The USC football team had its second players-only workout this afternoon (along with Monday). Here are some observations from the 90-minute session.
Notable absences: Lamont Simmons and Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (neither were there Monday either), Jalen Greene, Connor Spears, Adoree' Jackson (track).
Ajene Harris attended the workout, but didn't participate at all. He walked with a very noticeable limp.
Some freshmen that were there: Ricky Town, Sam Darnold, Ykili Ross (played safety), Roy Hemsley, Chuma Edoga, John Houston, Caleb Wilson, Deontay Burnett and Porter Gustin (didn't participate though)
Anthony Sarao and Greg Townsend, both of whom missed all of spring via injury, participated for the entire workout. Chad Wheeler and Jabari Ruffin warmed up, but didn't do any team drills.
***
7 on 7 workouts (play by play)
Cody Kessler to Steven Mitchell
Kessler to Darreus Rogers
Kessler to Mitchell
Scott Felix INT off Kessler
Kessler to Jahleel Pinner
Kessler to Pinner (dropped)
Max Browne to Pinner
Browne to Robby Kolanz
Browne to Kolanz
Browne deep TD to De'Quan Hampton
Kessler to JuJu Smith
Kessler to Justin Davis
Kessler to James Toland
Kessler to Toland
Kessler to Wilson
***
11 on 11
Kessler to Mitchell
Kessler to Davis
Kessler to Toland
Kessler to Toland
Browne to Isaac Whitney
Browne to Pinner
Browne to Whitney (deep pass completed, but clear push-off by Whitney)
The defense won the best-of-five battle to close the workout.
***
Observations:
Browne's deep ball looked really good today. Completed a lot of them during drills and was the only QB to have deep completions during 7s and 11s.
Mitchell's route running is superb; he really looked crisp today. Bold prediction: I think Mitchell will have more receptions this year than JuJu because he has been the security blanket for Kessler during the spring/summer workouts.
Leon McQuay covered Smith quite a bit, and he definitely held his own. He didn't allow Smith to make any deep catches and deflected a few balls. He also intercepted a short pass. After one incomplete deep pass, Smith came up limping, but looked fine running routes at the end of practice.
Wilson got a lot of tight end reps today with Cope-Fitzpatrick and Spears not present. He has the height, but he needs to bulk up.
Greg Townsend had a few pressures of Browne for the second-team defense.
John Houston nearly intercepted Ricky Town, and he made a very athletic play just to deflect the pass.
John Plattenburg intercepted Kessler on a deflected pass.
The chemistry between Browne and Whitney was really evident. Whitney looked to be Browne's favorite target today.
Jonathan Lockett was holding his back in pain after a jump ball on a deep pass near the end of practice. Not sure how hurt he is though, since reporters couldn't talk to the players afterwards.
Sam Darnold and Town split third-team reps at quarterback. Smith shouted to reporters during the workout, "Sam Darnold is really good. This guy is the future."
Notable absences: Lamont Simmons and Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (neither were there Monday either), Jalen Greene, Connor Spears, Adoree' Jackson (track).
Ajene Harris attended the workout, but didn't participate at all. He walked with a very noticeable limp.
Some freshmen that were there: Ricky Town, Sam Darnold, Ykili Ross (played safety), Roy Hemsley, Chuma Edoga, John Houston, Caleb Wilson, Deontay Burnett and Porter Gustin (didn't participate though)
Anthony Sarao and Greg Townsend, both of whom missed all of spring via injury, participated for the entire workout. Chad Wheeler and Jabari Ruffin warmed up, but didn't do any team drills.
***
7 on 7 workouts (play by play)
Cody Kessler to Steven Mitchell
Kessler to Darreus Rogers
Kessler to Mitchell
Scott Felix INT off Kessler
Kessler to Jahleel Pinner
Kessler to Pinner (dropped)
Max Browne to Pinner
Browne to Robby Kolanz
Browne to Kolanz
Browne deep TD to De'Quan Hampton
Kessler to JuJu Smith
Kessler to Justin Davis
Kessler to James Toland
Kessler to Toland
Kessler to Wilson
***
11 on 11
Kessler to Mitchell
Kessler to Davis
Kessler to Toland
Kessler to Toland
Browne to Isaac Whitney
Browne to Pinner
Browne to Whitney (deep pass completed, but clear push-off by Whitney)
The defense won the best-of-five battle to close the workout.
***
Observations:
Browne's deep ball looked really good today. Completed a lot of them during drills and was the only QB to have deep completions during 7s and 11s.
Mitchell's route running is superb; he really looked crisp today. Bold prediction: I think Mitchell will have more receptions this year than JuJu because he has been the security blanket for Kessler during the spring/summer workouts.
Leon McQuay covered Smith quite a bit, and he definitely held his own. He didn't allow Smith to make any deep catches and deflected a few balls. He also intercepted a short pass. After one incomplete deep pass, Smith came up limping, but looked fine running routes at the end of practice.
Wilson got a lot of tight end reps today with Cope-Fitzpatrick and Spears not present. He has the height, but he needs to bulk up.
Greg Townsend had a few pressures of Browne for the second-team defense.
John Houston nearly intercepted Ricky Town, and he made a very athletic play just to deflect the pass.
John Plattenburg intercepted Kessler on a deflected pass.
The chemistry between Browne and Whitney was really evident. Whitney looked to be Browne's favorite target today.
Jonathan Lockett was holding his back in pain after a jump ball on a deep pass near the end of practice. Not sure how hurt he is though, since reporters couldn't talk to the players afterwards.
Sam Darnold and Town split third-team reps at quarterback. Smith shouted to reporters during the workout, "Sam Darnold is really good. This guy is the future."
