Delayed by a day due to concerns about thunderstorms, USC opens spring football on Wednesday. Though practices were originally planned to be open to the public, but will be limited to just the families of student-athletes between now and March 29 due to concerns about the coronavirus, the school announced on Tuesday.
In some ways, many things will be the same given USC returns so many players from last season’s 8-5 campaign. In other ways, it will be completely different than last year after a staff shakeup.
Here’s a look at what to expect in the next six weeks.
What’s new: The Trojans will be establishing a new defense this spring. Much like last year when the main story line was offensive coordinator Graham Harrell and the Air Raid, this year will be about Todd Orlando, USC’s new defensive coordinator via Texas, Houston and Utah State.
Orlando, who replaces Clancy Pendergast, will be establishing a base three-man front. But he wants to have a multi-faceted defense, so the team will work with multiple formations, including four-man fronts like under Pendergast.
Perhaps the biggest difference for the defense will be the new practice style established by Orlando and his assistants — safeties coach Craig Naivar, cornerbacks coach Donte Williams and defensive line coach Vic So’oto. The group wants USC to practice physically, at full speed. So we won’t know much about the defense, Orlando says, until the first full-pads practice on Saturday.
USC will also have a new coach on special teams, with Sean Snyder replacing John Baxter. Snyder promises to keep things simpler for his unit, given that the players will also have to balance their position group responsibilities in addition to special teams.
Who’s new: The advantage of returning 17 of 22 starters and only having four graduating seniors from the 2019 roster is that there aren’t many new players to incorporate into the team. Of the early-enrolling freshmen, only former Corona Centennial WR Gary Bryant Jr. is expected to make an impact in 2020 with his game-changing speed.
Otherwise, USC will be returning a couple of players who missed all of 2019 due to injury.
The most intriguing of these players is wide receiver Bru McCoy. The former Mater Dei standout sat out last season while dealing with a virus after transferring back to USC from Texas. A five-star recruit out of high school, McCoy has the potential to break through a crowded wide receiver field at USC and make an impact on the 2020 season.
Another returning player is linebacker Jordan Iosefa. Named a captain before a knee injury prematurely ended his 2019 campaing, Iosefa provides experience to a young linebacker corps.
Who’s gone: Not many Trojans, really. Michael Pittman Jr., Christian Rector, John Houston and Drew Richmond graduated. Austin Jackson declared early for the draft. That’s it as far as starters, while receiver and kick returner Velus Jones Jr. transferred to Tennessee.
What to expect: Outside of the installation of the new defense, there will be a couple of competitions to keep an eye on.
First, quarterback. USC will keep the competition open even after Kedon Slovis’ record-breaking freshman season. He and Matt Fink are the only healthy scholarship QBs to start spring, but USC is hopeful that 2018 starter J.T. Daniels will be able to do some on-field work later in the six weeks as he recovers from a torn ACL.
Then there’s left tackle, left vacant by Jackson’s early departure for the draft. USC will keep all options open, even the possibility of moving Alijah Vera-Tucker outside from left guard, where he had so much success as a sophomore.
USC spring practice schedule (all practices open to public except April 18)Wednesday, March 11: 3:40 p.m.
Thursday, March 12: 3:40 p.m.
Saturday, March 14: 9:50 a.m.
March 15-23: Off for spring break
Tuesday, March 24: 3:40 p.m.
Thursday, March 26: 3:40 p.m.
Saturday, March 28: 9:50 a.m.
Tuesday, March 31: 3:40 p.m.
Thursday, April 2: 3:40 p.m.
Saturday, April 4: 9:50 a.m.
Tuesday, April 7: 3:40 p.m.
Thursday, April 9: 3:40 p.m.
Spring showcase: Saturday, April 11, noon at Coliseum
Tuesday, April 14: 3:40 p.m.
Thursday, April 16: 3:40 p.m.
Saturday, April 18: 9:50 a.m.
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USC looking to establish new defensive identity in spring football - OCRegister
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