If you ask Su'a Cravens what position he plays, his answer is Sam linebacker.
This week, anyways.
Playing multiple positions is nothing new for Cravens who played running back, wide receiver, linebacker, safety, and special teams during his high school days at Vista Murrieta.
Under first year defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, Cravens' versatility is being utilized for the Trojans defensively.
During camp, Cravens moved around from safety to nickel cornerback and even linebacker.
This week against one of the top quarterbacks in the country it's at Sam where Cravens' skills can best be utilized to try to slow down Sean Mannion and the Beavers attack.
Breakdown: USC vs. Oregon State, Saturday
"Whenever they need me to play Sam for a certain team they're going to put me down here and when they need me back at safety then I'll go back there," said Cravens, who is tied for first on the team in tackles for loss and pass breakups. "I just like being next to the ball and making plays and I think these coaches are doing a great job of putting me in that position."
This will be Cravens' first time playing against Oregon State. In USC's 31-14 win in Corvallis that made them bowl eligible for the first time following a two-year postseason ban, Cravens was sidelined with a groin injury. Still the USC defense slowed down Mannion, who at the time was one of the hottest quarterbacks in the nation.
The Trojans held the Beavers to just 2-of-11 on third down and picked Mannion off three times.
To have success yet again against Oregon State, Cravens figures to play a huge role defensively. It's a role in which he's going to have to be even more alert than normal especially in the passing game.
"The routes are going to develop much faster just because I'm not that 15 yards back I'm going to have to see things a little bit quicker and as Coach Sark said they like to stack (their wide receivers) and they like to get people on islands and mismatches so I have to be ready for that," Cravens said.
Sarkisian credits Cravens' high football IQ for allowing him to be able to be so versatile for USC defensively because he "gets the game of football." The nature in which Cravens fits into the defense under this regime is similar to how Washington used highly touted freshman Shaq Thompson when Sarkisian and Wilcox were in Seattle last season.
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Noting Cravens' high football IQ as well, Wilcox said there is never a concern about overloading him with too much information. For as versatile as he is, Cravens is still only a sophomore with 16 career games under his belt but he can handle all that comes his way.
"He's a very bright guy," Wilcox said. "If we felt like it was a concern we wouldn't do it. It's best for our team right now. I think it's best for Su'a right now. He's a better football player knowing what's going on around him."
