USC Football: Checking In with Randall Telfer

USC Trojans tight end Randall Telfer was hampered in 2012 with a nagging ankle injury, which limited him to just 100 receiving yards on 12 catches. After one week of spring practice,  we caught up with Telfer for a couple of minutes to chat up the beginning of spring camp.

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Reign of Troy: How does it feel to be back in camp and how’s the team looking so far?

Randall Telfer: Feels good, and it’s refreshing. Really feels good to get back out there after that bad taste my mouth after the end of last season. The offense looks good, too. There was a bit of quarterback-center exchange issues to start but we’re getting over that and it’s starting to look good for us.

RoT: Now that this is going to be your fourth season in the program, do you find yourself becoming more of a leader?

Telfer: I’d like to think so. I’m not a vocal guy, I mostly try to lead by example, but I’m trying to step out and being more vocal this spring and talk to the younger guys. We have a new guy, [Chris Hawkins], from my high school actually, so I’m trying to reach out more than usual and help out and share what I know.

RoT: In terms of your game specifically, what are you looking to improve in camp?

Telfer: I want to become a more well-rounded tight end. Work on the small details of my game and master the little things, or becoming a technician of the position.

RoT: There were plenty of personnel changes in the offseason, with addition of coaches like Mike Summers and the re-assigning of James Cregg. What’s it meant for you as a tight end so far? Who are you working with mostly?

Telfer: Right now, John Baxter is our coach. He has experience coaching tight ends so it wasn’t really a difficult addition for him, with special teams too.

RoT: There’s plenty of big time tight ends on the west coast both at the college and pro level. Do you look around to some and if so, who’s a guy that you pattern your game after?

Telfer: Number 1 for me is Vernon Davis. He’s a technician at that position. He can run routes like a receiver and block like an offensive lineman and I really respect that game and want to get there myself.