On Saturday afternoon, USC's leading returning receiver, Nelson Agholor, tied for a team-high five receptions and hauled in a pair of touchdowns. The junior from Tampa, Florida finished with 57 yards, but he left several more yards on the field.
Agholor, a preseason All-American, was targeted eight times, but only caught five balls. He could have instead had seven catches, but didn't make a pair of catches, Agholor would tell you he should have caught.
In the first quarter, one ball went right between Agholor's hands as he leapt backwards after shedding the defender on an underthrown deep ball a good 40 yards down the field. Then in the third quarter, he didn't look a ball in before trying to make his initial offensive move on a short scramble route. The two drops easily cost Agholor his fourth career 100-yard performance.
There was also this:
Cody Kessler gives Agholor an opportunity for a breakaway touchdown when Fresno State goes with a cornerback blitz. Kessler spins away from a big hit and sack and then fires an off-balanced dime that hits Agholor right in the face mask. Luckily for the Trojans, Agholor is such a tremendous athlete he finds the ball in the air and makes a diving catch on the ricochet.
But Agholor had created enough space behind the safety that came over to cover for the blitzing cornerback that a routine catch would have had Agholor off to the races where he wouldn't have been caught. Instead of a 76-yard touchdown, USC had to settle for a 34-yard reception and then the very next play, Justin Davis lost a fumble to end the promising drive.
So how does Nelson Agholor feel about his five-reception, two-touchdown effort on Saturday?
"Definitely could have done a better job and that's something I'm approaching this week of practice...to focus in and be more dialed in."
Agholor was also asked about his catch off the face mask:
"Should have caught it the first time. Catch it the first time, you'll make a better play."
In the above interview from Tuesday morning's practice, USC junior wide receiver Nelson Agholor talks about the upcoming game with Stanford and what he expects from the Cardinal in a rematch of last season's most dramatic game for the Trojans.
Agholor also discusses the immediate impact the freshman class is having, particularly at the wide receiver position.