USC’s tight ends are making a big impression on the offense
A few days after Tyler Petite caught two of USC’s three touchdowns in a victory over Colorado, Petite and his roommate, quarterback Sam Darnold, had a class together.
“It was right after Colorado,” Petite said. “And this guy comes in.”
It was an admirer, and he approached the pair.
“And he’s like, ‘Hey Sam! Great game, man!’ And I was right there.”
Petite was not recognized.
It is hard to blame the student. USC’s tight ends have been an afterthought for several seasons. But they are enjoying a resurgence.
The unit is on pace for its most prolific season since Xavier Grimble and Randall Telfer were on the team in 2012. This season, USC tight ends have already compiled 266 yards and five touchdowns through eight games, even though starter Taylor McNamara, who has four receptions for 36 yards, has been more effective as a blocker.
The numbers are modest by receiver standards — that’s about two good game’s worth of yards for JuJu Smith-Schuster. But the tight ends’ potency around the end zone in particular has made USC’s offense more diverse and more difficult to prepare for.
“It’s a new day for tight ends at USC,” Daniel Imatorbhebhe said.
All five touchdowns have come in the last three games, and Imatorbhebhe has been responsible for a majority of them. His touchdown reception against Colorado was the first of his career. He has caught touchdown passes in three straight games.
“He’s very deceptively fast,” Darnold said. “He’ll start off slow, and he looks slow, and his strides make up for everything.
“It’s very deceptive because usually you line up a linebacker on a tight end. And it’s hard for any 240-some pound linebacker to match up against his speed.”
The tight ends’ surge, like much of USC’s offensive success, has coincided with the arrival of Darnold.
Coach Clay Helton said he is “blown away by” Darnold’s ability to distribute the ball.
“He’s not really glueing in on one guy,” Helton said. “He’s just diagnosing the defense and taking what the defense gives him.”
On his second touchdown reception against Colorado, Petite said, “I knew I was getting the ball.” He’d seen the safety hesitate on crossing patterns with Smith-Schuster. And he knew, without asking, that Darnold would have seen it too.
Darnold has made it a personal initiative to spend time with his receiving targets to develop such chemistry. He lives with Petite. He plays basketball at the Lyon Center, one of the recreational gyms on campus, with Imatorbhebhe.
Imatorbhebhe said Darnold seemed to have a sense of where he would be on the court, even without looking. After practice, Imatorbhebhe mimicked dribbling then mimed a no-look pass to explain.
“I can see him doing it with football, too,” Imatorbhebhe said.
Playing basketball, Darnold said, he observed how much ground Imatorbhebhe covered in just a few strides, and learned that he would separate himself from a football defender more quickly than it appeared.
The maturation of USC’s offense has helped the tight ends, too. USC’s demoralizing rushing game against California compelled the Golden Bears to bring both safeties toward the line of scrimmage. That allowed Imatorbhebhe to find room deep.
Tyson Helton, USC’s quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator, has exhibited a predilection for tight ends in the past. At Western Kentucky last season, he coached Tyler Higbee, who compiled 563 yards and eight touchdowns. He was drafted in the fourth round by the Rams.
Clay Helton, Tyson’s older brother, mentioned Tyson’s work with tight ends as one reason he was hired.
“He just likes to throw to them,” Petite said, appreciating the recognition.
Browne moves toward transfer
USC approved backup quarterback Max Browne’s permission-to-contact form, Clay Helton said on Tuesday, allowing him to talk to other schools about transferring after the season.
Browne, who is a graduate student, has said he would review his options after the season, and has indicated a transfer was very likely. Browne started USC’s first three games before Darnold was named the starter.
Helton said Browne was not limited in whom he could contact, meaning it is possible he could play for another Pac-12 school next season.
“You want the best opportunity for yourself, and you don’t know where that will be,” Helton said. “And out of respect for the type of guy he is and how he’s handled things around here, I personally think he deserves it.”
Quick hits
Running back Justin Davis appeared in a helmet and shoulder pads during Tuesday’s practice and ran at full speed, but did no cutting or changing of directions. His status remains questionable for Saturday’s game against Oregon. … Defensive back Jonathan Lockett (hip) did not practice and is doubtful for Saturday’s game. ... Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (knee sprain), linebacker Olajuwon Tucker (hamstring) and Aca’Cedric Ware (knee) practiced. Ware injured his ankle and left practice. … Helton said that freshman running back Vavae Malepeai, who is expected to redshirt, would have played this season “without question” if not for a broken shoulder blade that knocked him out for the first several weeks of the season.
Follow Zach Helfand on Twitter @zhelfand
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