Austin Jones' contemporary get started at USC requires him back again to Stanford this week

As Stanford’s direct again final season, Austin Jones grew accustomed to functioning into crowded boxes.

No a single in the Cardinal backfield could obtain substantially area to operate a year in the past. A soccer application recognized for its actual physical front and imposing ground game fell to previous in the Pac-12 and 126th nationally, not able to scrounge much more than 86 dashing yards for every outing. The offense floor to a halt for the reason that of it — Jones, in his third period, led the team in carries (107), but managed a mere 3.5 yards per tote. He entered the NCAA transfer portal quickly right after the time ended in search of a new commence.

He discovered it with Lincoln Riley at USC, where by Jones has already proven himself as a vital member of a committee backfield with the Trojans. While he been given just four carries in his USC debut past week from Rice, two went for touchdowns. The 48 dashing yards he tallied in that transient cameo have been extra than he managed in all but two games previous 12 months.

“You arrive to a new location, there is certainly a bunch of new possibilities, new stuff like that,” Jones reported. “I just choose it on myself to improve the possibilities I get.”

He really should get even much more of people prospects this Saturday, when Jones travels to his aged stomping grounds for USC’s Pac-12 opener at Stanford. Just really do not assume him to chunk on suggestions his return to Palo Alto carries any additional importance.

“Just another video game for me, seriously,” Jones insisted.

When his former teammates texted him this week, he stated he offered every single the exact same, boilerplate reaction: “See you this weekend.”

“I really do not genuinely do the back again and forth,” he explained.

His new Trojans teammates, having said that, have sensed a distinctive form of electrical power from the senior this week.

“He’s undoubtedly antsy,” Travis Dye mentioned. “He desires to get immediately after it, and I just cannot wait around to observe him play against his outdated men.”

Jones and Dye really should be essential areas of USC’s offensive match prepare Saturday, although dynamic freshman Raleek Brown may also element in if he’s cleared to return. Brown practiced in restricted trend this 7 days, and Riley expressed optimism Thursday, saying he “wouldn’t be close” to ruling out Brown or any other participant thought of questionable for Saturday.

USC working back Austin Jones scores a second-quarter landing versus Rice on September 3 at the Coliseum.

(Luis Sinco / VFAB)

None of the 3 obtained more than a flavor of the motion previous weekend. But if Stanford strives to control the clock on Saturday, as it usually does, Riley reported he’s organized for the likelihood of a low-possession game made a decision at the line of scrimmage and on the floor.

“Stanford unquestionably has experimented with to do that at moments in the previous and done a seriously very good career of it,” Riley reported. “Obviously, it puts a premium on how properly we engage in defensively, it places a high quality on how perfectly we can control the line of scrimmage offensively. To make the most of those people possessions, you are absolutely heading to have to be in a position to operate the soccer.”

Which is the reliable role Riley hoped Jones would fill when he achieved out before long right after the managing back again entered the transfer portal. In spite of Jones’ declining generation as a junior, Riley saw on tape a multipurpose starting up back again able of enjoying on all three downs. He was amazed by Jones’ do the job in the passing recreation and his pride in go security.

“We imagined the opportunities he received to operate the ball, he had fantastic vision, explosion, ran really hard and all over again just the mixture of all that and bringing some encounter and some match reps to a backfield where we felt that was essential, it manufactured it a no-brainer for us,” Riley mentioned.

The match has been seamless because. Previous Saturday, in the afterglow of his very first gain at USC, Jones remarked on how unique his situations have been now carrying the ball at USC.

“Definitely a good deal far more daylight,” he claimed with a smile.