Highlights from our latest interviews ...
Steven Mitchell Jr.
--He’s not sure why he wasn’t targeted more last week but he’s also not questioning it.
“I was just doing my job. There’s no second read. Whoever was open was open. Cody made his decisions and he gained how many yards? I was open on a couple of them.”
--He said nothing is holding him back physically and he expects to have a big performance Saturday.
“I expect it every week. I try to do my job and just focus on my assignment. If the ball comes my way, just make a play. I’m more than ready. My body’s feeling awesome. I’m just ready to go.”
--He said receivers coach Tee Martin didn't address last week’s disparity in receptions between JuJu Smith-Schuster and everyone else.
“We just play for our brothers. There was really nothing to say. There’s no selfishness on the team. Whoever’s week it is, that’s their week. We were very proud of JuJu.”
Aca’Cedric Ware
--He’s comfortable with his involvement in the offense.
“Everybody has their role. Everybody’s got to contribute to the team in some way. I’m comfortable with my role. I’m just waiting on my time. I’ve already adjusted to it. In camp, at first it was hard. But now, as long as we’re winning, I’m fine. There’s nothing to it. At first it was kind of difficult but as long as I get playing time. I’m a freshman still, so I still got my time. I’ve been here a month. I’m good. …
“I really don’t have an idea of what I want my role to be, I’m just glad I’m playing as a freshman. That was my ultimate goal when I got here, play my freshman year, and that’s what I’m doing.”
--He said he hasn’t experienced any homesickness, despite his only previous trip to California being his official visit to USC.
“I’m relaxed, I’m chilling. I’m comfortable here. They treat me like family, so I’m comfortable here — coaches and players.”
--His idol is a fellow Texas running back who wears No. 28, which is the number Ware has been wearing for a long time.
“I try to model my game after Adrian Peterson. I’ve been watching him since forever. That’s my favorite running back, And Carlos Hyde. I love those two guys. Everybody has their different running backs that they look up to. That (Peterson) is just someone I’ve been looking up to for a while. In high school people used to tell me, you run like AP. I’ve been trying to be great like him.”
--Peterson’s physicality is what Ware appreciates most.
“He runs hard, like really hard. Other players don’t like going head up with him. If you don’t go head up with him, he’ll go around you.”
--Ware has adopted that mentality, even when practicing against his teammates.
“I run hard to make them better. They make me better. … Me and RoJo brought Texas here, just doing what we do. We run like we know we’re going to score every play.”
Su’a Cravens
--He expects Stanford to be “a tough game, as usual.”
“They’re just physical. They slow the game down, they play their own tempo. If we’re not going to be as physical as them or match their physicality, it’s going to be a long game. A Pac-12 opener with Stanford is always going to be a tough game, but we’re ready for it and we’ll just see what happens on Saturday. …
“I wouldn’t say they look vulnerable. It’s only the first two games of the season. Everybody has some rust on them. We’ll get their best shot Saturday.”
--This is the kind of game he relishes.
“I love hitting. I know they’re going to try to match me up with one of their big tight ends or fullbacks, so we’ll see what happens.”
--Stanford’s offense is a bit different than what he’s seen the past two years.
“They like to pass a lot more than they have in the past. (Kevin) Hogan is a good quarterback and he’s a big guy that can move out the pocket. Not only do we need to guard their big tight ends, we have to keep an eye on him scrambling. It (requires) discipline in your assignments, stay home and make sure you don’t have your eyes in the backfield.”
--Cravens hasn’t addressed the freshmen about Stanford being a bigger game than the first two USC’s played.
“I don’t want them to make the game bigger than what it is or spook them. Just go out and play.”
Cody Kessler
--He has to remind himself he can run sometimes but he’s not inclined to.
“There was one opportunity that presented itself last game, it’s something I should have done. I guess I should have ran the ball. But my biggest thing is always keeping my eyes downfield. I never look down at the rush or look down, I’m always one, two, third progression, then throw it away and then run. I’m not going to kill anybody with my feet with my speed. If the opportunity I there to extend the play, then that’s something I want to work on, especially when we get man situations like that play was. There was no one obviously spying me or accountable for me. I should be able to pick up five or six yards. But I think it just depends on circumstances in the game. If the opportunity presents itself, then I’d like to make that play, especially just to extend the drive.”
--Stanford presents a good challenge to USC’s offense, specifically its offensive line.
“It’s a great way to start of conference play. It’s going to be a real test for us. They’re a great team. They pride themselves on how physical they are and watching their film, they’re every bit of that this year. It’s going to be a tough challenge for the offensive line but I think they’re ready. I’m excited to see how they’re going to handle it. We’re going to play some teams in the end that are going to be physical up front and our guys, this is our first real test with that.”
--He’s even more mindful of turnovers this week because there might be less possessions.
“It’s important for us to protect the football. Their offense really does focus on extending drives -- run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, get a first down on third and short -- which kills our offense because we can’t get on the field. We're just going to worry about what we can control.”
Steven Mitchell Jr.
--He’s not sure why he wasn’t targeted more last week but he’s also not questioning it.
“I was just doing my job. There’s no second read. Whoever was open was open. Cody made his decisions and he gained how many yards? I was open on a couple of them.”
--He said nothing is holding him back physically and he expects to have a big performance Saturday.
“I expect it every week. I try to do my job and just focus on my assignment. If the ball comes my way, just make a play. I’m more than ready. My body’s feeling awesome. I’m just ready to go.”
--He said receivers coach Tee Martin didn't address last week’s disparity in receptions between JuJu Smith-Schuster and everyone else.
“We just play for our brothers. There was really nothing to say. There’s no selfishness on the team. Whoever’s week it is, that’s their week. We were very proud of JuJu.”
Aca’Cedric Ware
--He’s comfortable with his involvement in the offense.
“Everybody has their role. Everybody’s got to contribute to the team in some way. I’m comfortable with my role. I’m just waiting on my time. I’ve already adjusted to it. In camp, at first it was hard. But now, as long as we’re winning, I’m fine. There’s nothing to it. At first it was kind of difficult but as long as I get playing time. I’m a freshman still, so I still got my time. I’ve been here a month. I’m good. …
“I really don’t have an idea of what I want my role to be, I’m just glad I’m playing as a freshman. That was my ultimate goal when I got here, play my freshman year, and that’s what I’m doing.”
--He said he hasn’t experienced any homesickness, despite his only previous trip to California being his official visit to USC.
“I’m relaxed, I’m chilling. I’m comfortable here. They treat me like family, so I’m comfortable here — coaches and players.”
--His idol is a fellow Texas running back who wears No. 28, which is the number Ware has been wearing for a long time.
“I try to model my game after Adrian Peterson. I’ve been watching him since forever. That’s my favorite running back, And Carlos Hyde. I love those two guys. Everybody has their different running backs that they look up to. That (Peterson) is just someone I’ve been looking up to for a while. In high school people used to tell me, you run like AP. I’ve been trying to be great like him.”
--Peterson’s physicality is what Ware appreciates most.
“He runs hard, like really hard. Other players don’t like going head up with him. If you don’t go head up with him, he’ll go around you.”
--Ware has adopted that mentality, even when practicing against his teammates.
“I run hard to make them better. They make me better. … Me and RoJo brought Texas here, just doing what we do. We run like we know we’re going to score every play.”
Su’a Cravens
--He expects Stanford to be “a tough game, as usual.”
“They’re just physical. They slow the game down, they play their own tempo. If we’re not going to be as physical as them or match their physicality, it’s going to be a long game. A Pac-12 opener with Stanford is always going to be a tough game, but we’re ready for it and we’ll just see what happens on Saturday. …
“I wouldn’t say they look vulnerable. It’s only the first two games of the season. Everybody has some rust on them. We’ll get their best shot Saturday.”
--This is the kind of game he relishes.
“I love hitting. I know they’re going to try to match me up with one of their big tight ends or fullbacks, so we’ll see what happens.”
--Stanford’s offense is a bit different than what he’s seen the past two years.
“They like to pass a lot more than they have in the past. (Kevin) Hogan is a good quarterback and he’s a big guy that can move out the pocket. Not only do we need to guard their big tight ends, we have to keep an eye on him scrambling. It (requires) discipline in your assignments, stay home and make sure you don’t have your eyes in the backfield.”
--Cravens hasn’t addressed the freshmen about Stanford being a bigger game than the first two USC’s played.
“I don’t want them to make the game bigger than what it is or spook them. Just go out and play.”
Cody Kessler
--He has to remind himself he can run sometimes but he’s not inclined to.
“There was one opportunity that presented itself last game, it’s something I should have done. I guess I should have ran the ball. But my biggest thing is always keeping my eyes downfield. I never look down at the rush or look down, I’m always one, two, third progression, then throw it away and then run. I’m not going to kill anybody with my feet with my speed. If the opportunity I there to extend the play, then that’s something I want to work on, especially when we get man situations like that play was. There was no one obviously spying me or accountable for me. I should be able to pick up five or six yards. But I think it just depends on circumstances in the game. If the opportunity presents itself, then I’d like to make that play, especially just to extend the drive.”
--Stanford presents a good challenge to USC’s offense, specifically its offensive line.
“It’s a great way to start of conference play. It’s going to be a real test for us. They’re a great team. They pride themselves on how physical they are and watching their film, they’re every bit of that this year. It’s going to be a tough challenge for the offensive line but I think they’re ready. I’m excited to see how they’re going to handle it. We’re going to play some teams in the end that are going to be physical up front and our guys, this is our first real test with that.”
--He’s even more mindful of turnovers this week because there might be less possessions.
“It’s important for us to protect the football. Their offense really does focus on extending drives -- run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, get a first down on third and short -- which kills our offense because we can’t get on the field. We're just going to worry about what we can control.”
