USC’s freshman QBs Make Their Case
Adam Grosbard (OC Register) — With USC’s spring football camp coming to a close Friday, the Trojans are no closer to declaring a backup quarterback. That’s by design, though.
Head coach Clay Helton doesn’t want to make any declarations on a depth chart until the Friday before the Sept. 4 season opener against San Jose State. That way, the Trojans will have the full fall camp to try to earn their spot in the starting lineup or, in the quarterback’s case, behind Kedon Slovis.
Following senior Mo Hasan’s season-ending ACL tear in the spring game, USC is left with two true freshmen competing for the backup quarterback gig. Helton feels Jaxson Dart and Miller Moss embraced the right mindset during the spring.
“I thought they took the right approach, is every time I go out there I’m not competing against the other guy; I’m trying to be the best version of myself,” Helton said. “That’s the same mindset I want them to take early in camp as we start to evaluating and competing.”
Dart (2) appeared the more confident of the two early in the spring. He shook off mistakes and made plays with his feet that no other quarterback on the roster can do. Of the two freshmen, it was clear Dart was the one who played a senior season of high school and had some momentum coming into college.
For Moss’ part, after he shook off the rust from a football-less fall, he grew more and more consistent. His confidence was clearly growing when he completed a deep pass last Saturday and finished off the touchdown drive.
“For Jaxson, you can see his creativity, you can see his deep ball accuracy, his ability to create on the move,” Helton said. 
“And in Miller’s (6) case, man, it’s just been precision and being able to make his reads, going through progressions, delivering accurate balls time after time, getting the ball out.”
INJURY REPORT
Offensive lineman Liam Jimmons missed the last week of spring camp with a high ankle sprain, Helton said, the same injury that kept receiver Michael Jackson off the field the past week. Neither injury is expected to linger into the fall. Helton added that Jackson likely would have practiced next week if camp weren’t coming to an end.
Wide receiver Bru McCoy missed the last week after aggravating a hamstring injury, Helton said, while outside linebacker Drake Jackson was put in concussion protocol as a precaution after being involved in a car accident.
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DT Marlon Tuipulotu (Hufanga’s cousin) is heading to the Philadelphia Eagles with pick # 189. USC’S 4th Trojan to be drafted today.
S Talanoa Hufanga goes to the 49ers in Round 5 with # 180! Suddenly, I’m a 9ers fan…
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown picked by Lions with choice # 112.
DL Jay Tufele selected by Jags (Urban Meyer) with pick # 106 to start off Round 4!
Former USC DL Caleb Tremblay has been picked up in the transfer portal by the TENN Volunteers.
“I really feel like it is an amazing coaching staff, and everything checks off all of the boxes. It is an amazing football town, and Tennessee has some amazing fans. Everything about Tennessee gets me fired up. For me, this is almost like a business trip. I am really just excited to get down there and go to work.”
USC had one first-round draft pick in AVT. It’s looking like it will be none on Day 2.
ND had no first-rounders, but so far four Domers have been picked in Day 2.
This is where USC’s overall weakness really shows though — not one single 2nd or 3rd rounder.
My personal view is any kid drafted in the first two days is NFL starting talent. Day 3 is hit or miss. So SC and UCLA each had only ONE player in the program for at least 3 years who had that ability and which was so developed. I was surprised that none of the DL (Tuefele and Tuipaloto (sic)) and Amon Ra were not there.. That 2020 ND OL was really something – I think 3 members were drafted in Day 2. Do you realize that the most talented position at SC in 2018 and 2019 was the OL?… Read more »
The Panthers have added some real receiving tools for Sam Darnold. In the words of the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen, “Darnold must feel like he died, and went to Carolina.”
Day 2 Draft WINNER per Frank Schwab (Yahoo Sports): “Sam Darnold: His defenders say he just needs a chance in a better environment. He will get that. “The Carolina Panthers didn’t draft a quarterback in the first round, even with Justin Fields and Mac Jones on the board. They already traded Teddy Bridgewater. “In the second round, the Panther selected LSU receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., a fantastic college player who slipped due to injury concerns. He’ll be paired with D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson, a pair of 1,000-yard receivers. Darnold also has super back Christian McCaffrey with him. “Then in the… Read more »
I hope Sam comes through and the bone-headed Jets organization is exposed once again.
I really hope that it works out for Sam. The Jets are a mess. The BYU QB is the same age as Sam. It makes zero business sense to trade away one 24 year old who played behind probably the worst OL in the NFL (at least one of the bottom five) for two years and bring in a totally untrained 24 year old to replace him behind that same OL. It makes a lot of PR sense, as the NY media had turned on Sam. When probably the best back in the NFL cannot average 50 yards a game,… Read more »
The team made it through with only one major injury, just to the backup QB, and with this offensive line that could be a huge loss. Not that the freshmen are not good enough, but at least Mo had some game time which is a big deal. Today’s freshmen are about equivalent to what used to be a college sophomore, so the kids need to dig in and learn everything they can and be ready. Their hardest part will be making correct reads and getting used to the speed coming at them.
Good for Sam Darnold: the Panthers select WR Terrace Marshall, Jr (6-2, 205), from LSU with 2nd round pick #59.
These are the type of oily, pablum quotes from Gentleman Clay that just make me cringe. He must have a Rolodex of phrases that he literally runs through his head every night. Here we have the always reliable “best version of myself”. Clay’s best version of himself is defined as someone who can’t win the big games against the better teams. Helton — “I thought they (the freshman QBs) took the right approach, is every time I go out there I’m not competing against the other guy; I’m trying to be the best version of myself. That’s the same mindset… Read more »
I mean, at this point is anyone listening to Helton at all? I’m paying more attention to what Harrell and Orlando has to say about the players. At least they – especially Orlando – are mixing in optimism and challenges for the players instead of these “aww shucks, they’re all great” comments. The kid (I can say that since I’m older) needs to learn the difference between showing love and being positive, and being frank for constructive sake. 6 years in, and he still hasn’t figured it out…
Helton is such a huge negative for USC that it’s sometimes hard to put into words. I think he’s far, far past the ability to “learn the difference” between anything at this stage. I wonder what his assistants really think of Gentleman Clay in honest terms?
Everyone seems to be treading water and just hoping to last as a fan until Heltons contract is over. I was for Clay at the beginning but his record shows that he is a bad to low average coach at best. He can do the talk but does not walk the walk.
The rich donors want nothing to do with the football program anymore. And alumni are suffering knowing that a better job can be done.
Is there a way to make Helton the president of USC so we can find a new HC?
@usc50 I loved all of your post until you suggested Helton for USC president, which makes me vomit. If you’re kidding, I apologize. If you’re serious, then you officially lost me at hello! He’s such a lightweight, I suggest he stick to picking up stray towels! 😂
If we are going to have to suffer to watch USC football we might as well have some fun. At my age don’t have too many years left.
The basketball program is better to follow. Haden did a decent job as AD with Enfield and fixing the Colesium. His one mistake was Helton.
He was a great USC QB.
I’ve said this many times here, but I’ll say it again. Haden did NOT hire Helton. That was 100% Max Nikias. Haden stood by and let it happen, as he was exiting the job. But Helton is all on Nikias, not Haden. I know this first-hand from people who were there.
And, the retention of Clay is all on Folt/Caruso. We are all holding our breath hoping that this administration actually gets out of the way and lets Bohn run the program to championship caliber. Assuming the replacement staff was entirely hired by Bohn (I doubt any rational person could look at the entire replacement of staff that Helton picked in 2017 by 2020 as a Clay Helton enterprise), the issue will be Clay. You and I think they will (as, in my scenario, Donte will force it) but that is far from certain with this Administration.
I daresay that Hugs is not a Maoist or a communist, so he would be a major improvement over the current little b__**ch that is currently running the school down to State School Leftard Looniness.
I think your assessment of Helton is charitable. No other Power 5 program would consider him head coaching material.
But I like your idea of “promoting” him to school President. I consider that a twofer. We get rid of a horrible coach, who replaces the current worthless, SJW Carol Folt, who thinks football represents toxic masculinity.
If you start a fund, can I donate?
With all due respect, I can’t believe you guys want Gentleman Clay to be the President of USC. I’m just dumbfounded at that notion. 🤔
That has to be a chain-yank on you Allen — it cannot be a serious wish.
Now, wanting Pete Carroll back as our AD, that would be epic given his hyper-personality and abiity to connect with others. It won’t happen, but if we want to dream for a great “what-if” — I’m in. ✌
Yank away! And you’re right. Pete might make a great AD, but history has shown for USC that full-on career moves to AD don’t always work out.
It seems to me that successful ADs are kind of a special breed of business person. My respect for the good ones has gone up greatly lately.
No, Helton is even less qualified to be a school President, than say, be a head coach of a Div.1 program. But he would do less damage than Folt.
Let’s put it in perspective- I don’t want Catylin Jenner as our next Governor. But if I had to choose between Jenner and Newsom, I would take Jenner.
Good analogy @PN4SC.
Allen, I think this Board has a clear view of Clay and Madame President Mao. She is a disaster and Clay is incompetent- the worst coach in Power 5. As PN4SC pointed out, we would rather have a competent head football coach and an incompetent President rather than Folt. But no one is asking us!
Vintage non-committal Claydough. I’m so sick of his quotes as well. Too bad Jim Healy wasn’t still around. Jim would have a field day on his show with Clayisms.
Absolutely, Jim Healy would have CH sound bites every show as he did so often with Tommy Lasorda RIP. I listened to Healy every afternoon and if he were alive today with his show, CH would be right next to Lasorda with the,” who goofed, I’ve go to know. or ” awe blow it out.!”