USC's first of three scrimmages this preseason is in the books. I examined the battle between the rushing offense versus defense. Here were my five other biggest takeaways.
1. STILL A.S.B.
Amon-Ra St. Brown looked determined and dominant Saturday. There are no easygoing reps with the sophomore wideout, which the staff appreciates and hopes others will emulate. Coming off a strong 2018, he’s expanded his game a bit as he enters Year 2. ASB appears to be embracing lining up inside more and working the middle of the field. He’s been catching a lot of crossers and picking up good yardage after the catch. As a rookie, he did cough up the ball a few times when fighting for extra yards in key moments, an issue that arose again this past Wednesday. But during the scrimmage he made sure to protect the ball while also managing to take three receptions to the house (one was called back because of a delayed sack ruling).
2. DRAKE JACKSON, DEFENSIVE CARE PACKAGE
Some within the team have at times resorted to downplaying what Jackson is doing on Howard Jones Field because he’s yet to play a game yet. It’s understandable. But it’s not inaccurate, much less hyperbole, to say he doesn’t practice like a rookie. Jackson claimed a large bulk of first-team reps during the scrimmage and was generating pressure on a regular basis while also affecting the run game. This is what Shaun Cody and Leonard Williams were like when they arrived at USC. That’s why Jackson is already slated to start in multiple defensive packages and, perhaps, winning time away from senior Christian Rector when USC is in a three-down front.
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