Sports

'Hungry for more': Takeaways from USC football's spring camp

Published

2 weeks ago

April 21, 2024

'Hungry for more': Takeaways from USC football's spring camp

USC’s new-look defense aced its first test, but even a five-takeaway spring game victory isn’t enough to satisfy defensive end Jamil Muhammad.

“It’s almost like today wasn’t good enough,” the redshirt senior said Saturday as the Trojans wrapped up their 15-practice spring season, “because we’re hungry. We’re hungry for more.”

Spring practices don’t guarantee much in the way of fall results. Every team ends the sessions cloaked in sun-soaked optimism. Coach Lincoln Riley emphasized his excitement over “the vibe of this team” on Saturday, but good energy won’t be enough in four months when USC confronts the reality of its first Big Ten season. The Trojans still have things to prove at every position.

Here are the main takeaways from USC’s spring practices:

USC’s secondary won the spring game

It might be the team’s steadiest position group.

Miller Moss could sense the difference himself. Throwing lanes were tighter. Windows he was used to seeing were no longer open. There was a swagger, too, about USC’s secondary, one that felt entirely foreign from its last two frustrating seasons.

Last year, USC’s pass defense ranked outside of the top 100 in yards allowed, regularly victimized by big plays down the field. But a new defensive coordinator, a new defensive backs coach and a new scheme, plus some added length on the perimeter, appear to have turned around what was once USC’s most underperforming position group.

At least, that appeared to be the case Saturday, as USC’s cornerbacks picked off four passes, a testament to how much of a difference size and length can make when matched with the right scheme.

“It’s completely different,” said cornerback Prophet Brown, who returned an interception for a touchdown. “I feel like the players are really buying in and stepping up and playing for one another, and now we’re being put in position to make these plays.”

Marcelles Williams looks like a star in the making

Even among such a deep secondary, freshman Marcelles Williams is finding a way to carve out a big role. The former four-star prospect was one of the standout freshmen of spring camp, earning raves from offensive and defensive teammates alike who praised his consistency, maturity and advanced technique honed from years of practicing with his older brother, former USC safety Max Williams.

“He’s a high school senior still,” Moss said this month of the latest Williams brother, “but he can definitely play corner with the best guys on our team right now.”

The former St. John Bosco standout proved his mettle by intercepting a Moss pass during Saturday’s spring game, leaping to snag a ball intended for receiver Ja’Kobi Lane. Williams worked mostly with the No. 2 defense on Saturday as Mississippi State transfer DeCarlos Nicholson and Jacobe Covington started at cornerback. Both were involved in takeaways as Nicholson picked off a pass by backup quarterback Jayden Maiava one play before Williams’ play against Moss, and Covington broke up a pass that led to Brown’s 100-yard interception return.

Offensive line is still far from settled

Quarterback Miller Moss throws from the pocket during the spring game behind a rebuilt offensive line.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Although the Trojans are pleased with their top offensive line — Jonah Monheim at center, Emmanuel Pregnon and Alani Noa at left and right guard, respectively, Elijah Paige at left tackle and Mason Murphy at right tackle — they are holding their breath when it comes to depth. Tackle is especially a concern where 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman Tobias Raymond is the next option behind Murphy or Paige. Raymond was 255 pounds when USC coaches started recruiting him, offensive line coach Josh Henson said, and has grown to 314 pounds and is still getting used to the extra pounds.

“His feet have slowed just a little bit,” Henson said last month. “He’s going to catch up. He’s catching back up and he’s figuring it out.”

USC could target an offensive lineman transfer from the portal to bolster the group. The Trojans also expect to have guard Gino Quinones back from a leg injury he suffered last September.

USC needs more depth on the defensive interior

Kobe Pepe had only appeared in a handful of games for USC over the previous four seasons. But on Saturday, with Bear Alexander sitting out because of an injury, Pepe was suddenly the man in the middle of USC’s defensive line.

His rise to that spot was a sign of a looming problem for USC’s defense, one it would be best suited solving in the transfer portal this spring. After 330-pound transfer Isaiah Raikes bailed this spring to re-enter the portal, an already-thin interior is looking threadbare heading into next season.

Alexander gives USC an athletic terror in the middle of the line, but beyond him, there isn’t much in the way of proven talent up front. Redshirt senior Nate Clifton and sophomore Elijah Hughes have both been mentioned as standouts this spring, but neither have the heft needed to man the nose tackle spot. As USC turns to the transfer market, it would be wise to add a proven presence to pair with Alexander in the middle.

Inexperience aside, USC might be just fine at receiver

USC isn’t going to have much experience at receiver. Nor will it probably have much depth. Of its seven current scholarship wideouts, five will open next season as sophomores or younger, one has never played above Division III (Jaden Richardson) and the other (Kyron Hudson) caught only 17 passes a year ago.

But what it lacks in experience or depth, it may more than make up for in top-line talent.

In Lane, Zachariah Branch, Duce Robinson and Makai Lemon, the Trojans have a more-than-capable sophomore quartet that’s only going to get better over this upcoming season and the next. All four had their moments Saturday, from Lemon’s team-leading six receptions to Lane successfully reeling in a one-handed grab.

Wideouts coach Dennis Simmons made clear early in spring he wanted to add another receiver or two from the transfer portal. That’s to be expected. But if USC’s current young core of wideouts keeps its current upward trajectory, there might not be enough passes to go around.

Woody Marks is in front of running back room

With game experience and leadership quality, Mississippi State transfer Woody Marks has emerged as the starting running back. He is in line to be the third transfer in as many years to take over at running back at USC, following Travis Dye and MarShawn Lloyd. Although Marks is currently ahead of sophomore challengers Quinten Joyner and A’Marion Peterson, Riley expects the underclassmen, including freshman Bryan Jackson, to contribute.

“That’s a nice room right there,” Riley said. “We feel like we can play with all four guys, which I don’t know if we felt like that at this point.”

Joyner had one carry during the spring game and popped it for 16 yards. Peterson and Jackson, both 6-foot running backs weighing 228 and 200 pounds, respectively, add the size and physicality Riley has emphasized at all positions.

Kicker questions

Denis Lynch is a USC cult hero for his eccentric fashion, but the junior kicker is hanging on to his starting position by a thread.

The former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship last year is 25 of 36 on field-goal attempts for his career, including 10 made kicks on 14 attempts last year. His inconsistency in mid-range kicks — nine of 17 on attempts between 30 and 39 yards — opens the door for competition.

Riley said last month that kickoffs and field goals are “an area we know we have to perform better at.” Besides Lynch, the Trojans have redshirt freshman Tyler Robles, who played in two games last year, including handling kickoffs in the Holiday Bowl. Each kicker made their extra-point attempt during the spring game.

Sports

Tyronn Lue says it's 'great to be wanted' amid Lakers speculation; he's focused on coaching Clippers

Published

3 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Press Room

Tyronn Lue says it's 'great to be wanted' amid Lakers speculation; he's focused on coaching Clippers

NBA champion head coach Tyronn Lue remains focused on his future with the Los Angeles Clippers — not the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Clippers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs after the team lost 114-101 to the Dallas Mavericks May 3.

According to The Athletic, the Clippers plan to pursue a contract extension with Lue this offseason. After Friday’s loss, Lue was asked whether he expected to remain with the Clippers.

Head coach Tyronn Lue of the LA Clippers talks to the media after Game 1 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks April 21, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

“I hope so. … You know, I hope so. I didn’t come here to bounce around and go all over the place,” Lue, who turned 47 Friday, said.

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The coach also spoke about his strong relationship with Clippers ownership and the front office.

“Mr. Ballmer, Lawrence (Frank, president of basketball operations), Mark Hughes (assistant general manger), Trent (Redden, general manager), Gillian (Zucker, president of business operations) … they’ve all been great to me. This is where I want to be, and hopefully they feel the same way. I haven’t had a better experience since I’ve been here. Mr. Ballmer showed me a lot of different things that I wouldn’t be privy to if I wasn’t here.”

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Lue declined to directly address speculation the Lakers would target him in their search after firing Darvin Ham.

“I don’t really have a comment on that,” Lue said when asked about his name surfacing in the Lakers’ search. “It’s great to be wanted. That’s a really good feeling. Like I said, I want to be here. Hopefully, we’re able to solidify that.”

LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Dec. 31, 2022. (Trevor Ruszkowski/USA Today Sports)

Lue has two years remaining on his contract.

The Clippers were without star forward Kawhi Leonard in four of the six games against the Mavericks due to his right knee inflammation. He missed three of five games in a first-round loss to Phoenix last year.

“I give our guys credit for just sticking with it through all the ups and downs and all the negative scrutiny and all the things that they went through this season,” Lue said. “Having to go into a series again short-handed.”

Tyronn Lue of the LA Clippers during Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks April 23, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Lue coached Cleveland to the 2016 NBA title with LeBron James, who left for the Lakers in free agency two years later. Lue was gone just six games — all losses — into the season after James’ departure from the Cavaliers.

Lue was an assistant on Doc Rivers’ staff with the Clippers before taking over when Rivers and the club mutually parted ways following the 2019-20 season. Rivers ended up in Philadelphia.

The Clippers reached the Western Conference finals in Lue’s first season and have a 184-134 record in the regular season under him.

“This was a good year,” Lue said. “Overall, I wouldn’t trade it for anything, outside the early ending. I like the guys in the locker room. They respect me. I respect them. I’m ready to move on to next season and get better.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Tyler Glasnow dominates and Max Muncy hits three home runs in Dodgers' blowout win

Published

4 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Press Room

Tyler Glasnow dominates and Max Muncy hits three home runs in Dodgers' blowout win

As much as it pained Kyle Snyder to see Tyler Glasnow traded from Tampa Bay to the Dodgers last December, the Rays pitching coach predicted the move would benefit the 6-foot-8 right-hander from Santa Clarita.

“I genuinely think his best days are in front of him,” Snyder said in February. “He’s healthy. The injury that surfaced in 2019 was ultimately taken care of [with Tommy John surgery] in 2021. I would expect him to have his best years in the near-term and be as good a starter as there is in the National League, for certain.”

Glasnow continues to prove his former coach right, the new Dodgers ace delivering his third straight dominant start — this one a seven-inning, two-run, five-hit, 10-strikeout, one-walk effort — to help lead the Dodgers to an 11-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves in front of 44,474 at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night.

Max Muncy provided most of the power in a 16-hit attack with his first career three-homer game — a two-run shot in the second inning and solo shots in the seventh and eighth innings — and the first by a Dodgers player since Trayce Thompson hit three homers against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 1, 2023.

Glasnow’s third 10-whiff game in eight starts pushed the Dodgers toward their 10th win in 12 games, a stretch in which their starting pitchers have given up only 16 earned runs over 68 ⅔ innings for a 2.10 ERA.

Glasnow improved to 7-1 with a 2.70 ERA on the season and has given up only two earned runs and 14 hits in 21 innings, striking out 29 and walking four, in his last three starts — wins over the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Braves.

He threw 61 of his 96 pitches for strikes and induced 11 swinging strikes and 12 called strikes.

Glasnow retired the first nine batters — three by strikeout — in the first three innings, dotting a knee-high, 98-mph fastball on the inside corner to whiff Travis d’Arnaud looking to end the second and dropping an 85-mph curve on the inside corner to whiff Jarred Kelenic looking to end the third.

Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers during the Dodgers’ 11-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The Braves nicked Glasnow for a run in the fourth, but Glasnow struck out three of four batters in the fifth. He pitched around a Ronald Acuña Jr. leadoff double in the fifth, striking out No. 2 hitter Ozzie Albies with an 89-mph slider, Austin Riley with an 85-mph curve in the dirt and, after walking Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna with an 85-mph curve.

Glasnow gave up his second run in the seventh when d’Arnaud led off with a double, took third on a groundout and scored on Orlando Arcia’s groundout.

The Dodgers hit two other homers in the game — by Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages — and blew the game open during a four-run fourth inning in which they batted around.

Muncy followed Will Smith’s leadoff walk in the second with his sixth homer of the season, a two-run shot off Braves starter Bryce Elder that traveled 412 feet to center field for a 2-0 lead.

Ohtani led off the third with his eighth homer, a relatively modest — by his standards — 392-foot shot to right that pushed the lead to 3-0 and moved the slugger past manager Dave Roberts and into first place on the franchise leaderboard for homers by a Japanese-born player.

Roberts, a former Dodgers outfielder, hit seven homers for the club from 2002 to 2004.

The Braves cut the deficit to 3-1 in the top of the fourth when Acuña, doubled and scored on Riley’s RBI single to center.

Pages got that run back in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff homer to left-center, giving the rookie outfielder four homers in 16 games since his mid-April promotion to the big leagues and extending his hitting streak to 10 games.

The Dodgers were just getting warmed up. James Outman walked, Gavin Lux grounded into a fielder’s choice, and Mookie Betts walked to put two on for Ohtani, who slapped an opposite-field RBI single to left for a 5-1 lead.

Atlanta manager Brian Snitker replaced Elder with left-hander Dylan Lee, who yielded RBI singles to Freddie Freeman and Smith that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 7-1.

Muncy sparked a three-run seventh with a 404-foot leadoff homer to right off left-hander Tyler Matzek, his seventh of the season, and he sent his eighth homer of the season 371 feet to left-center off right-hander Jackson Stephens in the eighth.

Sports

MLB prospect reacts to being surprisingly traded in middle of game

Published

11 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Press Room

MLB prospect reacts to being surprisingly traded in middle of game

Luis Arraez was traded to the San Diego Padres just minutes before he was supposed to lead off for the Miami Marlins.

But one of the prospects he was traded for learned of the news when he was actually playing.

Nathan Martorella entered Friday night as a prospect for the Padres, trying to make a name for himself with the San Antonio Missions, San Diego’s Double-A affiliate.

Nathan Martorella, #39 of the San Diego Padres, in the field during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on February 28, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona.

The trade seemingly came out of nowhere. There had been no rumblings of any move, and considering that Arrzez and Martorella were both in their respective lineups, they obviously didn’t know much was coming either. It’s also not like we’re near the July 31 trade deadline.

But one could tell that Martorella was extremely surprised.

In the top of the third inning, not exactly when a pinch-runner would be used, Martorella was taken out of the game while standing on second base, but he looked around and even pointed at himself to make sure it was he who was supposed to come off the field.

Martorella jogged off the field, still confused, but it seemed like he got word once he entered the dugout.

Nathan Martorella, #39 of the San Diego Padres, bats during the eighth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on February 28, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. (David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

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He and another player, Jakob Marsee, then grabbed their gear and made their way to the other side of the field where the clubhouses were.

Marotella and another player hugged several players and coaches on the walk, and exited the field.

The prospects, along with two others, were sent to Miami for the two-time defending batting champion. Arraez hit an MLB-leading .354 last season during his first year with the Marlins, who acquired him from the Minnesota Twins after he won the American League batting title in 2022 with a .316 average.

The Venezuelan infielder boasted a .400 average into late June, a feat no one had accomplished since 2008. (Ted Williams remains the last player to hit .400 in a season, way back in 1941.)

Miami Marlins’ Luis Arraez (3) flips his bat after hitting the go-ahead run to win the game in the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Miami. The Marlins defeated the Rockies 3-2. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Arraez finished in eighth in NL MVP voting last year and 13th in the AL vote in 2022, earning a Silver Slugger Award at second base each season.

This season, so far, he is “only” hitting .299.

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