Trojans use the end-of-spring combine tests as a chance to compete during the offseason
By Ben Malcolmson
USCRipsIt
PeteCarroll.com
USC’s last game was four months ago and the next one isn’t for another 100 days, but that didn’t stop the Trojans from competing just like it was a Saturday in the fall during this year’s end-of-spring combine tests.
“Not surprisingly, our kids competed at a very high level,” USC head strength and conditioning coach Chris Carlisle said of the seven-part assessments that wrapped up at the end of April. “They really looked forward to competing not only against themselves but against the other guys on the team during these tests.”
Each spring, the players participate in seven NFL Combine-like tests, including the 40-yard dash, standing long jump, vertical jump, 225-pound bench press rep test, medicine ball throw, pro agility and three-cone drill.
The results are then combined together and quantified on a 100-point scale, with different point standards set for each position on every drill. For example, an offensive lineman receives 100 points for a slower 40 time but a bigger bench rep count than a defensive back.
This year, safety Taylor Mays had the best all-around performance, scoring a team-high 97 and posting the Trojans’ best marks in three of the seven events.
“The combine tests give our players a chance to compete in the offseason and prepare for the real thing when they go to the NFL,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “We as coaches couldn’t be more pleased with how our guys performed in these tests this spring.”
Here are the peak performers in the various assessments from this spring’s combine tests:
High scorers (on a 100-point scale, tailored to each position):
| Player | Score (on 100-point scale) |
| S Taylor Mays | 97 |
| S Will Harris | 96 |
| LB Michael Morgan | 94 |
| OL Nick Howell | 94 |
| LB Brian Cushing | 93 |
| K David Buehler | 92 |
| OL Kris O'Dowd | 91 |
| DB Josh Pinkard | 91 |
| OL Jeff Byers | 91 |
| QB Aaron Corp | 90 |
| WR Ronald Johnson | 90 |
High marks on the vertical jump:
| Player | Inches of vertical jump |
| S Taylor Mays | 41 |
| RB Stafon Johnson | 40 |
| S Will Harris | 40 |
| WR Damien Williams | 39 |
| WR Ronald Johnson | 38.5 |
| CB Kevin Thomas | 38 |
| LB Clay Matthews Jr. | 37.5 |
| LB Brian Cushing | 37.5 |
| S Marshall Jones | 37 |
| CB Shareece Wright | 37 |
High marks on the standing long jump:
| Player | Inches of standing long jump |
| S Will Harris | 10'10" |
| CB Kevin Thomas | 10'9" |
| WR Vidal Hazelton | 10'6" |
| LB Michael Morgan | 10'6" |
| DB Josh Pinkard | 10'5" |
| CB Cary Harris | 10'5" |
| S Taylor Mays | 10'5" |
| WR Brandon Carswell | 10'4" |
| WR Ronald Johnson | 10'4" |
| CB Omari Crittenden | 10'3" |
High marks on the 225-pound bench press rep test:
| Player | Number of 225-pound reps |
| LB Brian Cushing | 35 |
| OL Jeff Byers | 34 |
| OL Nick Howell | 33 |
| OL Kris O'Dowd | 33 |
| S Kevin Ellison | 32 |
| DL Averell Spicer | 31 |
| LB Jordan Campbell | 30 |
| S Will Harris | 30 |
| LB Rey Maualuga | 30 |
| OL Thomas Herring | 28 |
Best times in the 40-yard dash (Hand timed):
| Player | Times (in seconds, hand timed) |
| S Taylor Mays | 4.25 |
| WR Ronald Johnson | 4.43 |
| RB Stafon Johnson | 4.44 |
| WR Damien Williams | 4.46 |
| RB Allen Bradford | 4.46 |
| LB Michael Morgan | 4.47 |
| CB Kevin Thomas | 4.47 |
| WR David Ausberry | 4.48 |
| K David Buehler | 4.49 |
| WR Brandon Carswell | 4.49 |
| S Will Harris | 4.49 |
• Ben Malcolmson is the Director of Online Media for USCRipsIt/PeteCarroll.com. You can contact him at Ben@PeteCarroll.com.
