Practice went for two hours at the track field.
***
A couple of small lineup changes today:
Nico Falah got some run with the first team at LT, with Toa Lobendahn working at center.
Tackles Roy Hemsley and Jordan Austin also got a look on the second team.
With Adoree' Jackson spending the entire day on offense, Jonathan Lockett and Chris Hawkins shared time at cornerback (on the first team) and safety (on the second team).
Adoree' was heavily involved on offense today. Sark said after he still is picking up the offensive concepts, which is understandable since today was the first time since he came to USC that he practiced exclusively on offense.
Steven Mitchell spent most of the day playing outside. Sark had said he wanted to develop him beyond the slot position. My hunch is the staff sees him as their No. 2 receiver and would like him on the field as much as possible.
***
Some things that stood out:
Isaac Whitney showed great reach on a throw to the sideline, prompting a spectator to yell "The new No. 15!." I'm guessing Whitney is has more length than any receiver currently on the roster.
Tre Madden looked really good running wheel routes. He is a more natural receiver than Justin Davis, who's working on improving that area of his game.
Ricky Town threw a really nice deep ball to Robby Kolanz.
Scott Felix, Claude Pelon and Delvon Simmons, especially, had good practices. Sark said he doesn't rush to judgment on the line play this early but that he noticed Felix. Of course, he's always been a good practice player.
Leon McQuay has also looked good thus far. There was one play -- I believe he was in zone -- in which Mitchell caught a ball over the middle and McQuay was right on it.
Malik Dorton slammed Soma Vainuku hard to stuff the run.
***
The defense is typically ahead of the offense whenever practices start up again and that was certainly the case today. Still, there were too many drops. Mitchell, Ajene, Adoree' and Davis all had one in team periods.
Whitney also had one but it was during a jump ball among a crowd of four downfield. Really would have been a spectacular play had he held on.
Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick couldn't quite reach far enough for a deep pass from Max Browne. JCF brings some things to the table that Bryce Dixon does not, but this team is going to miss Dixon if he is indeed dismissed.
Sark said he had no update on Dixon, who was not present. However, a source told our Max Meyer that Dixon met with Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards on Wednesday and was informed he will be dismissed from the team but not kicked out of school.
The defense won the best-of-five competition, 3-2, at the end of practice as Plattenburg knocked the ball away from Mitchell.
DL Kenny Bigelow is still limited to individuals.
***
Some other news came out of Sark's post-practice with the media:
LB Anthony Sarao has a small crack in his foot and will miss spring practice. Sark intimated he is being held out as a precaution and expects him to be ready by fall camp.
Linebacker Charles Burks graduated and has decided to transfer, leaving USC with 75 scholarship players on the roster.
JuJu Smith will not practice on defense at all this spring. Sark said he is too important to the receiving corps given the defections of Nelson Agholor and George Farmer.
Incoming defensive end Christian Rector was mentioned as a possibility to practice at tight end when he arrives in the fall. Sark again mentioned Osa Masina and Porter Gustin potentially doing so as well.
It sounds like USC is preparing for a season without Dixon. JCF and incoming freshman Tyler Petite would be the only scholarship tight ends on the roster otherwise.
Walk-on Chris Willson is applying for a sixth year of eligibility but hasn't heard back from the NCAA. Sark mentioned he also would have the option of transferring and playing right away since he's already graduated.
Agholor, Marqise Lee, Robert Woods, Damian Williams, and fall enrollees Caleb Wilson, Deontay Burnett and Rasheem Green attended practice.
The Trojans' next practice is Saturday at the track stadium and is open to the public. Sark said they will be in shoulder pads.
This post was edited on 3/5 8:33 PM by Adam Maya
***
A couple of small lineup changes today:
Nico Falah got some run with the first team at LT, with Toa Lobendahn working at center.
Tackles Roy Hemsley and Jordan Austin also got a look on the second team.
With Adoree' Jackson spending the entire day on offense, Jonathan Lockett and Chris Hawkins shared time at cornerback (on the first team) and safety (on the second team).
Adoree' was heavily involved on offense today. Sark said after he still is picking up the offensive concepts, which is understandable since today was the first time since he came to USC that he practiced exclusively on offense.
Steven Mitchell spent most of the day playing outside. Sark had said he wanted to develop him beyond the slot position. My hunch is the staff sees him as their No. 2 receiver and would like him on the field as much as possible.
***
Some things that stood out:
Isaac Whitney showed great reach on a throw to the sideline, prompting a spectator to yell "The new No. 15!." I'm guessing Whitney is has more length than any receiver currently on the roster.
Tre Madden looked really good running wheel routes. He is a more natural receiver than Justin Davis, who's working on improving that area of his game.
Ricky Town threw a really nice deep ball to Robby Kolanz.
Scott Felix, Claude Pelon and Delvon Simmons, especially, had good practices. Sark said he doesn't rush to judgment on the line play this early but that he noticed Felix. Of course, he's always been a good practice player.
Leon McQuay has also looked good thus far. There was one play -- I believe he was in zone -- in which Mitchell caught a ball over the middle and McQuay was right on it.
Malik Dorton slammed Soma Vainuku hard to stuff the run.
***
The defense is typically ahead of the offense whenever practices start up again and that was certainly the case today. Still, there were too many drops. Mitchell, Ajene, Adoree' and Davis all had one in team periods.
Whitney also had one but it was during a jump ball among a crowd of four downfield. Really would have been a spectacular play had he held on.
Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick couldn't quite reach far enough for a deep pass from Max Browne. JCF brings some things to the table that Bryce Dixon does not, but this team is going to miss Dixon if he is indeed dismissed.
Sark said he had no update on Dixon, who was not present. However, a source told our Max Meyer that Dixon met with Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards on Wednesday and was informed he will be dismissed from the team but not kicked out of school.
The defense won the best-of-five competition, 3-2, at the end of practice as Plattenburg knocked the ball away from Mitchell.
DL Kenny Bigelow is still limited to individuals.
***
Some other news came out of Sark's post-practice with the media:
LB Anthony Sarao has a small crack in his foot and will miss spring practice. Sark intimated he is being held out as a precaution and expects him to be ready by fall camp.
Linebacker Charles Burks graduated and has decided to transfer, leaving USC with 75 scholarship players on the roster.
JuJu Smith will not practice on defense at all this spring. Sark said he is too important to the receiving corps given the defections of Nelson Agholor and George Farmer.
Incoming defensive end Christian Rector was mentioned as a possibility to practice at tight end when he arrives in the fall. Sark again mentioned Osa Masina and Porter Gustin potentially doing so as well.
It sounds like USC is preparing for a season without Dixon. JCF and incoming freshman Tyler Petite would be the only scholarship tight ends on the roster otherwise.
Walk-on Chris Willson is applying for a sixth year of eligibility but hasn't heard back from the NCAA. Sark mentioned he also would have the option of transferring and playing right away since he's already graduated.
Agholor, Marqise Lee, Robert Woods, Damian Williams, and fall enrollees Caleb Wilson, Deontay Burnett and Rasheem Green attended practice.
The Trojans' next practice is Saturday at the track stadium and is open to the public. Sark said they will be in shoulder pads.
This post was edited on 3/5 8:33 PM by Adam Maya
