USC football Spring Camp notes: Versatility adds value (3/28)

Practice standouts

• Marlon Tuipulotu… Tuipulotu had two tackles for loss as he continues his bright spring showing, having lost 10 pounds from last season.
• Vavae Malepeai… Malepeai missed last week with the flu, but he was back to full form on Thursday, breaking off a long run on his first carry of 11-on-11 play. He looks as purposeful a runner as ever.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown… St. Brown remains a matchup nightmare for USC’s thin secondary. He caught a long touchdown pass from Matt Fink.

Practice tidbits

• The Trojans finished up their usual warm up with a series of up-downs.
• In the 1v1 matchup between Michael Pittman and Isaac Taylor-Stuart, Pittman had the advantage on a long pass over-the-top from JT Daniels, as well as on a medium range throw for a touchdown from Fink. However, Taylor-Stuart got him back by breaking up a fade intended for Pittman from JT Daniels.
• Fink evaded pressure during the live-tackling 11-on-11 segment to find Tyler Vaughns for a long completion. With Jack Sears at the helm, Taylor-Stuart had a sure-tackle on the outside on Pittman after a quick pass into the flat.
• In 7-on-7, Daniels went 3-of-6, but two incompletions were drops by Josh Falo and Stephen Carr. He also completed two perfectly-placed post routes to Devon Williams and Tyler Vaughns. In 11-on-11, he was 2-for-2 including a touchdown over the middle. One of his reps was botched by a high snap from Justin Dedich.
• Fink when 4-of-6 during 7-on-7, but had a pass batted down by student managers holding pads up in passing lanes to simulate defensive linemen with their hands up. His 11-on-11 showing was brighter, going 3-for-4 with a long touchdown to St. Brown despite pressure.
• Kedon Slovis, who took first team reps on the day along with Fink, went 4-of-6 in 7-on-7. Vaughns dropped one of his incompletions while Chase Williams broke up a long attempt to St. Brown. In 11-on-11, he went just 1-of-4.
• Sears only had three reps in 7-on-7. He tucked one and dumped the ball off to the running back twice. His throws were also limited in 11-on-11. He completed one pass while handing the ball off for the rest of his reps.
• Practice ended with a competitive situational period. It was an end-of-game scenario with the offense needing a first down to kill the clock and the defense looking to stop them to get the ball back. The first team offense led by Slovis moved the chains in two snaps, both handoffs to Stephen Carr, who bounced the first run outside for a nice chunk of yards then capped it with a short run up the middle. The second team offense led by Sears was stopped by the second team defense, who twice stuffed the running back to set up a third down. Sears then put his pass too far to the outside.