USC’s Korey Foreman happy to start over with new staff
New coach Lincoln Riley has reemphasized leaving behind all the hype that followed the five-star defensive lineman from Corona Centennial High
Adam Grosbard (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — For much of his freshman season, Korey Foreman found himself in an unfamiliar place: The sidelines.
Foreman had arrived at USC as a five-star recruit out of Corona’s Centennial High, pegged by some as the nation’s top prospect in his high school class. But even on an underwhelming Trojans defense, he struggled to crack the rotation on a consistent basis.
As he prepares for his sophomore season this spring, Foreman is determined to make sure that experience does not recur.
“I don’t ever want to be in a position to where I’m on the sidelines or where I’m doing something like that,” Foreman said after Thursday’s practice. “So I’m just doing the best I can every single day to use that motivation to keep going.”
Foreman played 113 snaps in 11 games as a true freshman, with 80 coming in pass-rush situations. In that time, he logged seven hurries and three hits on the quarterback, resulting in one sack.
The opportunities were limited, but he did finish third on the defense among players with at least 100 snaps with a 73.0 grade from Pro Football Focus.
Before the fifth game of last season, former defensive line coach Vic So’oto was asked what Foreman needed to do to get on the field more.
“That’s up to him,” So’oto said bluntly. “The players that play have earned it in practice. He’s got one more practice to earn more playing time and build confidence in us.”
Asked Thursday what lessons he took from last season, Foreman emphasized patience, not feeling as if the world is against him, and taking a negative situation and turning it positive.
“It’s probably just being a freshman in college, not seeing how everything is,” Foreman said. “But just now, it’s not that I regretted it but I’m blessed to now see that I can now take everything that happened last year and just put it in the past and I can work for it and just use that every single day.”
He’s gotten a boost in that regard with USC’s new coaching staff, which he says makes this camp feel like a new freshman season. He says he is learning daily from assistant Roy Manning, who is molding Foreman into an edge rushing linebacker.
And head coach Lincoln Riley has reemphasized leaving behind all the hype that followed Foreman to USC.
“The thing that players like that and the people on the outside need to realize is like, that means nothing when you get to college. That means absolutely nothing,” Riley said. “The focus has got to be on being your best here. And Korey’s done a nice job of that. He’s getting better.”
Foreman was denied a full spring practice by what he described as a minor knee dislocation suffered during player-run practices this winter. He was limited through the first three weeks of camp but has been back at full speed the past five practices.
“Man, he’s got some tools,” Manning said. “The biggest thing I see out of him, he plays football the right way. He plays with this urgency and a recklessness.”
There are still areas for improvement. While a natural pass rusher, Foreman still needs to work on run defense, Manning said. But this year he only has to learn one position as opposed to several when last year’s staff was trying to find a place for him on the field.
“I’m taking it day by day. I’m just taking every moment for what it is and just keep going,” Foreman said. “Best I can do is just making sure I step through these walls with 110% effort every day. So that’s the best thing I can do.”
ocregister.com
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May you all have a wonderful Good Friday and may your Easter be filled with thoughts above in gratitude for what it is all about.
Drake London, the Pac-12 Offensive POY, chose not to run the 40 in front of NFL scouts from 12 teams today, instead running a variety of routes. I’m not really surprised. That was never gonna be his strong suit, even if he hadn’t badly injured his ankle in Oct. “Pretty much at the end of the day, watch film,” London directed. “[I] don’t really have to blow by guys to catch a ball. “Everybody knew where the ball was going. I had triple coverage, double coverage all game and they still didn’t stop me. So whatever they say about that,… Read more »
There are 4 new coaches in the PAC 12 and only one of them is Lincoln Riley. The more I hear the better I like our chances of beating the other three. I am not saying the new coaches won’t bring changes for the better to their schools. Both Washington schools could not have been worse, but Riley is changing everything. If he pulls off a little magic this could be a better year for the USC brand. I see predictions of a little as 6 wins this seasons, but without predicting exactly how many, I believe we have a… Read more »
“Feline Epoch.” I see what you did there, but it still sounds too classy for the pile of cat crap that we endured for the last few years….
New Gold Plated Trojans
Courtland Ford, Anthony Beavers, Michael Jackson III, Kyle Ford, Gino Quinones, Will Rose, and Ceyair Wright –sounds like Ceyair made up his mind that coach Donte Williams was questioning last week.
Marc Kulkin — WeAreSC
So Wright pulled his head out of his rear end and decided to plug in and do his job. LR is reaching these kids in a way Helton never dreamed of. The curse of Helton is still around, but LR is overcoming it slowly. What a great job. Perhaps Donte will work out to become a good coach under LR, getting taught by the best under 45 coach in the nation.
Last year was such a lost year. It impacted the whole team, but the freshmen really got hosed. A players 2nd year should see him make major strides. The growth between freshman & sophmore year is usually the most dramatic. Guys like Foreman & Wright share responsibly for their disappointing development, but they didn’t have anyone to show them how to be a college football player. The more articles we see and the more interviews we hear we learn how incompetent CH was. I have not seen one player trash CH, but when they compare this year to last they… Read more »
Korey Foreman — “I got my twitch back. I learn something new every single day. It’s a blessing to be here, like a whole new freshman year. I’m moving fast. I’m a lot better now, being able to adapt to this new form of pass-rushing. I’m willing to adapt. Being able to take every negative situation and look at it as a positive. Every single day I’m just doing the best I can.”
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Man that sure makes me feel good to hear that from what we felt was a questionable young player. Now if he is serious the proof with come out on the field. It is players like him that a solid foundation can be built and everyone wins because of his attitude change and the new coaching. Don’t let us down Korey, everyone is pulling for you.
I hope he is right about the “twitch.” If not, Forman will be looking for another school. LR don’t play kitty-cat games.