Trojans get back to work following upset

The Trojans returned to practice on Tuesday for the first time since their 37-31 loss to unranked Boston College on Saturday. The coaches and players were seeking solace and growth after suffering such a stunning upset.

D.J. Morgan Gone

Redshirt senior defensive back D.J. Morgan has decided to “retire from football” to focus on track, in which he also competes for USC, before entering the NFL Draft.

“I recruited D.J. out of high school, and he was an elite track athlete, and he wants to get healthy for that opportunity, and so we wish him the best of luck,” USC head coach Steve Sarkisian told the RipsIt blog.

Morgan is the second running back-turned-defensive back to leave the team this year, following Anthony Brown’s tumultuous departure.

Morgan finishes his career with the Trojan football team with 364 rush yards and one touchdown along with one receiving touchdown.

He had not started a game since his redshirt freshman season in 2011 due to numerous knee and ankle injuries.

Not Just a Bye Week

The bye week could not have come at a better time for the Trojans.

Following a loss to unranked Boston College, the Trojans dropped from their top-ten ranking to No. 17 in the Associated Press poll. At Tuesday’s practice, the focus was no longer on Boston College but instead on improving, both individually and as a team.

The taste of defeat is something that can often distract a team from moving forward, but the team seems to have moved beyond that.

“Some people hold that taste longer than others,” junior wide receiver and team captain Nelson Agholor said. “I had that taste in my mouth and I spit it out, and I’m back to being hungry to get better.”

To get the bitter taste out of the Trojans’ mouths, Sarkisian ran a more fun practice. Instead of scouting, there was a lot of competition.

“It was a practice that was tough, and it showed character,” Agholor said. “You have to make this a habit you can’t get rid of: having fun and practicing at a high level.”

Though Sarkisian was happy to conduct a relaxed practice, he remains committed to improving his team.

“The bye week is about getting better,” Sarkisian said. “For some guys, it’s getting better physically. For other guys, it’s getting better mentally, getting their minds right, and for other guys it’s about getting better at their craft on the field.”

Post-Game Reflection

Though the team’s new focus is recovery and preparation, the Boston College game will be viewed as a learning experience for each player.

“They were the better team that night,” redshirt junior quarterback Cody Kessler said. “Any time a team plays USC, they are going to bring their A-game and that means that we are going to have to bring ours too.”

The team also faced criticism for their continued struggles running the ball. Despite this, Kessler showed support for the game plan.

“You always have to establish a run game, and we had a lot of missed assignments when we were trying to establish our run game,” Kessler said.

Agholor, however, did not think the wide out group was without fault.

“We should have done a better job of making [the plays],” he said. “We got some of them, but we didn’t get all of them.”

Injury Report

Junior wide receiver Christian Tober broke his collarbone during last Thursday’s practice. He underwent surgery and the time frame for his return has not yet been determined.

Freshman wide receiver JuJu Smith did not practice Tuesday. He was resting his ankle, which he injured during Saturday’s game.

Junior defensive end Leonard Williams, redshirt junior tailback Tre Madden and senior tight end Randall Telfer all sat out Tuesday’s practice as well, citing extended rehab.