LOS ANGELES – Clay Helton, his smile widening, was eager to describe what he called his favorite play from USC’s practice on Sunday.
It came during an 11-on-11 period. The play was power right. Damien Mama approached him before lining up.
“Hey Coach, this one’s for you,” the left guard told him.
“He knows how much I like it,” Helton said.
Mama pulled to his right, tracing the path of the darting ballcarrier. He got ahead to block, before he, as Helton put it, annihilated an inside linebacker.
“You can really see a fire under him,” Helton said.