cmd34
Pro Bowler
- Messages
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http://usc.ocregister.com/2012/02/2...ource=OC+Register+USC+Blog&utm_medium=twitter
USC football: New role tailor-made for McDonald
February 28th, 2012, 5:16 pm · · posted by Michael Lev, staff writer
Heading into safety Taylor Mays‘ senior year at USC, we heard the same talk: He’d move around more, have more freedom, wreak more havoc. But it never really came to fruition. Mays mostly remained in his center-field role. He led the team in tackles in 2009 but did not record a single one behind the line of scrimmage. Even though the talk is the same, you get the feeling things will be different with T.J. McDonald. McDonald said last week that he’s going to be a man on the move this season — dropping into and out of the box, blitzing, all that good stuff. He’s been studying film of John Lynch and Eric Berry, safeties who lined up in multiple spots under Monte Kiffin. Mays watched tape too, but McDonald is a more natural, instinctive football player. Plus, this USC team will have more back-end options, including Jawanza Starling, Drew McAllister and newcomer Gerald Bowman. “It’s going to be really hard for offenses to read where I’m at,” McDonald said. “I’m going to disguise a lot, and with that, you can only make more plays. That’s a bigger responsibility, but that’s what I expected coming back here.” The ultimate safety-in-motion is former USC standout Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers. McDonald talked to Polamalu last season, mainly about a different topic — the personal fouls that resulted in McDonald getting suspended for the first half at Colorado. But McDonald is wise enough to observe Polamalu’s game and take notes. “Watching his film, that guy just has a high motor,” McDonald said. “He’s all over the field. That’s something I want to improve on this year.”
USC football: New role tailor-made for McDonald
February 28th, 2012, 5:16 pm · · posted by Michael Lev, staff writer
Heading into safety Taylor Mays‘ senior year at USC, we heard the same talk: He’d move around more, have more freedom, wreak more havoc. But it never really came to fruition. Mays mostly remained in his center-field role. He led the team in tackles in 2009 but did not record a single one behind the line of scrimmage. Even though the talk is the same, you get the feeling things will be different with T.J. McDonald. McDonald said last week that he’s going to be a man on the move this season — dropping into and out of the box, blitzing, all that good stuff. He’s been studying film of John Lynch and Eric Berry, safeties who lined up in multiple spots under Monte Kiffin. Mays watched tape too, but McDonald is a more natural, instinctive football player. Plus, this USC team will have more back-end options, including Jawanza Starling, Drew McAllister and newcomer Gerald Bowman. “It’s going to be really hard for offenses to read where I’m at,” McDonald said. “I’m going to disguise a lot, and with that, you can only make more plays. That’s a bigger responsibility, but that’s what I expected coming back here.” The ultimate safety-in-motion is former USC standout Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers. McDonald talked to Polamalu last season, mainly about a different topic — the personal fouls that resulted in McDonald getting suspended for the first half at Colorado. But McDonald is wise enough to observe Polamalu’s game and take notes. “Watching his film, that guy just has a high motor,” McDonald said. “He’s all over the field. That’s something I want to improve on this year.”
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