A lot of hope for USC rushing attack, but results will soon reveal reality

It was a non-tackling period against the scout team, a largely inconsequential gauge of evaluation in the broader context, and yet it was hard to watch USC running back Keaontay Ingram bullet through the hole time and again Tuesday and not see the potential.

Ingram hadn't been active for much of preseason camp as the coaching staff took a cautious approach with an ankle injury, and the Texas transfer's impressive spring was several months in the rearview, but fully healthy again and days away from the start of the season Ingram attacked each carry as if the NFL scouts were watching.

That quick first step, the decisive first cut, head always upfield evaluating the picture in front of him -- it was a final preseason reminder of just how important his addition could prove to be this fall.

It's seems at least possible that Ingram -- who piled up 1,811 rushing yards (on 5.3 yards per carry), 515 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns over three seasons at Texas -- could prove to be the best all-around running back USC has had since Ronald Jones II's electric 2017 season.

Ingram and redshirt senior Vavae Malepeai, who has been around so long he actually was a teammate of Jones' for two seasons, will be the 1A/1B backfield tandem for the Trojans in some order when the season kicks off Saturday vs. San Jose State.

And while Ingram looked game-ready to start this week of practice, it's just as important to note that Malepeai is by all accounts fully healthy entering the season. That hasn't been the case consistently the last couple years. He led the Trojans with 503 rushing yards in 2019, but he missed five games during the middle of the season following a minor knee procedure. He'd again lead USC in rushing last season with 238 yards in five games, but he missed most of the preseason and then the Pac-12 championship game again with a knee injury.

"This is the best that we've seen Vae," RBs coach Mike Jinks said Tuesday. "Last year we didn't even get him out to practice until the first week of the very first game. So I'm excited because he brings just an energy level to our offense. Him and Keaontay are playing well off of one another. ... I'm looking forward to seeing those two run the football."

This is where the disclaimer comes in -- the reminder that it's not just about the running backs when evaluating what the run game could deliver this year.

Coming off a 2020 season in which the Trojans ranked 120th out of 127 FBS teams at 97.33 rushing yards per game -- the second worst total in program history -- there was a lot that didn't work in that operation last year.