Dillon Baxter looks to make his presence known against UVA

by Paragon SC on Sep 9, 2010 8:00 AM PDT in USC Football

I am not going to rehash the issues surrounding Dillon Baxter's suspension from the opener against Hawaii but it is clear that now that he is off suspension that Baxter is focused and ready to contribute...

Unlike teammates who got their first-game jitters out of the way at Hawaii, Baxter was home serving a suspension for violating team rules.

So the freshman from San Diego will make his debut before an expectant and curious crowd at the Coliseum.

"That first play in the [Coliseum], I think I'll be a little nervous," Baxter said Tuesday after practice. "But after that first hit, I'll be good."

It will be interesting to see just how he handles the jitters. There is a lot of high expectation being placed on Baxter, his less than stellar performance off the field may not have set him back but he does have some catching up to do, he needs to be a productive part of the team.

Baxter is used to being the center of attention with all the awards and recognition that he has amassed in his young life but he now needs to understand that he is an important pillar to this team and he needs to put the same effort in being a top player on the field as much as he needs to put a lot of effort into keeping his nose clean off the field.

"I wanted to go out and party a little bit but, you know, I've been getting in trouble and what-not, so I stayed in and watched it at home, be mad, sit in my little corner," he said. "But that pumped me up and got me pretty hyped for this week."

It sounds like he got the message.

The first step is always recognizing what might get you into trouble and not acting on it.

Lane Kiffin has high hopes but he is cautious as well...

The versatile Baxter is expected to add even more playmaking ability to a Trojans offense that scored 49 points last week. But USC coach Lane Kiffin wants to make sure Baxter understands his first responsibility: hanging on to the football.

“The first concern always with a freshman in their first game is taking hits, especially him, because he hasn’t really been hit,” Kiffin said. “Take care of the ball, and we’ll see what he can do from there.”

This will be a whole different feel for Baxter.

And ball control will be the key! Not protecting it will get you sent straight to the bench...do not pass GO, do not collect $200...

Baxter has the chance to really make a name for himself. He needs to get on the field against guys looking to make plays...that is what makes a player raise their game, you can only show so much in practice.

It is really going to be neat so see just how well he does...

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I forgot about Dillion!

But he will make a difference and he could have covered Hawaii’s fast receivers since he did play both ways in HS.

So Fight On USC followers and Don’t worry WE Will Still Play on Saturdays and Bowls will come later, for WE ARE SC not That other Softball University. Oh and don’t say you now have a baseball team, it’s not Real Baseball unless you use Wooden Bats

by so.cal.native1952 on Sep 9, 2010 8:22 AM PDT reply actions

I've got a different take on Baxter

At this point, I think he’s a guy whose touches whould be limited to specific situations, with things he does well.

I always thought that Carroll totally mismanaged McKnight, asking him to do way too much too soon. McKnight did not have good football instincts and was not a fast learner. Why in the hell was he in the wildcat against Oregon State in 2008…in OSU territory….down 14-0? After McKnight’s fumble it became 21-0. Bad decision. Sanchez should have gotten that snap on 3rd down.

I think that Kiffin has a better offensive mind that Carroll (certainly better than Bates!). I don’t see Kiffin making Baxter a fixture in the offense until he is ready. There is more to offense than giving your best athlete the ball 20 times a game and hoping he breaks 2 or 3 big ones. Like execution, for example. I can’t wait to see Baxter on the field. I expect Kiffin to use him wisely.

by TrojanJAG on Sep 9, 2010 9:16 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Agree 100%

It amuses me to read all the posts about how Dillon is going to be our best player this season, and be the focus of our offense. Of course, I could be wrong, as Pete certainly force fed Joe Mc early on. But, you can tell from Lane’s depth chart and his comments this week……Dillon is not going to be the man. Freshmen RBs fumble. They miss blocks. Dillon is co-4th string with Moody McNeal on the depth chart.

Yes, Dillon will get some touches. It is critical to give him that experience and start developing his talent. But, I predict no more than 6 – 8 touches for Dillon, depending upon the competition of the game. I bet Dillon catches a few screens, gets a few runs, maybe has a reverse pitch or two, and plays wildcat for a few plays.

I think he will definitely have an impact, but less so than Marc, CJ or Allen. This is his development year. Well stated and rec’d, JAG!

You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Death to the NCAA!

by DFWTrojan on Sep 9, 2010 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions

yep

I could see Dillon having a chance to contribute more as the season goes on, if he lives up to his potential. But I’m also sure he will be limited this week. He’s got 3 high quality guys in front of him and running the ball certainly wasn’t the team’s big problem in the Hawaii game.

But it is nice to have quality depth at any position, even if this year’s team does not have as much overall depth as we would like to see.

Los Angeles is like Manchester. There is a red team that wins championships and a blue team that doesn't.

by oc phil on Sep 9, 2010 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions