Although Matt Barkley is taking fewer snaps in spring practice, the Trojans' receiving game is getting more than a passing look from the USC coaching staff.
Barkley, a senior-to-be captain of the Trojans, is having limited participation this spring to prevent an injury and to give more time to backups Cody Kessler and Max Wittek.
"I think it has been eventful in different ways than I expected," Barkley was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Daily News. "I'm doing more coaching of the young guys. I kind of get jealous because I want to play. My arm is better (with the fewer snaps), but there is a lot of standing around in practice which I don't like."
USC coach Lane Kiffin said to reporters recently that Kessler and Wittek are "both doing really good things." After the first two weeks of practices, Kessler appeared to have the edge he gained during the regular season.
More of a focus for Kiffin and his staff is the development of sophomore wide receiver Marqise Lee, who is learning all the receiver positions for the first time. His versatility is essential with wide receiver Robert Woods missing spring practice because of ankle surgery.
Lee is also an accomplished track athlete. He took a break from spring practice to compete in the Texas Relays at Austin, Texas. He will compete in the long jump on March 31.
"Marqise is showing he can play multiple positions with Robert out," wide receivers coach Tee Martin told the Los Angeles Daily News. "You can tell him to do something one time, and he does right. He's just a specimen."
Barkley told the media that Lee could be "the best ever" receiver in school history after he made some acrobatic catches during one practice.
"It's because of his love of the game," Barkley told the Daily News, "how unselfish he is and how unsatisfied he is even after all he did last year. He's still putting in a lot of work. I don't even know what his full potential is."
NOTES, QUOTES
Elite 2013 QB recruit picks USC
--USC added a significant talent to its 2013 recruiting class when Sammamish (Wash.) Skyline quarterback Max Browne chose the Trojans over Alabama, Oklahoma and Washington.
Browne is considered one of the nation's top prep passers after he completed 70 percent of his passes for 4,034 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior.
He made the announcement during a Wednesday news conference at his high school.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Browne had just completed a three-day unofficial visit to USC, where he spent time with the Trojans coaches as well as quarterback Matt Barkley.
Browne's arrival is big since the school is the second of a three-year span in which the Trojans receive just 15 scholarships, instead of the usual 25.
--USC practiced with only two scholarship wide receivers (senior-to-be De'von Flournoy and sophomore-to-be Victor Blackwell) and no scholarship tight ends recently because of injuries and obligations to the track and field team by others. That led to USC coach Lane Kiffin's decision to cancel a scheduled scrimmage and hold a regular workout. But it also allowed Flournoy to enjoy one of his best practices with numerous catches, including a 25-yard reception with two defenders on him.
--USC quarterback Matt Barkley did not hold back his feelings about former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck supposedly calling more plays at the line of scrimmage last season than he did. Barkley was asked after a recent practice if he would call more plays next season after three years of running the Trojans' offense.
"You mean like Andrew Luck?" Barkley was quoted as saying with a hint of sarcasm by the Los Angeles Daily News. "Last year we did as much as anyone in calling plays (at the line of scrimmage). I don't think we were as public about it. (But) we did it last year."
--USC did not sign any defensive tackles in February, and defensive line coach/recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron said that will not happen in next year's recruiting class.
"There's no question we went after what we felt were the best tackles," Orgeron was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Daily News. "(But) I don't think our pool of tackles was big enough. This year we will have a bigger pool. It's like the NFL draft, the good guys get taken earlier."
SPRING MOVERS:
WR Marqise Lee -- He is a adapting well to learning all three of the receiver positions on offense in the aftermath of Robert Woods missing spring practice due to ankle surgery. USC quarterback Matt Barkley has indicated that Woods can be the best receiver the Trojans have produced, and that's saying something considering that Keyshawn Johnson, Mike Williams and Lynn Swann have played for the Trojans. "He's a great player," Kiffin told the Los Angeles Daily News. "What makes him special is his mind-set." Kiffin noted Lee did all the wind sprints at the end of practice -- despite getting cramps -- as a sign of his dedication.
LB Hayes Pullard -- Kiffin singled out Pullard as an early standout of spring drills. "He is really playing much better than he was," Kiffin said in the Los Angeles Daily News. "Hayes understands the system more now. He's very aggressive. Hayes Pullard has emerged as a leader." Pullard tied for the team lead in tackles (81) with LB Dion Bailey last season. With MLB Lamar Dawson also returning, USC brings back all three starting linebackers from 2011.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's not Christmas yet for me, but it was nice to have some depth." -- USC running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu, regarding the switch of sophomore Tre Madden from linebacker to tailback.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
2012 OUTLOOK: USC will settle for nothing less than a national championship after serving its two-year bowl ban levied as part of NCAA sanctions. The Trojans return Heisman Trophy candidate Matt Barkley, a senior. After throwing for 3,528 yards and 39 touchdowns, Barkley contemplated a jump to the NFL, but an opportunity to contend for a national title enticed him more. The Trojans also have a favorable schedule with Notre Dame as the lone nonconference threat. They also play the Pac-12's defending champion, Oregon, at home.
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Although the Trojans have to replace offensive tackle Matt Kalil -- who is headed for the NFL -- four starters return on the offensive line. Also, Marqise Lee and Robert Woods headline one of the nation's top receiving corps, which is bad news for opponents with All-America quarterback Matt Barkley throwing them the ball. Senior TB Curtis McNeal returns for his senior season after rushing for a team-best 1,005 yards on 145 carries. Overall, however, the backfield lacks depth and experience. USC was forced to convert linebacker Tre Madden to tailback this spring.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The defense made strides in its second year under coordinator Monte Kiffin, and the linebackers and defensive backs will remain intact. Replacing DE Nick Perry and DTs Christian Tupou and DaJohn Harris will be the biggest question marks entering the 2012 season.
SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: The Trojans have returning starters at kicker and punter in Andre Heidari and Kyle Negrete, respectively. Heidari, who made 15 of 17 field-goal attempts and all 50 PATs as a freshman last season, is one of the best placekickers in the country. Negrete was efficient, downing putting roughly half his punts inside the 20-yard line and hitting zero touchbacks the entire year.
TOP NEWCOMERS:
WR Nelson Agholor (Berkeley Prep, Tampa, Fla.) -- The five-star recruit was rated the third-best receiver in the country by Rivals.com, but he was mostly used offensively at running back last year, rushing 212 times for 1,983 yards. As a USC freshman, he could be the third man in the rotation behind the best duo in the country -- Robert Woods and Marqise Lee -- and also help out in a pinch in the backfield, coach Lane Kiffin said.
DE Leonard Williams (Mainland High, Daytona Beach, Fla.) -- Rated the No. 5 defensive end in the country by Rivals.com, Williams could join the rotation with Devon Kennard and Wes Horton at end as a true freshman. Coach Lane Kiffin said he's a "strong candidate" to play in 2012.
OL Zach Banner -- The son of Washington Huskies legend Lincoln Kennedy, Banner earned multiple first-team high school All-America honors and was rated the No. 2 offensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com. He's a massive 6-foot-9 and 310 pounds, and he plays in an area of critical need for the Trojans.
ROSTER REPORT:
--DT Cody Temple underwent ankle surgery, forcing him to miss the last half of spring football practice.
--S Josh Shaw was out with an unspecified rib injury and had not practiced through March 28. Shaw was waiting for the NCAA to decide if he will be immediately eligible after transferring from Florida in December.
--WR Robert Woods will not participate in any of spring practice after an MRI revealed inflammation in his surgically repaired right ankle. Woods played last season at less than 100 percent because of the chronically sprained ankle. Woods will take a month off with the hope of being fully recovering before the season. Fellow WR George Farmer was also out due to a strained hamstring.
