Highlights from our last batch of interviews this week:
S MARVELL TELL
--on whether he’s aiming to be the leader of the young secondary
"Definitely. As a safety, you’re like the quarterback of the defense. You got to know what you’re doing, you got to be able to bark out calls and lead."
--As Biggie Marshall previously noted, Tell said DBs coach Ronnie Bradford and DC Clancy Pendergast are instilling different techniques from last year.
"I’m learning how to read the offense and not just worry about lining up. Worry about three on the ball, what’s he going to do? Or two on the ball, two off the ball, things like that. Just getting a little more in depth with learning football."
--on the potential strength of the defense
"I think once we build this chemistry we’re going to be strong. We got the talent, we got all the skill, size, we just got to put it all together."
DT NOAH JEFFERSON
--He said he expects to play all three positions on the D-line.
--on what DL coach Kenechi Udeze is teaching him in spring
"I’m learning how to play the man, play half the man, pass rush, learning how to strike with proper technique with my thumbs straight up, coming out of my hips first and then feet."
--on what impact Kenny Bigelow’s injury had on him
"Every day I try to do a little bit more. It wasn’t because of his accident. Just me as a person I know I have to get better every single day. That’s what I have to do."
--on a potential three-man front including fellow sophomores Rasheem Green and Jacob Daniel
"I like the mix that we have. I like that we’re all 6-5 and over. I like the size, I like the length that we play with, I like the aggression."
--on what Coach Clay Helton implored him to do during their offseason meeting
"Just be the center of the defense for the future. I know I have a big ceiling. Sky’s the limit for me but it’s all on me now. It’s all on my shoulders, it’s all in my head, so I have to get better every single day."
(FYI: I'd planned to speak with Udeze about the D-line and specific players, but he was unavailable because he had a meeting.)
WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER
--He notes that with the new coaches the offense is still adjusting to all of the new calls and formations.
--on the biggest difference between working with Max Browne and Cody Kessler
"The separation is Max Browne’s deep balls are deeper — he’s a lot stronger. It’s hard to track down so that’s something I have to work on, finishing my routes."
--on the passing game not being as reliant on him
"I like it. When the pressure is on, I like it. When the pressure is not on, that means we’re doing something good. Our offense has to have weapons playing across the field. Playing four wide receivers, five wide receivers, three wide receivers, if I’m getting double-teamed and triple-teamed, we have Darreus (Rogers), we have Steven (Mitchell Jr.), we have Isaac (Whitney), we have playmakers. If three guys are on me, where are the other guys? …
“We’re trying to change the history of having one (dominant) wide receiver each season. It's going to be multiple receivers. If you’re a school called Receiver U, you can’t just rely on one dude. It’s multiple receivers."
--on when he was last played straight up
"At the beginning of (last) season. They didn’t really know. They knew of me but after that it was double teams and toward the end of the season, triple teams. Stanford, (Pac-12) championship, triple teams. It was very hard. It gets frustrating. Like I said, we got to have other guys step up. They’ve been doing their job (in spring)."
--on which receiver has grown the most
"Darreus. Darreus has great hands. For a guy who’s been here that long, he’s really working his butt off. I think every year he just gets better and better. I think moving forward, Darreus might be the go-to guy. Anything can happen between here and until the season starts. That’s one guy I can give props to."
--on if he’d like to see USC distribute more when he’s gone as oppose to now
"It’s a lot different having a new quarterback. Max Browne is going through his reads, making the right decisions, and Sam Darnold is also up there. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with going with one receiver or five receivers. You just have to know that in order to beat another team, all 11 men have to do their job. It’s not just one guy to rely on. I think we’ve built that and it’s going to help us in the future."
--on the next step for him now that he’s become a No. 1 receiver
"Coach (Helton) has been trying to limit my playing time. Because De’Quan (Hampton) and Isaac and the freshmen, I have to step back in order for them to get the feel. Anything can happen. In the situation where I go down, I got to know I can trust my backups to come in and play the game. It’s not going to be a surprise and shock to them. It is frustrating not getting the ball when you expect to get the ball. But at the same time it’s just something that you have to keep working and being consistent. I’m pretty sure every team in college, every team in high school, every sports team, they always have that one player who’s special that they’re going to get the ball to. You just got to know that if you’re not that guy, you got to be consistent, keep working. I think that’s what I noticed. Going to the next level, every team has their one guy and that one guy’s going to get paid more than everybody else. But the guy behind him is also up there if he’s consistent. Eventually they’re going to double team Calvin Johnson; who’s the next guy up? And that’s how I see it. So for me to step back is great."
--on what advice he gives to receivers trying to be No. 2
"That you do not know when you’re time is going to be called. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, Nelson (Agholor) being above me. When Nelson was covered, they looked for the next guy, and I wanted to be the next guy. I tell these other young guys you do not know when your time is going to be called, and when it’s called you got to make the best of it. There are (only) so many plays, so many balls that can be thrown to you. So you got to make the best of it."
S MARVELL TELL
--on whether he’s aiming to be the leader of the young secondary
"Definitely. As a safety, you’re like the quarterback of the defense. You got to know what you’re doing, you got to be able to bark out calls and lead."
--As Biggie Marshall previously noted, Tell said DBs coach Ronnie Bradford and DC Clancy Pendergast are instilling different techniques from last year.
"I’m learning how to read the offense and not just worry about lining up. Worry about three on the ball, what’s he going to do? Or two on the ball, two off the ball, things like that. Just getting a little more in depth with learning football."
--on the potential strength of the defense
"I think once we build this chemistry we’re going to be strong. We got the talent, we got all the skill, size, we just got to put it all together."
DT NOAH JEFFERSON
--He said he expects to play all three positions on the D-line.
--on what DL coach Kenechi Udeze is teaching him in spring
"I’m learning how to play the man, play half the man, pass rush, learning how to strike with proper technique with my thumbs straight up, coming out of my hips first and then feet."
--on what impact Kenny Bigelow’s injury had on him
"Every day I try to do a little bit more. It wasn’t because of his accident. Just me as a person I know I have to get better every single day. That’s what I have to do."
--on a potential three-man front including fellow sophomores Rasheem Green and Jacob Daniel
"I like the mix that we have. I like that we’re all 6-5 and over. I like the size, I like the length that we play with, I like the aggression."
--on what Coach Clay Helton implored him to do during their offseason meeting
"Just be the center of the defense for the future. I know I have a big ceiling. Sky’s the limit for me but it’s all on me now. It’s all on my shoulders, it’s all in my head, so I have to get better every single day."
(FYI: I'd planned to speak with Udeze about the D-line and specific players, but he was unavailable because he had a meeting.)
WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER
--He notes that with the new coaches the offense is still adjusting to all of the new calls and formations.
--on the biggest difference between working with Max Browne and Cody Kessler
"The separation is Max Browne’s deep balls are deeper — he’s a lot stronger. It’s hard to track down so that’s something I have to work on, finishing my routes."
--on the passing game not being as reliant on him
"I like it. When the pressure is on, I like it. When the pressure is not on, that means we’re doing something good. Our offense has to have weapons playing across the field. Playing four wide receivers, five wide receivers, three wide receivers, if I’m getting double-teamed and triple-teamed, we have Darreus (Rogers), we have Steven (Mitchell Jr.), we have Isaac (Whitney), we have playmakers. If three guys are on me, where are the other guys? …
“We’re trying to change the history of having one (dominant) wide receiver each season. It's going to be multiple receivers. If you’re a school called Receiver U, you can’t just rely on one dude. It’s multiple receivers."
--on when he was last played straight up
"At the beginning of (last) season. They didn’t really know. They knew of me but after that it was double teams and toward the end of the season, triple teams. Stanford, (Pac-12) championship, triple teams. It was very hard. It gets frustrating. Like I said, we got to have other guys step up. They’ve been doing their job (in spring)."
--on which receiver has grown the most
"Darreus. Darreus has great hands. For a guy who’s been here that long, he’s really working his butt off. I think every year he just gets better and better. I think moving forward, Darreus might be the go-to guy. Anything can happen between here and until the season starts. That’s one guy I can give props to."
--on if he’d like to see USC distribute more when he’s gone as oppose to now
"It’s a lot different having a new quarterback. Max Browne is going through his reads, making the right decisions, and Sam Darnold is also up there. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with going with one receiver or five receivers. You just have to know that in order to beat another team, all 11 men have to do their job. It’s not just one guy to rely on. I think we’ve built that and it’s going to help us in the future."
--on the next step for him now that he’s become a No. 1 receiver
"Coach (Helton) has been trying to limit my playing time. Because De’Quan (Hampton) and Isaac and the freshmen, I have to step back in order for them to get the feel. Anything can happen. In the situation where I go down, I got to know I can trust my backups to come in and play the game. It’s not going to be a surprise and shock to them. It is frustrating not getting the ball when you expect to get the ball. But at the same time it’s just something that you have to keep working and being consistent. I’m pretty sure every team in college, every team in high school, every sports team, they always have that one player who’s special that they’re going to get the ball to. You just got to know that if you’re not that guy, you got to be consistent, keep working. I think that’s what I noticed. Going to the next level, every team has their one guy and that one guy’s going to get paid more than everybody else. But the guy behind him is also up there if he’s consistent. Eventually they’re going to double team Calvin Johnson; who’s the next guy up? And that’s how I see it. So for me to step back is great."
--on what advice he gives to receivers trying to be No. 2
"That you do not know when you’re time is going to be called. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, Nelson (Agholor) being above me. When Nelson was covered, they looked for the next guy, and I wanted to be the next guy. I tell these other young guys you do not know when your time is going to be called, and when it’s called you got to make the best of it. There are (only) so many plays, so many balls that can be thrown to you. So you got to make the best of it."
