Big injury news looms over an otherwise spirited practice...
- WR Robert Woods did not practice today due to nagging shoulder and ankle injuries, which could force him out of the game at Oregon on Saturday. "He's not getting better," said Lane Kiffin. "We've got service team corners that he can't run by right now. If he can't play faster, we've got to play the other guys."
- Other injuries: DT DaJohn Harris, DT Christian Tupou, LT Matt Kalil, OL Aundrey Walker and S Demetrius Wright were either out or very limited today.
While Notre Dame and UCLA are the Trojans' traditional rivals, Oregon has USC's full attention as a budding Pac-12 dynasty. "They're going to be up for this game," coach Ed Orgeron said the Trojans have shown great attention to detail and effort at practice this week. "We're going to play our best."- Orgeron is always motivating the defense, but he said the team does not need his help getting fired up for this one. "You can feel it. We don't have to make anything about it. It's a big game."
- Coach O has taken teams to battle in the toughest environments across the country and ranks Autzen among the best. "I don't know how ready you can get to play in that place. It's a tough place to play. It reminds me of an SEC crowd."
- USC's starting linebackers will all be making their first trips to Eugene. "It's kind of a lot of pressure with Oregon being a fast-paced team and us being very young and not having the experience against it," redshirt freshman LB Hayes Pullard said.
- Pullard was the lead blocker for Oregon WR/RB De'Anthony Thomas at Crenshaw High School in 2009. "I talk to him every week. I'll probably talk to him Thursday night or Friday night and wish him good luck," said Pullard, who will let his buddy hear about it if he puts him on his back. "That's the plan!"
- Thomas is one of several Oregon playmakers that can make opposing tacklers look silly in space. "The only way to beat speed is to not let them get in open space," LB Dion Bailey said. "You can't let them use their abilities and then they get to put you on SportsCenter."
- To get the defense up to speed, the Trojans ran a sprint between every play of scout team and then got back to the line of scrimmage as quickly as possible.
- CB Nickell Robey (photo by John McGillen) has interceptions in back-to-back practices.
- Here is Lane Kiffin on an energetic Wednesday...
Honest question: Why doesn't the USC defense start prepping for Oregon's speed several weeks prior to the game?
Opposing teams continually tire out in the second half against UO. It seems silly to practice faster only during the game week. The human body can't expect immediate improvements after 5 days of working out.
Nick,
I clicked on "comment" to say the same thing you did. Nothing more to add, I guess. :)