USC returned from a one-week layoff and the offense, while a bit rusty, basically picked up where it had left off. It might not be long before we see this unit really take off on the practice field.
Offensive coordinator Graham Harrell explained Tuesday that he basically installed everything over the course of the first week, and the next four weeks will be a duplication of those three installs.
"Almost everything we're doing now should be a repeat, so the improvement should be dramatic," Harrell said. "We just did Day 1 install again. Thursday will be Day 2 install again. Really just the mastery of the scheme, and really understanding what they're doing. That's why we do what we do, why we do it the way we do it, is because we want them to get a million reps at every single play. If we break the offense into thirds, I feel like we give them a chance to do that."
In other words, there's no next level to this offense.
"The offense is in," Harrell said. "I think when I first installed, they didn't believe that's all there really was. But now I think they're starting to believe it."
We've heard over and over already how this Air Raid system has made everything easier for everyone, and Michael Pittman offered probably the most telling comment on the matter.
"The offense is dramatically simplified," he said. "We had a playbook that had been compiling for nine years and just throwing stuff in, and we just had a mixture pod of everybody’s concepts from Lane to Sark to Coach Tee’s plays, and they all just kind of mixed in."
Pittman, of course, forgot to mention Clay and Tyson's Helton's respective imprints on the old offense.
Offensive line coach Tim Drevno said the minimalist attitude regarding schemes allows the linemen to focus more on techniques. He added that Harrell has been very structured and clear when teaching the offense.
As for whether there are really only four running plays, as Harrell indicated last week?
"There's not many, but sometimes you'll pull something else out to keep people honest," Drevno said. "It's how you block them, but there's always something in your back pocket that people aren't expecting that you always gotta have."
Coach Helton said he spent part of his spring break in Houston with his in-laws dissecting film from the first week of spring practice. He came away particularly impressed with his quarterbacks.
"I walked away from those three practices a little bit giddy," Helton said. "Having the opportunity to watch them not only make high completion ratios but they're really getting the ball out."
In an effort to challenge the QBs and test their decision-making, two objectives from Tuesday's practice included applying more pressure and red zone work.
"We're putting them in some positions where they're going to fail, but hopefully they learn from it and ultimately that will make them more successful quarterbacks at the end," Helton said.
I personally feel that JT Daniels responded really well to the circumstances. He just looks very comfortable with the offense and clear about where he's supposed to go with the ball. Very decisive. He also showed great anticipation on a long touchdown pass to Pittman, essentially throwing him open after Pittman was initially guarded well by Isaac Taylor-Stuart. He also connected with Devon Williams on a long TD pass against ITS. It was another big day for Williams, who I plan to write about tomorrow.
I asked Helton which defensive players have caught his eye and he listed inside linebackers John Houston, Jordan Iosefa, Palaie Gaoteote, Juliano Falaniko, Kana'i Mauga and freshman Ralen Goforth. He also noted a couple D-linemen:
"I really think the guy that catches your eye is Drake [Jackson], as a newcomer. Drake and Nick [Figueroa] have shined a little bit. I saw both of them make some nice plays today."
***
Highlights from 11-on-11 (shells and shorts):
Jay Tufele had a sack on Matt Fink, who appeared to have been picked off the play before. He has not adjusted as well as the other QBs to the system.
Jack Sears was also picked off, by walk-on DB Richard Hagestad. He responded with a nice completion downfield to Josh Falo while rolling to his left. But he too has not been as sharp as Daniels through four practices.
Falaniko had a tackle for loss on walk-on TB Chris Edmondson, laying a hard hit in the process. We saw quite a bit of four down linemen being employed, which probably does wonders for inside backers.
I tracked 1-on-1s between linemen and WRs vs. DBs here.
***
Notes:
DT Trevor Trout is out for spring after tearing a bicep. Apparently the injury occurred in practice before spring break.
QB Kedon Slovis, RB Stephen Carr and RB Vavae Malepeai did not practice.
OT Clayton Bradley, CB Dominic Davis and DL Caleb Tremblay remained out.
Offensive tackle Bernard Schirmer returned.
Helton announced that Shawn Howe (Coastal Carolina) and Seth Doege (Bowling Green) have been added as quality control coaches, along with Joe Bolden (Washington State) and John David Baker (North Texas), whom I reported on in February.
Aaron Ausmus filled out his strength and conditioning staff with Darren Mustin (UMass), Ty Webb (Eastern Illinois) and Jared Klingenberg (San Jose State).
AD Lynn Swann attended part of practice. (Per usual, he was not available to the media.)
USC will practice again Thursday. Pro Day is Wednesday morning.
Offensive coordinator Graham Harrell explained Tuesday that he basically installed everything over the course of the first week, and the next four weeks will be a duplication of those three installs.
"Almost everything we're doing now should be a repeat, so the improvement should be dramatic," Harrell said. "We just did Day 1 install again. Thursday will be Day 2 install again. Really just the mastery of the scheme, and really understanding what they're doing. That's why we do what we do, why we do it the way we do it, is because we want them to get a million reps at every single play. If we break the offense into thirds, I feel like we give them a chance to do that."
In other words, there's no next level to this offense.
"The offense is in," Harrell said. "I think when I first installed, they didn't believe that's all there really was. But now I think they're starting to believe it."
We've heard over and over already how this Air Raid system has made everything easier for everyone, and Michael Pittman offered probably the most telling comment on the matter.
"The offense is dramatically simplified," he said. "We had a playbook that had been compiling for nine years and just throwing stuff in, and we just had a mixture pod of everybody’s concepts from Lane to Sark to Coach Tee’s plays, and they all just kind of mixed in."
Pittman, of course, forgot to mention Clay and Tyson's Helton's respective imprints on the old offense.
Offensive line coach Tim Drevno said the minimalist attitude regarding schemes allows the linemen to focus more on techniques. He added that Harrell has been very structured and clear when teaching the offense.
As for whether there are really only four running plays, as Harrell indicated last week?
"There's not many, but sometimes you'll pull something else out to keep people honest," Drevno said. "It's how you block them, but there's always something in your back pocket that people aren't expecting that you always gotta have."
Coach Helton said he spent part of his spring break in Houston with his in-laws dissecting film from the first week of spring practice. He came away particularly impressed with his quarterbacks.
"I walked away from those three practices a little bit giddy," Helton said. "Having the opportunity to watch them not only make high completion ratios but they're really getting the ball out."
In an effort to challenge the QBs and test their decision-making, two objectives from Tuesday's practice included applying more pressure and red zone work.
"We're putting them in some positions where they're going to fail, but hopefully they learn from it and ultimately that will make them more successful quarterbacks at the end," Helton said.
I personally feel that JT Daniels responded really well to the circumstances. He just looks very comfortable with the offense and clear about where he's supposed to go with the ball. Very decisive. He also showed great anticipation on a long touchdown pass to Pittman, essentially throwing him open after Pittman was initially guarded well by Isaac Taylor-Stuart. He also connected with Devon Williams on a long TD pass against ITS. It was another big day for Williams, who I plan to write about tomorrow.
I asked Helton which defensive players have caught his eye and he listed inside linebackers John Houston, Jordan Iosefa, Palaie Gaoteote, Juliano Falaniko, Kana'i Mauga and freshman Ralen Goforth. He also noted a couple D-linemen:
"I really think the guy that catches your eye is Drake [Jackson], as a newcomer. Drake and Nick [Figueroa] have shined a little bit. I saw both of them make some nice plays today."
***
Highlights from 11-on-11 (shells and shorts):
Jay Tufele had a sack on Matt Fink, who appeared to have been picked off the play before. He has not adjusted as well as the other QBs to the system.
Jack Sears was also picked off, by walk-on DB Richard Hagestad. He responded with a nice completion downfield to Josh Falo while rolling to his left. But he too has not been as sharp as Daniels through four practices.
Falaniko had a tackle for loss on walk-on TB Chris Edmondson, laying a hard hit in the process. We saw quite a bit of four down linemen being employed, which probably does wonders for inside backers.
I tracked 1-on-1s between linemen and WRs vs. DBs here.
***
Notes:
DT Trevor Trout is out for spring after tearing a bicep. Apparently the injury occurred in practice before spring break.
QB Kedon Slovis, RB Stephen Carr and RB Vavae Malepeai did not practice.
OT Clayton Bradley, CB Dominic Davis and DL Caleb Tremblay remained out.
Offensive tackle Bernard Schirmer returned.
Helton announced that Shawn Howe (Coastal Carolina) and Seth Doege (Bowling Green) have been added as quality control coaches, along with Joe Bolden (Washington State) and John David Baker (North Texas), whom I reported on in February.
Aaron Ausmus filled out his strength and conditioning staff with Darren Mustin (UMass), Ty Webb (Eastern Illinois) and Jared Klingenberg (San Jose State).
AD Lynn Swann attended part of practice. (Per usual, he was not available to the media.)
USC will practice again Thursday. Pro Day is Wednesday morning.
