rush off the edge as up inside, where Cam's maybe more of a between-the-hashmark type guy."
***
In 7-on-7, Matt Fink tried for a short pass inside and Greg Johnson stepped in front of the receiver and picked it off, punctuating the play with a long return. Johnson has really begun to stand out the past couple of weeks. Sam Darnold also completed a pair of long passes, to Trevon Sidney and Velus Jones.
Juliano Falaniko was reprimanded for making contact with Darnold during the scout period.
***
1-on-1 (OL vs. DL):
Viane Talamaivao stops Rasheem Green
Nico Falah stops Josh Fatu
Chris Brown stops Green
Connor Murphy beats Toa Lobendahn
Andrew Vorhees stops Juliano Falaniko
***
Green beats Jordan Austin
Malik Dorton beats Roy Hemsley
Clayton Johnston stops beats Murphy
Betiku beats Chuma Edoga
Talamaivao beats Christian Rector
***
Smith stops Marlon Tuipulotu
Kenny Bigelow beats Chris Brown
Green beats Austin Jackson
Vorhees stops Juliano Falaniko
Rector beats Austin
***
Falah stops Tuipulotu
Hemsley stops Bigelow
Betiku beat Lobendahn
Murphy beats Johnston
Talamaivao stops Jacob Lichtenstein
***
Brown stops Jay Tufele
Edoga stops Murphy
Austin stops Lichtenstein
Cole Smith stops Brandon Pili
Tufele beats Hemsley
***
Highlights from 11-on-11:
Darnold hits Ronald Jones II on a screen but it's stopped short as Daniel Imatorbhebhe looks uncomfortable trying to make a block.
Darnold conncts downfield with Jalen Greene.
Darnold has Vaughns for a short completion, only Vaughns starts to make his move before securing the ball and it trickles out of his hands and into Jamel Cook's for an INT.
Darnold hits Steven Mitchell on a deep slant.
Vaughns and Velus Jones each record long TD catches.
Rector registers a sack to end practice.
***
Per (the new) usual, USC will hold a closed practice Thursday and only Helton will be made available afterward. We have video interviews posted with Pendergast, LB Cam Smith, LB Jordan Iosefa, S Chris Hawkins, CB Biggie Marshall and CB Jack Jones
