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Drake London leading CFB in receiving: 'It's almost like he's a cheat code'

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There haven't been many positives so far this season for USC. The head coach didn't make it to Week 3, the defense hasn't improved like many expected, the Trojans have been blown out twice at home and it seems like most fans now prefer the injured freshman quarterback to the first-team all-conference third-year starter.

So, yeah, not an ideal opening month for the team.

But there is one undeniable exception to that general theme so far.

Drake London has somehow been even better than the lofty expectations attached to him entering the season.

He leads all of college football in receptions per game (9.8) and receiving yards per game (135) as well as first downs (22) and, per PFF, contested catches (9).

With 39 catches for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns through four games, he's on pace for 117 receptions and 1,620 yards over a 12-game season (not factoring in a potential extra game).

That puts him squarely in range of the program records in both categories, set by Marqise Lee in 2012 when he had 118 catches for 1,721 yards (and 14 touchdowns) in 13 games.

"I think that's the standard when you come here, especially as a wide receiver," London said of the opportunity to potentially engrave his name on the list of USC greats. "It's definitely been thought about and I think it's definitely in the works."

It figured that London would be the focal point of the offense in his junior season as USC's only proven, experienced wide receiver, but without a clear No. 2 at the position to this point London has been a funnel for targets.

In the season opener he was targeted on 16 of quarterback Kedon Slovis' 36 passing attempts (an incredible 44 percent). Against Washington State two weeks later, he tallied 18 targets on 48 passing attempts and last weekend against Oregon State he drew 13 targets on 49 attempts. He also had double-digit catches in each of those three games.

"He's a beast, I've always said that. From Day 1 before the season even started I said that's the Biletnikoff winner," USC interim coach Donte Williams said. "So nothing is shocking me that he's doing. I expect it."

The Trojans had a Biletnikoff finalist just two seasons ago when Michael Pittman compiled 101 catches for 1,275 yards and 11 TDs in 13 games, but the Trojans have had just one receiver win the prestigious award since it was introduced in 1994 -- Lee in 2012.

"He’s just an all-around very gifted player. I think you could go on and on about him, how big he is, with the ball skills he has, with the body control that he has, stuff like that, you don’t see people like that. They don’t make many like him," offensive coordinator Graham Harrell said Tuesday. "But I think what really separates him from a lot of people that do have his skill set is also he’s the total package as far as being the right person off the field and knowing how to work. Not only work on the practice field but work in the classroom. He works the right way in the weight room.

"So when you get a kid, I mean, not many people have that skill set, but it's almost like he's a cheat code -- most people that have that skill set don't have that mindset. He's got one of the best skill sets I've ever seen to go along with just being one of the best people and one of the best work ethics I've ever seen."

That is apparent to anyone who watches USC practice, where London treats every rep like it's the final drive of the Pac-12 championship game. For someone who is rather soft-spoken, his intensity is always simmering.

Late in practice Tuesday, it wasn't clear what happened on a pass his way, whether he hurt himself somehow or was just seething about the outcome of the play, but he walked to the sideline off behind the rest of his teammates and smacked the helmet that was now in his hand out of frustration. (WRs coach Keary Colbert said London was fine physically after practice).

After one of his receptions Saturday night, as an Oregon State defender pulled his helmet off while he and a second Beaver were trying to get him to the ground, London looked back at the player with his eyes wide and his tongue out, that intensity boiling to the surface again. (See the video below).

"To be honest I couldn't even tell you what I was doing at that point. You know, you're just playing football -- it's a warrior's game. Whatever comes on in my head at that time comes on in my head and I just kind of go with it," he said Tuesday. "That was what I was feeling at the time and I feel like I needed to let him know who the boss was, and I did that."

With 10 catches for 165 yards, London delivered that message in more ways than one.

As for the physical punishment London has incurred as the result of having the ball in his hands so much and refusing to ever go down easily, he said he doesn't see it that way.

"I wouldn't say necessarily punishment to me -- I think it's punishment to them," London said. "I feel like when somebody tries to hit me I want to make them feel me and next time think about if they want to hit me or not. That's my whole mentality."

Again, it's palpable, and the way London performs each week just might be the most compelling storyline the rest of the way for this team.

Colbert, who is himself on that list of great USC receivers, said he and London have "had some conversations" about leaving a legacy here, but he emphasized the focus is on team goals -- not individual pursuits.

"He’s had a good start. We’re going to try to finish it the right way," Colbert said. "I think at the end of the day he’s focused on doing whatever he can to help our team. He’s done a lot to help. We’ll add it up at the end, and we’ll see where it falls."

London said much of the same when asked what it means to him to be leading all of college football in multiple receiving categories.

"It's definitely pretty cool, but like said, I'm not too focused on that right now. I'm just trying to get some wins," London said.

It hard to say how many of those will be coming the Trojans' way this year, based on the results of the opening month, but it's a safe bet that London will be prominent in any high points through the rest of this season.

As for how much the Trojans are putting on their star receiver, Williams was asked if he's concerned at all by the degree to which this team relies on the junior playmaker.

"I don't think it's ever a worry to rely on a great player too much," he said. "I mean, shoot, did the Lakers rely on the guys they had too much, or did the Bully rely on Jordan too much? That's what you do if you want to win games."

Notes ...

Cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart was limited in practice Tuesday, but Williams said he expects him to play. Taylor-Stuart didn't play the latter part of the game Saturday night and limped to the locker room afterward. He acknowledged he had sustained some sort of injury but wouldn't elaborate.

"Shoot, he better be able to play this week, but yeah he should be fine," Williams said.

Bear in mind that Williams hasn't been especially precise on injury updates or forecasting who will or won't be available.

...

Redshirt freshman offensive tackle Casey Collier was not at practice Tuesday, which is notable considering he left the team for a few days during fall camp to go home to Texas before returning. He has since earned back his second-team left tackle reps in practice.

"He's handling some things right now," Williams said simply.

...

Colbert was asked how he's addressing wide receiver Tahj Washington's three costly drops in that loss Saturday night and what he's doing to help the receiver get past it.

"He’s past it. Play the next play. Coach Donte talks about 1-0, whether it’s 1-0 on the day, whether it’s one play, go 1-0 on the play, you play the next play. That’s part of the game," he said. "It’s funny you bring it up because I showed him a reel today with some NFL guys dropping the ball. We’re talking about some of the best in the game, so it happens. You want to minimize it, of course. But it happens. Any wide receiver that has played the game, it’s happened. So it’s not an issue. We just continue to come out here, focus on our details, and we’ve got another opportunity to make it right this weekend."

...

Injured redshirt senior linebacker Jordan Iosefa was running around the practice field Tuesday as something of an extra coach. It was announced before the season that Iosefa was going to stop practicing due to a lingering knee injury that could be reevaluated later in the season.

"Yeah, right now he couldn't play football and Jordan always wanted to be a coach, so we're giving him that opportunity," Williams said.

...

Freshman offensive guard Maximus Gibbs was used as a defensive tackle on scout team Tuesday. The Trojans are thin at that position so finding an extra body to fill out a scout team defense is the impetus for that -- don't read into it as a potential position move for the young lineman.

...

As for what Williams learned from his first loss as head coach ...

"I learned that I just need to work harder and everybody needs to get better, everybody needs to a little more than what they were doing before. That game's over, I can't change that," he said. "All I expect is for us to win today, win tomorrow and win on Saturday."

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