USC Football: Max Tuerk And Aundrey Walker Battle To Start At LT

From the fourth pick in the 2012 NFL Draft to a redshirt freshman? The USC Trojans apparently are going all in on Max Tuerk while Aundrey Walker heals. Trenise Ferriera of Reign of Troy has this report.

LT Aundrey Walker got a little action during the mornings’ no-pads practice, and is still wearing a brace on his right wrist. This is the first time Walker has been back out in practice since the second practice in fall camp. Freshman Max Tuerk again worked with the first team during team drills.

If there is one weak spot to the USC football offense this season, this would be the one spot to worry about. It's hard to figure out who would work the better among the two, but we do know neither is the pure pass protector Matt Kalil is. The winner will be under heavy scrutiny all fall.

Depth is the name of the game, and the USC Trojans are beginning to run short on defensive ends.The latest casualty is a freshman in De'Vante Wilson, who is done for the season with a torn ACL.

Here's what I wrote at SB Nation.

Wilson figured to be one of many Trojans that was competing for the second defensive end spot with Wes Horton secure on the other side, and Devon Kennard likely out for most of the season. Now that Wilson is out, USC is down to junior college transfer Morgan Breslin, junior Kevin Greene and freshmen Leonard Williams and Greg Townsend.

Apparently J.R. Tavai is the one taking snaps with the first team at DE.

Every injury to a college football team will hurt their chances to compete for a title, but the edge is that much more perilous for USC, who are now relying on a mish-mash of talented but inexperienced players who might not be qutie as up to par as the rest of their teammates. It's going to ask a lot for one of these guys to hold contain on an Oregon zone-read or not get blocked out of the play by a Stanford offensive lineman. It's going to require some critical adjusting.