LOS ANGELES — When USC’s practice ended Monday evening, Clay Helton gathered players and coaches at midfield at Howard Jones Field and delivered a particularly lively minutes-long address.
“Keep your jaw set,” Helton urged them. “Keep it set all week.”
Before they parted ways and in order to break their huddle, Helton shouted, “Beat the Cougars,” with an expletive added in between for emphasis.
The Trojans host undefeated Washington State on Friday night, a critical point early in the season amid only their second 1-2 start since 2001. They were handed a humbling loss at Texas last Saturday, outscored 34-0 over the final three quarters, and dropped out of the national polls in the aftermath of the blowout.
The return to practice, two days after a second consecutive defeat, included a more animated and audible Helton.
During a series of field-goal attempts midway through the practice, Helton yelled, “There are no reps off!”
When a scuffle broke out between left tackle Austin Jackson and a scout-team linebacker during 11-on-11 drills, with Jackson throwing a punch, Helton opted to encourage the players.
“I like it,” Helton hollered. “Let’s go!”
Seconds before the final play of practice went off, Helton shouted some more.
“Last drill of the day,” Helton said. “Get to that (expletive) quarterback.”
In front of a scrum of reporters after practice, Helton said of his elevated intensity, “I wanted to coach my butt off.”
“Not that it was super different,” tight end Tyler Petite said, “but we needed to come out with a little bit different mentality this week.”
The Trojans need to make a quick turnaround, facing Washington State on a shortened week that includes condensed practices and team meetings. Over the past two seasons, they have lost twice when on six days’ rest, including a 30-27 road loss to the Cougars last season and a 31-27 loss at Utah in 2016. Their last win on six days’ rest came in 2015, winning at Colorado when Helton was the interim coach.
Helton thought the Trojans needed the jolt Monday and sought to keep them upbeat.
“The biggest challenge is two back-to-back road games, two physical games, emotional games, I was really looking forward to seeing how they were today, and I thought their emotions were excellent,” said Helton, who shadowed the offense for most of the practice. “I thought they came out and competed their butts off.”
Running backs coach Tim Drevno was seen almost mimicking Helton, spurring on the scout team during several moments.
Senior running back Aca’Cedric Ware, who remarked after the loss to Texas that recent practices had been lazy, said he was encouraged by the approach.
“Today was a lot better,” Ware said. “It seemed like everybody came with a chip on their shoulder.”
POLA-MAO SLATED FOR SURGERY
Redshirt freshman safety Isaiah Pola-Mao will undergo surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder on Thursday, sidelining him for the rest of the season, Helton said.
Pola-Mao suffered the injury in the Trojans’ 17-3 loss at Stanford earlier this month. He had taken over as the starter in the aftermath of the absences of Ykili Ross and Bubba Bolden.
Helton said the rehab for Pola-Mao is estimated to last six months.
In the loss to Texas, redshirt sophomore C.J. Pollard started in place of Pola-Mao.
While Ross left the team in order to pursue a grad transfer, Bolden has been sidelined due to an undisclosed matter. Helton said Monday there was no update to Bolden’s status.
ANOTHER LATE ONE
USC’s game at Arizona on Sept. 29 will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and be televised on ESPN2, marking a second straight late game.
The Trojans host Washington State on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
QUICK HITS
Right guard Andrew Vorhees, who suffered a knee sprain against Texas, went through all of practice Monday. “He looked good,” Helton said. “Obviously a little stiff. It’s two days away from the game, so everybody is a little sore today.” … Kicker Chase McGrath, who will miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, will undergo surgery in a couple weeks.