There's a lot of wait-and-see attached to this USC football season, understandably, and that's likely the stance many will take with redshirt junior receiver Velus Jones despite his highlight-filled month of August.
Jones is a known commodity to Trojans fans and with a total of 30 catches for 312 yards and 1 touchdown over the last two seasons, he's never fully capitalized on his speed to deliver the potential he carried to campus as a 4-star, Rivals100 prospect. He only has one career game with at least 50 receiving yards.
But this is a new offense and it really does seem to better play to Jones' strengths. He had two touchdown catches in the Trojans' first preseason scrimmage (going for around 40 and 65 yards) and 4 catches for 84 yards (with a drop) in the second scrimmage.
Jones hasn't been a reliable deep ball target in the past and seemed miscast at times in the old system, so while he feels his route running downfield has improved, that's the area where he still has to prove it. But the more exciting potential might be his work on the short underneath routes that USC is using to free its playmakers for yards after the catch.
"I feel like I have more of an opportunity to show people who I am, especially my route running ability, yards after the catch. I feel like I can finally be used to the standard that I know what I bring to the table," Jones said. "Finally can be used to the potential I know I can be at, so I'm really excited about that."
The other variable in the equation that won't truly reveal itself until the games start is just how many targets are going to be available for the Trojans' second wave of receivers. Michael Pittman, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns are going to command a bulk of the targets, but head coach Clay Helton and offensive coordinator Graham Harrell have stated that the increased pace at which they want this offense to move will necessitate a lot of wideout rotation and the need to go at least eight deep from that group.
Jones and sophomore Devon Williams would seem the next two in line after that top three, with freshmen Munir McClain, Drake London and John Jackson III also vying for targets.
"It's more than what I expected," Jones said of the new offense. "Opportunities on the outside, inside. JT [Daniels is] going to look around, see who's open and throw the ball, so no matter if I'm getting the ball or not, just work full speed and stuff and the ball will find you. … Everybody's getting the ball.
"It's going to be a great opportunity. No matter how many times I touch the ball, I've just got to make something happen when I get it in my hands, which I know I can do. And I feel that's a great part of my game what I can do after I catch the ball."
Jones had 24 catches for 266 yards and 1 touchdown (plus a rushing TD) last season and then entered the NCAA transfer portal, missing all of spring practice. He's explained that his grandfather's health situation prompted him to consider whether he needed to be closer to his family in Alabama, but after visiting Tennessee and Western Kentucky he chose to return to USC this summer.
"They talked about it before I was going through my family situation, and when I came back nothing changed -- they said this is going to be a great opportunity for you," Jones said of the USC staff.
While his main fit is as an inside receiver, he's also gotten a good amount of work on the outside this preseason and he believes he's improved his route running and ability to come down with contested catches or hold on to the ball while going to the ground. Those factors all contributed to his uneven execution on those vertical routes in the past.
Those downfield strikes this preseason are the ones he's proudest of, he said.
"I get more shots downfield now so it helps out my over-the-shoulder catching. That's a great thing for my game, going to the next level," he said. "… I've been getting a lot of deep balls here lately from the outside so I feel like this season's going to be a real special season."
USC has ample options in that regard. If Jones can develop into a consistent downfield target, all the better, but again his ability to turn the quick crossing routes into extended gains with his speed is the area that could really carve out a steady role for him potentially.
"I think we use him in a lot of things, especially when you're fast," Harrell said. "He's caught some deep balls because of his speed. But he's the kind of guy that if you can get the ball in his hands he's got the chance to be pretty special with it because he's got a gear that most people don't have."
