Three rungs, maybe four.
Climbing the ladder ever so slowly, keeping a wary grip, Ronald Jones II went just far enough to peek his head and shoulders over the top.
The freshman tailback had been ushered to the sideline shortly after USC's victory over Arizona and presented with the honor of conducting the marching band from an elevated perch.
The only problem: His fear of heights.
"I wasn't ready for that," he said.
It might have been the only tentative moment for a young player who delivered a breakout performance Saturday, making good on the promise he has shown through the first two months of his college career.