Clay Helton says status of Jay Tufele, Alijah Vera-Tucker still open-ended
**NOT SUBSCRIBED? We have two incredible promos available for a limited time. 1) Take 70 percent off the first year of a new annual subscription with code PAC2020. Or, 2) Pay just $3 for premium access through the end of 2020 with code PACisBACK. Both promos are valid through Sept. 28. Details and sign-up links here.**
The big question for USC -- well, one of many big questions -- once the Pac-12 announced Thursday that it would relaunch a delayed fall football season on Nov. 6, was whether standout offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker and defensive tackle Jay Tufele would reconsider their decisions to opt out of the upcoming season.
Tufele had announced his opt-out decision last month and Vera-Tucker followed earlier this month, but at that time neither could have expected USC would be playing at any point this fall -- or more importantly, finishing up in December rather than some unknown point in the spring.
With notable players from other schools -- like Ohio State offensive lineman Wyatt Davis and cornerback Shaun Wade -- recently reversing their opt-out decisions and returning to their teams to prepare for the upcoming season, many have wondered if the same could happen at USC.
Tufele and Vera-Tucker are the Trojans' best linemen on either side and it would be a major boost to the team if they reconsidered their plans for the fall.
RELATED: What USC AD Mike Bohn, Pac-12 leaders said to key questions about the relaunched Pac-12 football season | Bohn emphasizes importance of USC players' letter to Gov. Newsom in spurring football restart
So as Trojans coach Clay Helton took questions from reporters via Zoom on Friday afternoon, it was no surprise he was asked several on that topic.
And Helton stoked those hopes, leaving the door open for both players.
"It is still open-ended, yes. There's still conversations going on and being able to see where young men go to," he said.
He also made clear nothing had changed as of yet, though.
"The status is still the same. Every player has an opportunity to investigate, now that they have this information, to see what's best for them. And so each and every man will investigate what they want to do and they'll make their choice, and we'll support them in that choice," Helton said. "But I know each and every player on the football team, especially Jay and Alijah, were waiting for information to see what does the season look like, what is the start date, when is the end date, and we're just getting that information. So those conversations are ongoing.
"We'll see where they go to, but obviously as we see around the country each and every football team is dealing with whether men want to play or opt out, and it's our job as coaches to be able to support them in either decision that they chose."
Tufele was an All-Pac-12 first-team selection last season after tallying 41 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He had been projected as a late first-round draft pick in some early mock drafts.
Vera-Tucker was the Trojans' highest-graded offensive lineman per PFF last season -- and one of the top-rated players at his position in the country -- while starting at left guard and was expected to slide over to left tackle to replace first-round draft pick Austin Jackson. USC has no experienced tackle depth and figures to have to do even more shuffling from other positions, or turn to unproven younger players, to fill voids at both left and right tackle if Vera-Tucker does not return. (Redshirt junior Jalen McKenzie was projected to move right guard to right tackle before Vera-Tucker's departure.)
Helton reiterated the same sentiments when pressed further on the matter by another reporter later in the Zoom call.
"One thing that we're seeing across the country is young men making the decision based on the information that's given, and information just came about yesterday afternoon. So these are conversations that are being had with players, with parents, with families of multiple players. And Alijah and Jay, they'll make great decisions for themselves either way and we'll be there to support them," he said.
Helton was then asked that if either Tufele or Vera-Tucker had already signed with an agent, would they still be able to reverse their decision. Albert Breer of the MMQB had reported previously that Tufele did sign with an agent, while it's unclear if Vera-Tucker has or not.
"Right now as we're seeing across the country there are some waivers that have been put in place just because of these special situations that are happening, especially not knowing if we were going to have a season, going to have a season [now], but there have been other schools that waivers have been applied," he said. "So if they choose to do that, obviously we would look into that. But first of all we're going to let them absorb the information and be able to educate them and give them all the information as we have already and let them think about where they are to date as far as their draft stock, where it could go, and then they'll make the best decision for themselves and their family."
Meanwhile, USC quarterback Kedon Slovis said he's talked to Vera-Tucker about his situation but he wouldn't press him to return as he respects that it's and important and personal decision the offensive lineman has to make for himself.
"I have. I probably need to talk to him a little bit more as it comes closer to practicing, but that's one of those things, Alijah's a great friend of mine and I think personally at least, as coach kind of preaches this as well, I want him to make the best decision as possible," Slovis said. "So when I'm reaching out to him, I just want to be informed on where he's at or what he's thinking. Obviously I'll maybe throw my two cents in, but I'm not trying to convince him to make a decision that's his decision to make and obviously a very important one that no one can make but him. I'm not applying too much pressure in that sense, I don't really want to, because it's his decision to make and it's an important one. But he's a great player and we'd love to have him back."
Junior wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was also on the Zoom call with reporters and talked about his own considerations when the season was still uncertain and seemed more likely to happen in the winter, if at all.
"I would be lying to you guys if I said I wasn't thinking about it, but I think for me it was just, I was in no rush," St. Brown said. "I saw guys opting out, and in my head it's like if the season were to actually happen you wouldn't declare until after the season, which is in January. So the fact that they're declaring or opting out before the season can even start didn't really make sense to me. I was in no rush, like I said. I was out there training every day like there was a season, I wanted to play, that was my intentions, and as we look at it now we're going to have a season to actually play this year."
Tufele and Vera-Tucker are the only ones to formally announce opt-out intentions, but it's unclear if the rest of the players had returned to campus over the summer or were still considering the option that all players have to opt out of the season if they are concerned about health and safety relative to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Helton said he would address any other such decisions once the Trojans formally start practice on Oct. 9.
"As we get to that Oct. 9, I'll announce then, because obviously men are making decisions on their own and I don't think all decisions are final one way or the other. So I'd rather just do it Oct. 9," he said. "I'll give you the full scope when we enter that first day of camp of who's here and who's not, because there are some tough decisions to be made and I want every man to have the privacy to be able to have the time over these next two weeks to be able to make their personal decision."
