Highlights from our latest interviews with USC coaches and players.
Keith Heyward
On his secondary’s big performance against Cal
“We talked about it all week with (Jared) Goff being a great quarterback and them having a really, really good receiving corp and then how we had to get coverage and be disciplined. And you know, guys came up with plays. Adoree’ (Jackson), you know, in our cover three defense and then Kevon (Seymour) put him in man to man and he did a great job on that comeback.”
On the pride he takes in his team
“I’m proud for the entire team. These kids have been through a lot you know and they’re fighting every week and then Coach (Clay) Helton is doing a good job of just telling these guys one week at a time, one game at a time. And the kids are just responding and coming back and getting better every week and then taking on that challenge so I’m proud of them.”
On what worked for his secondary against Cal
“We talked about it for the corners in general, we talked about it. We’re going to be one on one with (Kenny) Lawler and then they have the other guy, where it was three-nine or (Bryce) Treggs on the outside. So you talked about one-on-one coverage all week and we had to win there. And then in the nickel, we talked about disguising and making sure we have tight man when we have man calls. Those are some of the keys, just knowing that, okay they’re going to run the ball a little bit but when they pass it, we can’t get the ball thrown over our heads. We gave up one of them and then there was a couple pass interference calls which I’m not worried about because I felt like we were in position, we played the ball and that’s the ref’s judgement call. I think if it’s that close you have to let it go, but they make their calls and we just gotta keep playing.”
Su’a Cravens
On his impressions of the Cal game
“I think we need to continue to be consistent. We let them comeback, we were up 13, that’s a good offense but at the same time if we just did our job and got off the field and third and fourth down, we would have been alright. But I think we did a pretty good job.”
On getting hit in the elbow by a helmet and getting stinger during the game
“My teammate didn’t even hit the guy, he just hit my elbow straight on and Delvon (Simmons) is about 300 pounds.”
On USC’s defensive play lately
“We’re supposed to be physical, nobody just comes in and scores points, you have to earn every one. Even that last touchdown they scored, they had to earn it. I think they went to fourth down two times that drive. So that’s how we need to be.”
On what’s changed with USC’s defense
“I mean I think we’re just tired of giving up 200 yards on the ground. That’s never how things are supposed to be. And when teams are trying to attack you on the ground as Cal did to start this game off, you have to take it personal . Once you get that physical attitude, you’re all good.”
On his team’s defensive attitude
“I say we have an attitude of, we’re going to make mistakes but it doesn’t matter. As long as you play physical and disciplined, that’s all you can do. So we’re not worried about, oh, they’re going to pass the ball, they’re going to run it. We’re like, okay, we’re going to think about ourselves, we’re going to be physical and we’re going to do our job. We don’t care what they’re running, we’re going to do our job.”
On playing without worries
“Now, we’re just letting it loose. I think we’re 5-3, so I mean, when you’re playing with nothing to lose, at this point, it’s just like, let’s go out and play.”
JuJu Smith-Schuster
On playing with a cast against Arizona if he can
“I did it last year and I might do it again.”
On if he feels like the Cal win sets them up going forward
“You know, we’re still here. It just shows us that Cal was back in a corner, ‘SC was back in a corner and we had to prove who was a better team. We came out today and we executed and made good plays.”
Justin Davis
On his third and one call late in the Cal game
“Well it was Coach Helton instilling the mindset of we’re going to be physical and we’re going to run it right up their throats. They kind of knew that the play was going to come and it was just a matter of winning our one-on-one battles upfront.”
On seeing Tre Madden make the play that extended the drive against Cal
“That play, I think that play got me hyped, so hyped, that was the most hyped I was the whole game. Just to seem him break a tackle and extend the play like thst, it made me want to make a play.”
Ronald Jones
On the stinger to his knee on the first play against Cal
“Yeah, I think I took a helmet to (the knee), yeah I got stretched out.”
On if he could have taken more carries in the last game
“I think so, but this time it wasn’t needed. We have the two veterans, JD and Tre. They clinched the game for us and we ran out the clock.”
On his excitement when the team makes running the ball first priority
“It’s very exciting, we have a lot of great backs. Just an opportunity to be in the mix is very exciting for me.”
On his development as a tailback
“I think I’m adjusting to the speed and being able to read coverages and see the safety rotation if they’re blitzing and things like that. And again that’s credit to my coaching staff, we spend a lot of hours watching film so I’m able to play older than my experience I guess.”
On knowing the fans want him to get the ball
“That’s good being the fans want to give me more touches but my opportunity will come so right now, we’re just trying to win. That’s what’s most important.”
Keith Heyward
On his secondary’s big performance against Cal
“We talked about it all week with (Jared) Goff being a great quarterback and them having a really, really good receiving corp and then how we had to get coverage and be disciplined. And you know, guys came up with plays. Adoree’ (Jackson), you know, in our cover three defense and then Kevon (Seymour) put him in man to man and he did a great job on that comeback.”
On the pride he takes in his team
“I’m proud for the entire team. These kids have been through a lot you know and they’re fighting every week and then Coach (Clay) Helton is doing a good job of just telling these guys one week at a time, one game at a time. And the kids are just responding and coming back and getting better every week and then taking on that challenge so I’m proud of them.”
On what worked for his secondary against Cal
“We talked about it for the corners in general, we talked about it. We’re going to be one on one with (Kenny) Lawler and then they have the other guy, where it was three-nine or (Bryce) Treggs on the outside. So you talked about one-on-one coverage all week and we had to win there. And then in the nickel, we talked about disguising and making sure we have tight man when we have man calls. Those are some of the keys, just knowing that, okay they’re going to run the ball a little bit but when they pass it, we can’t get the ball thrown over our heads. We gave up one of them and then there was a couple pass interference calls which I’m not worried about because I felt like we were in position, we played the ball and that’s the ref’s judgement call. I think if it’s that close you have to let it go, but they make their calls and we just gotta keep playing.”
Su’a Cravens
On his impressions of the Cal game
“I think we need to continue to be consistent. We let them comeback, we were up 13, that’s a good offense but at the same time if we just did our job and got off the field and third and fourth down, we would have been alright. But I think we did a pretty good job.”
On getting hit in the elbow by a helmet and getting stinger during the game
“My teammate didn’t even hit the guy, he just hit my elbow straight on and Delvon (Simmons) is about 300 pounds.”
On USC’s defensive play lately
“We’re supposed to be physical, nobody just comes in and scores points, you have to earn every one. Even that last touchdown they scored, they had to earn it. I think they went to fourth down two times that drive. So that’s how we need to be.”
On what’s changed with USC’s defense
“I mean I think we’re just tired of giving up 200 yards on the ground. That’s never how things are supposed to be. And when teams are trying to attack you on the ground as Cal did to start this game off, you have to take it personal . Once you get that physical attitude, you’re all good.”
On his team’s defensive attitude
“I say we have an attitude of, we’re going to make mistakes but it doesn’t matter. As long as you play physical and disciplined, that’s all you can do. So we’re not worried about, oh, they’re going to pass the ball, they’re going to run it. We’re like, okay, we’re going to think about ourselves, we’re going to be physical and we’re going to do our job. We don’t care what they’re running, we’re going to do our job.”
On playing without worries
“Now, we’re just letting it loose. I think we’re 5-3, so I mean, when you’re playing with nothing to lose, at this point, it’s just like, let’s go out and play.”
JuJu Smith-Schuster
On playing with a cast against Arizona if he can
“I did it last year and I might do it again.”
On if he feels like the Cal win sets them up going forward
“You know, we’re still here. It just shows us that Cal was back in a corner, ‘SC was back in a corner and we had to prove who was a better team. We came out today and we executed and made good plays.”
Justin Davis
On his third and one call late in the Cal game
“Well it was Coach Helton instilling the mindset of we’re going to be physical and we’re going to run it right up their throats. They kind of knew that the play was going to come and it was just a matter of winning our one-on-one battles upfront.”
On seeing Tre Madden make the play that extended the drive against Cal
“That play, I think that play got me hyped, so hyped, that was the most hyped I was the whole game. Just to seem him break a tackle and extend the play like thst, it made me want to make a play.”
Ronald Jones
On the stinger to his knee on the first play against Cal
“Yeah, I think I took a helmet to (the knee), yeah I got stretched out.”
On if he could have taken more carries in the last game
“I think so, but this time it wasn’t needed. We have the two veterans, JD and Tre. They clinched the game for us and we ran out the clock.”
On his excitement when the team makes running the ball first priority
“It’s very exciting, we have a lot of great backs. Just an opportunity to be in the mix is very exciting for me.”
On his development as a tailback
“I think I’m adjusting to the speed and being able to read coverages and see the safety rotation if they’re blitzing and things like that. And again that’s credit to my coaching staff, we spend a lot of hours watching film so I’m able to play older than my experience I guess.”
On knowing the fans want him to get the ball
“That’s good being the fans want to give me more touches but my opportunity will come so right now, we’re just trying to win. That’s what’s most important.”
