USC Football vs. Oregon State Practice Report: Quarterback Competition Update

The Trojans practiced in full pads on Tuesday as they prepare for their game against Oregon State.

• Quarterback Kedon Slovis (neck) was a full participant in Tuesday's practice, while Jaxson Dart (knee) was held out. Miller Moss took second team reps at QB.
   
• USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell emphasized that this week's QB competition is no different than the competition that takes place every day of practice. "We've just got to play whoever gives us the best chance to be successful," Harrell said. "That's always the goal, no matter the position or the situation."
   
• Harrell said he was impressed by Dart's resilience after a rough start on Saturday. "He hadn't played great up to that point, and he never blinked," Harrell said. "That's pretty impressive, especially for a true freshman ... That says a lot about him as a player, as a competitor, as a person."
   
• Slovis said he was happy to see Dart succeed when he stepped in on Saturday. "I'm excited for him," Slovis explained. "He had a great game. And honestly, that's what we expect. He's a great player. A great quarterback. He showed that all fall camp."
   
• Williams was happy with how Slovis looked in practice today. "Today he was ripping the ball around," Williams said. "He was throwing the ball pretty good."
   
• If Dart is unavailable on Saturday, the Trojans will need to make a decision on the third-string quarterback. "Maybe we'll play wildcat," Williams said. "We'll just take it day by day."
   
• When wide receiver Drake London went down on Saturday, it gave younger players like WR Kyle Ford the chance to step up. "I knew when I had my chance to get out there, I was going to make the most of it," he said. "It meant a lot."
   
• Moss made his USC debut on Saturday when Dart was forced to leave the game after losing his helmet during a play. "It was awesome," said Moss. "I wanted to stay in there. It was cool, it was really cool to get on the field. I hadn't been on the field in almost two years."
   
• Moss shared perspective on how the QBs are handling the competition this week. "It's positive," he explained. "Obviously a lot of outside noise, but we're all competitors and we all push each other, and I think that makes us better at the end of the day."
   
• Saturday will be Williams' first game at the Coliseum as the interim head coach. "I hope it's crazy," he said. "I hope it's a sellout. I hope everybody that's in there is happy to cheer on the Trojans and that we play the way everybody is accustomed to us playing."