Notes & Observations Practice Report: Fall Camp Day 6

**One of the things I’ve learned to deal with better as I get older is change. Stuff happens, unanticipated curveballs are thrown, and you have to react when it happens. How you handle the change is up to you.

**Friday afternoon’s practice had a scheduled 2:15 PM start time, and I feel like I am late as I drive past the spot at 1:15. I did see someone being arrested on McClintock as I approached the parking structure, however, I did not see any of the usual “Coming Out” crew in position to protect the players crossing the street. That should have been my first clue.

**I like to arrive early for practice because that’s when a lot of the “Fly on the Wall” type of stuff happens. However, all I heard at 1:30 was someone walking up behind me and the words, “yeah, it’s at 3:15 today.” The comment wasn’t directed at me. It was from one of the student team assistants to another who was walking up from the other direction.

**My text message to Katie Ryan 10 seconds later, “So, 3:15 today?”—“Yeah, I was just about to send everyone an email!” Immediately the first thing that popped into my head was The Captain’s speech from the movie Cool Hand Luke. You know the scene I’m talking about, the one that starts with, ” What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.”

**Off to an air-conditioned Annenberg for an hour. At 2:30 it’s go-time, but the only team representative on his way is someone from their film production crew, who at least offers up his appreciation to the media who are standing around like a bunch of shlameels.

**At 2:45 I’m starting to think that practice is being pushed back even longer because not one player has shown himself. Finally, at 2:50 long snapper Daniel Meunier appears in his Cardinal & Gold uniform full pads and all! There will be practice!!! 15 minutes later 3 more walk-on special teams players are ready for practice and I’m fully convinced the 3:15 start time ain’t happening.

**The sun is out and that means it’s guns out for punter Will Rose who is carrying his dressed shoulder pads and helmet.

**Denis Lynch is The Bam Man. He makes sure to fist-bump all 6 crossing guards with a “Bam” sound effect. Denis who isn’t the tallest guy on the team jumps to tap through Goux Gate. A little bit later Ja’Kobi Lane has to duck his head as he walks through.

**The big boys are starting to arrive. Justin Dedich and Elijah Paige are walking out together. In yesterday’s report, it was noted that Josh Henson had to use some tough love type of motivation with Elijah. The coach and player were mad at each other, however, the desired result was achieved. I’m wondering if Dedich is playing the role of My Bodyguard for the young freshman today. LOL

**During the conditioning portion that the media gets to observe, Lincoln Riley pulled Paige over and was having a “man to man” talk before Riley love-tapped him on the chest which had an “attaboy” feel to it.

**I know I lean into this frequently, however, it can’t be said enough, the size of the roster this year vs last year is noticeable. Kobe Pepe and Jack Sullivan are two big brawny looking guys, and Pepe looks much more developed.

**The Trojans have some tall guys on the team like Eric Gentry, Duce Robinson, and Lane. One guy who gets overlooked is freshman CB, Malicki Crawford. He and Jacobe Covington who is 6’2″ are side by side and Crawford looks taller than his listed 6′-4″.

**Olineman Gino Quinones makes the comment, “Oh oh, it’s work time.” Today he took reps as the No. 2 spot when Emmanuel Pregnon was moved into the 1st line.

**1st-unit Oline: Jonah Monheim, Pregnon, Justin dedich, Jarrett Kingston, and Michael Tarquin. The 2nd unit: Elijah Paige, Alani Noa, Quinones, Andrew Milek, and Mason Murphy.

**Katie Ryan is telling the media some fun anecdotes about fun ways the make the freshmen go through initiation follies, aka, light-hearted hazing, like getting up in front of everyone singing the Fight Song.

**In yesterday’s Notes & Observations Report I talked about how I’m not a fan of Jude Wolfe running across the street wearing his cleats. The concrete is too slippery, he’s healthy, and I want him to stay that way! Someone got the message to Jude because this happened at Thursday’s practice. LOL!!!

**Zion Branch and Tre’quon Fegans are two solid safeties arriving together for practice. Zion is a freak with his size.

**It’s 3:30 and Coach Riley is ready to enter practice for the 3:15 start that was anticipated for 2:15.

**In the media you learn to live and adapt, and there are still at least another 20 minutes before we’re let in to watch.

**Once the team splits into their position groups the Dline is doing a shadow-boxing drill. Try and visualize players shuffling their feet three times to the left, and then repeating the same motion to the right, while pushing up with both hands before simulating a rip technique and running to the ball carrier.

**The practice is going at a breakneck speed with everyone in motion doing something. The WRs are catching passes from the QBs while assistant coaches test their ball security with the long sticks.

**The DBs are working on backpedaling before turning to run for the ball.

**The Rush Edge group is being put through their rigors by doing some gap-reads before releasing down the line of scrimmage to chase the ball.

**The first time we’ve seen some live one-on-one battles with the linebackers testing the running backs on blitz pickups. The linebacker group is down a couple of guys that Riley has mentioned, Raesjon Davis and Shane Lee should be back soon. Maybe it is just a coincidence, but each time it was Eric Gentry’s turn, MarShawn Lloyd was also lining up to block. They had a few solid battles and depending on how you viewed each rep you’d probably say they both had a better rep against each at least once.

**Mason Cobb and Quinten Joyner were matched up a couple of times during the drill, and let’s just say that the freshman did not embarrass himself against Cobb. Mason has a way of moving laterally, but still moving forward at the same time. He clearly understands how to use angles when blitzing.

**More crowd noise was being piped in again to simulate a game-type of environment. Today also had a very eclectic music list while practice was happening. Everything from “Snitches Gets Stitches” by The Cheetah Squad (thank God for my Shazam app!) to Queen’s, “Don’t Stop Me Now,” and Michael Jackson’s “PYT.”

**The horn that ends practice blasted at 6:05 and then for the next 15 minutes or so it sounded like some players were getting the gold plates. I’m not sure who because the media is outside the gate waiting to interview Lincoln Riley.

**Coach Riley starts the scrum by talking about his friend and former assistant coach Dave Nichol. It wasn’t just the loss of Coach Nichol, but others in his circle have been affected by poor health because coaches don’t take the time to take care of themselves. The Dave Nichols Health Check program is something Coach Riley feels very strongly about, and the school plans to offer the program as a guide to be used all over the country.

**When Coach Riley took questions he highlight how good the WR group is but also highlighted the freshmen in the room.

USC Trojans WR/RB Raleek Brown on his way to fall camp practice. PhotoCredit: Marc Kulkin/WeAreSC.com

**One question that I wanted to make sure Riley had the chance to answer was about guys who are returning that are battling for playing time. Guys like Tyrone Taleni and De’jon Benton don’t want to give up playing time to transfers.

**The team is back again on Saturday and Sunday. The media’s next opportunity to watch will be Tuesday. At this point, the schedule says it’s a Tuesday morning practice. I’m going with the TBD status.

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