USC practiced for a shade under two hours today in shells and shorts.
***
Some lineup updates:
Chris Hawkins (S) and Olajuwon Tucker (ILB) began the day with the first team.
Quinton Powell and Michael Hutchings got some later run with the first team.
Jonathan Lockett took second-team reps at safety and cornerback.
Connor Spears continued to get the bulk of first-team reps at tight end, followed by Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick.
***
Highlights from team periods:
Lamar Dawson slammed JuJu on a play over the middle. Dawson has been on the ball the entire spring.
James Toland ran over Hutchings, who would later stuff Toland.
Adoree' Jackson had a relatively quiet day but made a nice deflection on a quick out. He doesn't get beat underneath either.
Lamont Simmons was active today. He dropped an interception that you know he'd like to have back. He also made a good deflection on a pass to Darreus Rogers.
Cody Kessler primarily worked underneath today. Might have been part of the plan, since most days he's been working downfield. He threw well but was the victim of some drops.
Max Browne threw a great deep ball to walk-on Christian Tober, who then outran the second-team D for a long TD.
Malik Dorton and Don Hill each recorded sacks on Browne. Claude Pelon had one on Kessler.
Walk-on safety Davonte Nunnery picked off Ricky Town.
USC spent an extended period on field goals. Matt Boermeester and Alex Wood both were fairly accurate.
***
Other observations:
Sark singled out the play of Steven Mitchell, Justin Davis and John Plattenburg.
Mitchell caught a number of balls in traffic. Davis ran really well between the tackles. There were a couple plays in which he went head-on with defenders, including Scott Felix. He seemed to embrace the physicality. He finished practice with a nice gain up the middle to conclude the best-of-five challenge. (He walked off the field with a big tear in his jersey.) Plattenburg also is surprisingly physical for his size. He laid what looked like an armbar on Spears, who held on for the catch.
JuJu had somewhat of an up-and-down day. He caught a 15-yard pass from Kessler during 7-on-7 but then appeared to drop one shortly after. Kevon Seymour also might have deflected it. JuJu and Kessler also connected on a throw underneath. What JuJu stands to improve most on is contested balls. He hasn't been winning those 50-50 battles. I think it will come with time. He seems to be pressing a little, though.
JCF did not have a particularly good practice. He's not showing much explosiveness. He dropped a perfectly thrown ball from Kessler down the middle of the field, as he tried to haul it in with one hand over his shoulder. He did make a nifty diving catch near the sideline during an earlier team period.
***
Injury updates:
Here is a complete update on Tre Madden.
Anthony Sarao was out of the motorized cart and sporting a boot while working the bike and ropes on the sideline. That's progress.
Ajene Harris (hamstring), Jabari Ruffin (knee) and Kenny Bigelow (knee) remained sidelined.
***
New commit Stephen Carr and incoming freshman Rasheem Green attended practice.
There are still no updates on Bryce Dixon. USC cannot comment on Taylor McNamara.
Sark intimated that Toa Lobendahn could eventually move from LT once Chad Wheeler returns, which won't be for a while. We know Lobendahn can play guard. It's unclear whether they would consider him at RT. I'd say Max Tuerk is fixed at center.
We gathered some great insight from Kessler, Sark and QB Coach Clay Helton on what the next steps are in Kessler's development. Story to come.
USC practices at Cromwell again Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Saturday's practice is now scheduled for 9 a.m. It's open to the public and also at Cromwell Field. Time is always subject to change.
***
Some lineup updates:
Chris Hawkins (S) and Olajuwon Tucker (ILB) began the day with the first team.
Quinton Powell and Michael Hutchings got some later run with the first team.
Jonathan Lockett took second-team reps at safety and cornerback.
Connor Spears continued to get the bulk of first-team reps at tight end, followed by Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick.
***
Highlights from team periods:
Lamar Dawson slammed JuJu on a play over the middle. Dawson has been on the ball the entire spring.
James Toland ran over Hutchings, who would later stuff Toland.
Adoree' Jackson had a relatively quiet day but made a nice deflection on a quick out. He doesn't get beat underneath either.
Lamont Simmons was active today. He dropped an interception that you know he'd like to have back. He also made a good deflection on a pass to Darreus Rogers.
Cody Kessler primarily worked underneath today. Might have been part of the plan, since most days he's been working downfield. He threw well but was the victim of some drops.
Max Browne threw a great deep ball to walk-on Christian Tober, who then outran the second-team D for a long TD.
Malik Dorton and Don Hill each recorded sacks on Browne. Claude Pelon had one on Kessler.
Walk-on safety Davonte Nunnery picked off Ricky Town.
USC spent an extended period on field goals. Matt Boermeester and Alex Wood both were fairly accurate.
***
Other observations:
Sark singled out the play of Steven Mitchell, Justin Davis and John Plattenburg.
Mitchell caught a number of balls in traffic. Davis ran really well between the tackles. There were a couple plays in which he went head-on with defenders, including Scott Felix. He seemed to embrace the physicality. He finished practice with a nice gain up the middle to conclude the best-of-five challenge. (He walked off the field with a big tear in his jersey.) Plattenburg also is surprisingly physical for his size. He laid what looked like an armbar on Spears, who held on for the catch.
JuJu had somewhat of an up-and-down day. He caught a 15-yard pass from Kessler during 7-on-7 but then appeared to drop one shortly after. Kevon Seymour also might have deflected it. JuJu and Kessler also connected on a throw underneath. What JuJu stands to improve most on is contested balls. He hasn't been winning those 50-50 battles. I think it will come with time. He seems to be pressing a little, though.
JCF did not have a particularly good practice. He's not showing much explosiveness. He dropped a perfectly thrown ball from Kessler down the middle of the field, as he tried to haul it in with one hand over his shoulder. He did make a nifty diving catch near the sideline during an earlier team period.
***
Injury updates:
Here is a complete update on Tre Madden.
Anthony Sarao was out of the motorized cart and sporting a boot while working the bike and ropes on the sideline. That's progress.
Ajene Harris (hamstring), Jabari Ruffin (knee) and Kenny Bigelow (knee) remained sidelined.
***
New commit Stephen Carr and incoming freshman Rasheem Green attended practice.
There are still no updates on Bryce Dixon. USC cannot comment on Taylor McNamara.
Sark intimated that Toa Lobendahn could eventually move from LT once Chad Wheeler returns, which won't be for a while. We know Lobendahn can play guard. It's unclear whether they would consider him at RT. I'd say Max Tuerk is fixed at center.
We gathered some great insight from Kessler, Sark and QB Coach Clay Helton on what the next steps are in Kessler's development. Story to come.
USC practices at Cromwell again Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Saturday's practice is now scheduled for 9 a.m. It's open to the public and also at Cromwell Field. Time is always subject to change.
