LOS ANGELES – Everyone indulged to some degree.
Sam Darnold viewed USC’s dramatic Rose Bowl victory over Penn State in the film room and on television replay with his family.
“I’ve watched it plenty,” the redshirt sophomore quarterback said of the January classic.
Clay Helton once caught a copy of the television broadcast. It was a chance to savor the high point of a season in which his team turned a 1-3 start, its worst in 15 seasons, into a top-five finish in the polls.
“To go through a season like that, it was neat to see that memory happen,” the Trojans’ coach said. “That was something that I’ll never forget.”
Deontay Burnett, the receiver who caught the tying touchdown pass from Darnold, mostly avoided it. He contended he never re-watched the game. But as he logged onto Twitter, the social media application, he couldn’t avoid seeing his final-minute snag. It was everywhere.
Two months after one of the most thrilling victories in program history, USC returned Tuesday afternoon to Howard Jones-Brian Kennedy Field for the first of 15 spring workouts.
Players, sounding in sync, said they will now try to forget their historic performance.
“I’m past the Rose Bowl,” Burnett said.
“Last year is behind us,” junior linebacker Cameron Smith said.
Not dwelling on the much-celebrated win, though, might need a little will power.
“The discipline of that is hard,” Helton said. “You’d love to pat yourself on the back and keep on looking back. The problem is there’s too many issues moving forward that we have to address.”
The Trojans return Darnold, their dynamic signal caller who is expected to emerge as one of the preseason favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, but question marks surround him.
Gone are receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Darreus Rogers, who caught a combined 126 passes last season, almost half of the Trojans’ total receptions. Zach Banner and Chad Wheeler, the starting offensive tackles for the past three seasons, departed too.
So did other playmakers, such as Adoree’ Jackson, who starred on defense, offense and special teams and was one of the three players along with Smith-Schuster and offensive guard Damien Mama to declare for the NFL Draft with eligibility remaining.
That has left enough position battles up in the air to retain their focus, they said.
“We have certain objectives,” said Chris Hawkins, a redshirt senior safety. “In spring ball, you want to come and get better. You don’t want to mourn on the past. The past is the past. We won the game. We’re happy we got rings. Coach Helton tells us every day, we have to move on.”
LINE SHUFFLE
Junior Chuma Edoga is on track to start at left tackle, where he would take over the spot vacated by Wheeler, Helton said after practice.
“He has the most experience,” Helton said. “He’s extremely athletic. He’s played both sides before.
Edoga started the first two games last season while Wheeler recovered from plantar fasciitis.
Roy Hamsley, a redshirt sophomore, also ran with the first-team offense at right tackle.
The grouping could be altered in fall camp, Helton said, when redshirt junior Toa Lobendahn returns from knee surgery. Lobendahn started at center in the opener last season before he tore ligaments in his right knee. He has previously played guard and tackle, offering some flexibility.
QUICK HITS
Placekicker Matt Boermeester, who was suspended from the team in February amid a “student conduct issue,” is not on the spring roster and his return is uncertain. Boermeester’s field goal as time expired lifted USC to its victory over Penn State in the Rose Bowl game. … Receiver Steven Mitchell (knee), cornerback Jonathan Lockett (hip), receiver Trevon Sidney (hip) and offensive tackle Nathan Smith (knee) will be out for spring practice. … Linebacker Porter Gustin, who had hand surgery in the offseason, will be limited for the first two weeks. Defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow, who is recovering from knee surgery that sidelined him for all of last season, is limited, along with defensive tackle Jacob Daniel (hamstring), center Nico Falah (back) and Dominic Davis (concussion protocol). All of them could return at various points in spring camp.
Contact the writer: jkaufman@scng.com
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