USC’s probable backup quarterback is a little green: Jalen Greene

The football squeaked out of Jalen Greene’s white-gloved left hand during USC’s practice Tuesday and shot forth like a dart, spinning counterclockwise. A USC receiver was too close. He swayed his head back like a boxer dodging a left cross and let the ball whiz past his hands.

USC’s receivers have voiced only one complaint with Greene, the Trojans’ latest insurance policy in the event anything happens to starting quarterback Sam Darnold.

“Only thing I heard today was from Michael Pittman,” Greene said. “That I throw the ball too hard.”

Greene’s status as Darnold’s probable backup will take some getting used to for everyone. Greene was a receiver during the regular season, but Max Browne’s decision to transfer before the Rose Bowl left USC in need of a contingency plan.

Helton hasn’t named a backup yet, but he said Greene would “probably” end up serving as Darnold’s understudy while continuing to play receiver. Matt Fink was also an option, but USC Coach Clay Helton preferred to preserve his eligibility.

“I’ll try my best not to burn a redshirt year on a kid if I can have Jalen go in there in an emergency situation,” Helton said.

Greene will practice with the receivers and the quarterbacks this month. He trotted out to Tuesday’s practice, USC’s first pre-Rose Bowl practice open to the media, cloaked in a regular white practice jersey. Typically, the quarterbacks wear yellow so defenders know to avoid contact.

Greene spent his first season and a half at USC as a reserve quarterback behind Cody Kessler and Browne. But it has been a while. He wore gloves on both hands Tuesday. Greene, who is left-handed, said he prefers to play without a glove on his throwing hand. He’d just overlooked that he’d be throwing.

“I put on lotion before practice, and it was slipping out of my hand,” Greene said, laughing.

Greene spent several series at quarterback, though he played receiver for the majority of the session.

The situation is not ideal. Darnold was not seriously injured in the regular season, but Browne was a luxury as the second-stringer. Darnold said he and Browne would bounce ideas off one another about how to attack a defense.

Greene hasn’t attended quarterback meetings all season. But he said that he’s “extremely comfortable” at the position.

Helton noted that Greene began as a quarterback.

“It looked like he was riding a bike today,” Helton said.

“Whenever I’m watching film, I see it through a quarterback’s eyes,” Greene said. That’s how I was trained.”

In a pinch, Helton said he could dispense with Fink’s redshirt and put him in a game.

“I’m gonna prepare for the worst-case scenario and hope for the best,” he said.

No draft decision imminent

Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster said he would wait until after the Rose Bowl to decide whether to forego his final season of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft.

Smith-Schuster hasn’t discussed the decision with coaches yet, he said, but he has talked it through with one person: cornerback Adoree’ Jackson.

The pair talked about “the future, on what’s possible,” Smith-Schuster said. “Possible to come back and possibly winning the ‘natty.’ There’s a lot of things. Him winning the Jim Thorpe award, him winning the Heisman.”

After USC’s last regular-season game, Smith-Schuster had declared that he would return for his senior season if Jackson did. But he was speaking in jest in the minutes after a win.

Asked if he was still serious about that proposal, Smith-Schuster said, “Possibly. Yeah.”

Quick hits

USC will maintain its regular-season practice schedule for the next two weeks. “We are acting like we are playing Saturday,” Helton said. … Defensive back Jonathan Lockett will have hip surgery on Friday and will miss the bowl game. … Center Khaliel Rodgers is in concussion protocol. ... Darnold (hip flexor), Smith-Schuster (wrist sprain) and tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe (hamstring) all practiced on Tuesday. ... Offensive lineman Nathan Smith injured his knee during Tuesday’s practice. … Running backs Justin Davis (ankle) and Aca’Cedric Ware (ankle) are nearing full health, but Helton said he expects Ronald Jones II to remain the top option in the backfield.

zach.helfand@latimes.com

Follow Zach Helfand on Twitter @zhelfand