After snapping a three-game losing streak with a 42-20 win over Rutgers on Friday night and getting an extra day of rest and recovery, USC is back on the practice field preparing for its road trip to Washington this weekend.

After practice Tuesday, coach Lincoln Riley talked with media on a range of topics.

He didn't have much to provide in the way of injury updates on defensive tackle Nate Clifton or defensive backs Jaylin Smith, Jacobe Covington, Kamari Ramsey, Greedy Vance or Marcelles Williams.

"[Clifton has] definitely got a shot to go this week. He unfortunately wasn’t able to finish the game. I thought our guys came in and stepped in and did a really good job in his absence. Obviously would love to have him, but we’re going to try to progress him here throughout the week, and hopefully having the extra day with the short week will pay dividends," Riley said.

"Marcelles isn’t available right now. Nothing crazy. But he’s not available. The rest of the guys, obviously didn’t have them last week. I don’t believe any of them are out long-term. I don’t know that there’s any of them that you would say today are full-go, no-doubt are going to play. But I do think they’re all progressing in a very positive way. Hopeful to get, obviously we’ll take any number we can. I don’t think, I don’t know that we’ll get all of them back, but obviously when you have that many at one position, getting anybody would be very, very helpful."

Riley did have more to say when talking about the emergence in recent weeks of defensive tackle Devan Thompkins, left guard Emmanuel Pregnon playing through injury last game and how Kyle Ford has taken a mature approach to not having a consistent role in the passing game week to week.

Watch the full interview here and scroll down for a complete transcript of his comments.

Lincoln Riley transcript:

Why did you decide to end the media viewing period at the start of practice?

"We evaluated some things last week. We made some changes to the way we’re handling pre-practice with the short week, and we liked how our team responded and handled it. So with that, we’re continuing forward with a lot of the things we did last week. It just didn’t make sense to have it, honestly."

Do you have an update on Nate Clifton's status?

"Not yet. He’s definitely got a shot to go this week. He unfortunately wasn’t able to finish the game. I thought our guys came in and stepped in and did a really good job in his absence. Obviously would love to have him, but we’re going to try to progress him here throughout the week, and hopefully having the extra day with the short week will pay dividends."

How about the injured defensive backs -- Jaylin Smith, Jacobe Covington, Kamari Ramsey, Greedy Vance and Marcelles Williams?

"Marcelles isn’t available right now. Nothing crazy. But he’s not available. The rest of the guys, obviously didn’t have them last week. I don’t believe any of them are out long term. I don’t know that there’s any of them that you would say today are full-go, no-doubt are going to play. But I do think they’re all progressing in a very positive way. Hopeful to get, obviously we’ll take any number we can. I don’t think, I don’t know that we’ll get all of them back, but obviously when you have that many at one position, getting anybody would be very, very helpful."

Marcelles is injured?

"Yes."

What stands out about Devan Thompkins' emergence?

"Yeah, Devan has done a great job, man. He’s one of the guys we honored with the Trojan MVP this past week as one of the people we thought contributed most to the win and to the standard and culture we’re building here. We actually highlighted to the team the number of scout team reps that he’s taken on this practice field. Which is a pretty large number. For multiple years, he was the young talented guy that needed all the seasoning. He needed every single rep. And now you kind of look up, and he’s changed his body. You’ve seen him really gain confidence as a player. You could tell, he’s playing multiple positions, inside and outside. He’s one of our smartest D-linemen, has been able to pick up the scheme and work kind of interchangeably, and just all those reps, all that perseverance has paid off. And you kind of look up, and the guy has turned himself into a pretty good player.

"We thought he was very effective last week against the run, was very disruptive. That’s one of those guys where you look back and I’m glad we stayed with him, and glad he stayed with it. That’s one great example of patience and perseverance, and for a California kid to come in here like that, work the way he has, here in his home state, his home school in a lot of ways, there’s a lot of meaning behind it. He’s got the respect of a lot of people in our program and his peers because they’ve seen all that he’s had to go through and all he’s had to push through. It’s pretty cool to see him attack it like he did and make the most of it."

Did any of the guys who played larger roles Friday standout on film as maximizing their opportunity?

“Well, I think some of the front guys – you really liked how they played. Devan, Sam Greene, Kam Fountain, Jide continues to get better. Gavin was a warrior in there for us, I thought he played one of his more impactful games as well. I thought, I think Desman Stephens continues to get better and better. He still has a few mistakes here and there, but the more snaps he gets, the more confident he gets. And I thought he played a pretty impactful game at linebacker. I thought Zion came in and did some really nice things, you know, Bryson Shaw played very well, Prophet had some really nice plays, so, yeah. No, it was – when you line up to play Rutgers, you don’t necessarily envision that it’s going to be, like, 95 to 45 in plays, or 95 to 50 or whatever it was. It was just kind of unique how it played out. But, we got a chance to rep a ton of those guys, and it was fun to be able to watch them make plays and to kind of, see where some of those guys were at.”

What did you think of Emmanuel Pregnon playing through injury?

"We didn't think he was going to play. He was actually the other guy we honored as the Trojan MVP along with Devan. We got the injury report, we thought he was pretty doubtful early in the week. Credit to Dustin, our training staff, those guys did an awesome job getting him ready, and I do think it shows his progress because we made the comment to the team that I don't know that he would have been in shape or been as mentally tough to not just play but like play well, and he kind of went in there like it was nothing. Like, I'm just going to find a way to overcome it. It was just cool to see, man. He's progressed a ton, played very well. He's had a good stretch of games here the last few weeks. You always seeing just examples of that toughness, that commitment to what we're doing."

Kyle Ford was honest about his frustrations with his inconsistent role and having to manage that, how have you seen him handle that?

"Yeah, I think there's definitely a maturity about it. I've never had a receiver in however many years of doing this that was very happy with their role. That's just, it's part of it, right? It's a deep-ended position that goes in spurts, especially when you have some games like we did the other day when you only have 40-something plays with the first offense. It's part of it, and it's a fine line because you want guys that want the ball, that want the opportunity and have that fire, but also you can't let it turn sour and negative for the team or for their own (can't hear it), and I think Kyle, some of the maturity that I see this year vs. Year 1 with him. Him his first year I don't know that would have handled it, and I think this year he's stayed in a really positive mind frame.

"He's really, I think, tried to stay in the moment, and I just don't feel like it's rattled him as much, and I think that's why he was ready to go in and make some plays. And I would expect that to continue with him. He's always been a guy, he's high motor guy, he's a high energy guy, when he gets some confidence and gets going he can really play and you got to see a little bit of that the other night."