USC WRs Jordan Addison, Mario Williams back at practice
Trojans’ top receivers work out in pads, though Lincoln Riley won’t say if either will play Friday against Colorado
Adam Grosbard (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — USC had a pair of welcome sights at practice Tuesday as wide receivers Jordan Addison and Mario Williams were in shoulder pads and working with the offense.
Neither was a full participant at practice, head coach Lincoln Riley said, but the two returned to pads Monday and were able to practice again Tuesday after missing the past two games with injuries.
“They’ve actually looked like they haven’t missed a day,” Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams said. “We said that in the meeting this morning (in the quarterback room) when we were watching film of (Monday’s practice) of them moving around and running. They look like they haven’t missed a day and they’ve been out for the past two, three weeks. So it’s awesome to get them back. It adds a little more weapons to the offense again.”
Neither Addison (3) nor Mario Williams has played since the Oct. 15 loss to Utah. Addison injured his leg in that game, while Williams was a late scratch against Arizona two weeks ago.
Despite missing two games, Addison and Williams remain USC’s top receivers with a combined 65 catches for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns.
While their ability to practice is an encouraging sign for their availability for Friday against Colorado, Riley did not go so far as to declare both ready to play.
“They’re better. They’re participating,” Riley said. “They’re very, very close. I don’t know if I would for sure say yes, but we’re a lot closer to saying yes with several of those guys, which is good.”
In their absence, USC has had receivers step up and make plays to keep USC winning. Tahj Washington has posted 100-yard games in consecutive weeks. Kyle Ford had a career day against Arizona.
And last weekend against Cal, it was Michael Jackson III. The sophomore receiver had only four receptions for 39 yards all season and left the Coliseum with a five-catch, 115-yard day that included two touchdowns, including a 59-yarder off a screen pass.
Jackson IIIhas averaged 20.5 yards per touch this season, including two carries for 72 yards. Though injuries limited him through the early part of the season, he’s shown enough promise to look like an ideal fit in Riley’s offense moving forward.
“He attacks the ball, he’s got confident hands,” Riley said. “Sometimes you see wideouts that their hands aren’t as confident, so they maybe hesitate to make sure they catch it, whereas he really rips through the ball and he’s good after the catch. He runs hard, he runs aggressive. Some guys, they just run to get what they can get. Some guys run as the aggressor, like, ‘I’m going to get mine.’ And he runs like that.”
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