LOS ANGELES -- In a scrimmage portion of a USC practice earlier this week, the Trojans offense was backed up against its goal line, facing third-and-7. Quarterback Sam Darnold dropped back into the end zone and lofted a pass down the left sideline that had incompletion written all over it.
That’s when receiver Michael Pittman leaped up, snatched it out of the air with two hands and came down with what represented a key first down in the mock situation. Coach Clay Helton went up to him afterward and told Pittman it was plays like that the Trojans will rely on him to make as he helps fill the void left by receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Darreus Rogers.