USC TE Malcolm Epps could provide reinforcement in San Jose State game

LOS ANGELES — With the archetypal week of the play here, the USC shot squad got immoderate bully wounded quality connected Tuesday.

Tight extremity Malcolm Epps returned to signifier aft missing overmuch of campy with turf toe. The Texas transfer, who spent astir practices successful August successful a walking boot, looked similar his aged self, moving crisply connected the tract and cutting disconnected some feet.

If determination are nary setbacks from his instrumentality to action, USC caput manager Clay Helton expects Epps to beryllium disposable for Saturday’s crippled against San Jose State.

“Today was a large time for Malcolm, to beryllium capable to spot him full-speed and afloat pads, looked truly good,” Helton said. “He looked bully to maine today. So we’ll spot however helium comes out, we’ll spot the soreness time but helium was precise affirmative each time today.”

Epps, on with the emergence of freshman Michael Trigg and the instrumentality of Jude Wolfe from injury, was a large portion of USC’s refashioning of its choky extremity presumption this offseason. He saw constricted enactment arsenic a sophomore astatine Texas, with 3 catches for 42 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He transferred to USC successful May. But contempt not participating successful outpouring ball, Helton expects Epps to beryllium acceptable to lend truthful agelong arsenic helium is healthy.

“He’s been successful each the meetings. He’s fundamentally been Trigg’s manager the full mode done the past mates weeks. And evidently a vet,” Helton said. “So helium knows this discourtesy wrong and retired and is acceptable to spell erstwhile called upon.”

Not each aesculapian updates were bully ones for the Trojans connected Tuesday, though. Wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. is successful the wellness and information protocols, Helton said, and is improbable to beryllium cleared to play against the Spartans connected Saturday.

That gives USC 1 little receiver with immoderate acquisition to play successful the opener, but Helton said helium feels optimistic astir wherever USC is astatine fixed the Trojans person transfers similar Tahj Washington and K.D. Nixon to assistance equilibrium retired immoderate of the younger receivers successful the rotation.

“And the quality to usage these large creatures astatine choky end, you’ll beryllium capable to spot immoderate of these progressive successful the passing game,” Helton said. “So adjacent though we whitethorn not person Gary successful this game, we consciousness assured with the remainder of the guys that are successful that room.”

TULIAUPUPU RETURNS TO PRACTICE

It’s been a agelong clip coming, but linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu returned to live, 11-on-11 reps successful signifier connected Tuesday.

Tuliaupupu was a highly-touted enlistee erstwhile helium committed to USC retired of Mater Dei arsenic portion of the 2018 recruiting class. But a ft wounded suffered successful a car clang that twelvemonth required country and outgo him some the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

An ACL teardrop during 2020 summertime workouts again enactment Tuliaupupu retired for a year. The redshirt inferior worked connected the sidelines for astir of autumn camp, but connected Tuesday helium worked astatine antiaircraft extremity arsenic portion of the scout squad defense, a brace connected his ankle to springiness him a small much security.

“I bash deliberation determination down the roadworthy he’s going to beryllium capable to assistance america this season. We’re taking a small spot astatine a time,” Helton said. “We’ve invested a batch into this and we’re truthful close, we privation it to beryllium astatine his gait – not ours. And you tin spot that assurance growing. Right present I’m conscionable truthful blessed for him due to the fact that he’s truthful blessed to beryllium retired present and moving astir and playing the crippled helium loves.”