O/NSO: A rooster training camp opener edition
The Obvious: It’s probable that by the time you’re reading Friday’s O/NSO, the 2023 Trojans will have completed their first day of training camp in preparation for its Saturday, Aug. 26, season opener against San Jose State in the Coliseum.
The Not So Obvious: Today’s opening of training camp on Howard Jones/Brian Kennedy Fields was at the yawning hour of 6:30 in the morning, and that doesn’t include the actual “rooster” wake-up call and breakfast ingestion. Heaven knows what time these young gladiators had to set their alarm clocks in order also to include taping up, being on the field before the appointed 6:30 hour, and just hoping that their early breakfast wouldn’t revisit them sometime during the first practice session.
The Obvious: On Thursday at noon, the media met the 2023 Trojans team with the exceptions of quarterback Caleb Williams, and linebacker Mason Cobb, both of whom were at Pac-12 Media Day last Friday in Las Vegas. The true incoming freshmen were also not in attendance on Thursday, as well.
The Not So Obvious: During the media day, I was curious on wanting to confirm what time players would be waking up for Friday’s first day of 6:30 practice. Preseason All-Pac-12 tackle Jonah Monheim revealed, “I am probably getting up at 4:15.” Asked about breakfast, Jonah replied, “Oh yeah, I’ve got to have breakfast, or it would be tough.” Other players also confirmed their own 4:15 morning wake-up call.
Junior offensive left tackle Jonah Monheim will set his alarm clock for 4:15 a.m. to be on time for a Friday 6:30’s morning practice.
(Photo above by Greg Katz/ WeAreSC.com)
The Obvious: For those media types that cover Trojans’ practices on a regular basis, they too must adhere to the practice alarm clock in order to get to campus on time for these early morning festivities.
The Not So Obvious: Yes, the forgotten world of media coverage can’t hide what’s good for the USC football team also applies to the media. Depending on where a media member lives in the massive and sprawling Southern California community, a 6:30 a.m. practice can mean setting one’s alarm at 4:30 a.m. if you’re going to roll the inbound freeway dice.
A 6:30 early morning training camp practice will test your ability to digest breakfast.
(Photo above Erik McKinney/WeAreSC.com)
The Obvious: Basically, Los Angeles and Southern California are one big horizontal community – not a vertical community – meaning that neighborhoods and counties are all interconnected by one giant freeway grid and giant city high-rise condos.
The Not So Obvious: If you’re media coming into L.A. from outside the immediate downtown area, you’d better give yourself an hour and a half leeway if you don’t have Diamond or Express Lane eligibility (two or more travelers for Diamond Lane eligibility, or if you’re “single” driver, you’d better have a FasTrak transponder, or you’re basically screwed.
There’s nothing worse than early morning or late afternoon freeway traffic in Los Angeles.
The Obvious: Of course, if you leave earlier in the morning like 5 p.m. for a 6:30 session, you might avoid the freeway traffic if some sort of roadwork doesn’t ruin that plan.
The Not So Obvious: Take it from one who lives in this freeway monstrosity environment, it’s not when you leave the house, but it all begins when your bedroom or cell phone alarm clock goes off. That’s when the body meter begins ticking. In all honestly, the O/NSO has been and will always be a night owl. USC practices at 6 or 6:30 a.m. during this USC training camp can be hazardous to your physical and emotional health.
The Obvious: The overall weather forecast for Friday in Los Angeles is partly cloudy, with a high of 90 and a low of 68 degrees.
The Not So Obvious: However, the real “practice” weather forecast for the Trojans’ 6:30 a.m. training camp opener was predicted to be mostly sunny and 69 degrees. By the time the first day of training camp concludes, the forecast was expected to be around 75 degrees. For weary-eyed media in attendance, early morning practices sure beat standing in the hot afternoon sun without a tent covering. Then again, there is the reality that since the media can watch only about 30-35 minutes of the opening team stretching and selected position drills, it’s then off to one of the campus academic buildings since the media has been advised that there will be no media workroom available due to whatever.
July and August in Los Angeles bring weather that climbs to the 90 degree mark and above.
The Obvious: As was the case in Lincoln Riley’s first training camp and season, when the bulk of closed practice has concluded, the media is allowed to return to Howard Jones/Brian Kennedy Fields for selected post-practice interviews.
The Not So Obvious: So, post-practice interviews last about 45 minutes give or take. As was probably the case this morning for those media souls whose day began around 4:30 or 5 a.m., your early morning viewing of Friday’s practice probably concluded around 7:10 a.m., which gave you the option of finding an open academic classroom to begin work on your story or perhaps take a quick nap while waiting for the conclusion of the closed sections of practice.
Somewhere around 8:45 this morning, Goux Gate was reopened, and post-practice interviews probably concluded between 9:15 and 9:30. Just in time to go and finish your first day of practice reports on campus or return home against the still festering morning rush-hour traffic to complete your written analysis of Day 1.
Walking through Goux Gate onto the hallowed grounds of Howard Jones/Brian Kennedy Fields is where the USC football team practices.
The Obvious: The kickoff for the Trojans’ first two games of the 2023 season, San Jose State and Nevada, will commence at 5:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively.
The Not So Obvious: Neither San Jose State nor Nevada is expected to give the Trojans a four-quarter test but practicing in the early morning – no matter the reason or the justification – doesn’t prepare you for mid to late-afternoon August and September temperatures in the 90s, when you’re running around in pounds of uniform apparel on the hot Coliseum floor. The good news down the road is training camp practice dates will be pushed to later in the morning and then to the mid-afternoon.
The Obvious: Throughout training camp leading up to game-week afternoon practice times, practice times will vary and media access will be regulated.
The Not So Obvious: After today’s opening day of practice, the Trojans have closed practices on Saturday and Sunday but return to Howard Jones/Brian Kennedy Field for two 6 a.m. practices on Wednesday and Thursday, respectably. In terms of media access, the very early practices are still limited viewing and conclude for media next Friday with a “sleep-in” 9 a.m. practice.
The Obvious: And finally, “regular in-season” practice times begin on Monday, Aug. 21 for San Jose State game week at 2:25 p.m., right smack in the middle of the August heat.
The Not So Obvious: So, media, take advantage of these early morning practices because, in time, there will be plenty of time for sunscreen when needed. Until then, however, it’s breakfast with Mr. Rooster.
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