With all the controversy surrounding the return of USC RB coach Kennedy Pola, it is nice to see him settle in.
Based on a few things I have read since camp started Pola is already making a significant impact with the running backs. Pola is also lucky to have a number of veteran RB's to work with.
Upon his arrival Po,a has had some issues to deal with like the Havili/T.J. Bryant incident and the Dillon Baxter situation, but Pola understands that is part of being a college coach.
Right now Pola has his hands a little bit full...Pola inherited a mostly veteran group of running backs, including Havili, fellow seniors Allen Bradford and C.J. Gable, junior Marc Tyler and third-year sophomore Curtis McNeal.
"This group has been here a long time, so I'm just looking for them to tighten up their assignments, tighten up their alignments and technique and just have fun," Pola said.
There are also newcomers, including freshman tailback D.J. Morgan, who will redshirt as he works back from a high school knee injury, and walk-on fullback K.C. Pola, the coach's son who was added to the roster last week.
Kennedy Pola said counseling college players such as Havili and Baxter is not much different from the NFL, where he coached for the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and, briefly, the Titans.
"Everybody has distractions," Pola said. "These are young guys. It won't be the first time, and it won't be the last that something happens. Hopefully you can snip it before it gets serious."
With starting fullback Stanley Havili nursing a sore shoulder and few options behind him, a natural question in USC training camp is whether some of the physical tailbacks like Allen Bradford or Marc Tyler might move to fullback.
"We haven't considered it because of we've had tight ends there to fill the holes," running backs coach Kennedy Pola said. "But we are short-handed."
Tight end Rhett Ellison is playing fullback for portions of practices, and Jordan Cameron tried the spot but looks more likely to start at tight end.
With any more injuries, USC might be forced to move a tailback simply because the position is so deep on a team with only 71 scholarship players.
Moving a TB to FB wouldn't be optimum but with the scholarship limits it is all hands on deck. Pola will get the most out his unit...no question.
Pola will figure it out...
Still hovering out there is the joke of a lawsuit that the Tennessee Titans filed in response to Pola's departure. There has been no word on the suits status or progress...I still think it was less about Pola leaving and more about Titans owner Bud Adams just trying to embarrass Lane Kiffin.
Adams is an immature old fool...
Pola is where he wants to be. We are better for it and he is happy...what is so wrong with that?