USC’s veteran defensive linemen mentoring their younger peers
LOS ANGELES — It’s been a gradual ramp up at practice for one of the newest Trojans on the defensive line, Keeshawn Silver, who transferred from Kentucky and was one of the highest-ranked defensive linemen to hit the portal late last year.
A huge addition to the defensive line, Silver hasn’t let a knee injury keep him from practicing every day so far in spring camp. He’s been doing non-contact work and participating in individual drills, all the while helping mentor the younger players in his position group.
And while he might be limited on the field for now, it hasn’t stopped the immediate impact he’s had off the field.
“A goal for myself is being a leader, a more vocal leader …,” Silver said after Thursday’s practice. “So everyday I try to pull the guys up, ‘Let’s go watch film, let’s go eat, I’ll buy food. Let’s go watch film after practice. After practice, let’s go get some extra work.’ You know like the little things, because when I first got to college, I had that. I was with my brothers when I wasn’t with my coach.”
Silver is part of a defensive front that features a well-balanced number of veterans and younger players, coming together under the tutelage of defensive ends coach Shaun Nua and co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Eric Henderson.
Head coach Lincoln Riley likened the way Nua and Henderson have come together to the way the older and younger players are meshing together.
“It’s one of the closer groups. And I think led very well by coach Nua and coach Henny, and how well those guys work together,” Riley said. “I think it’s a great example for our guys. Two coaches coming together and really kind of becoming as one, and a great example for the unit.”
Devan Thompkins, another veteran of the group, came on strong last year for USC and finished the season with 24 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss, and three pass deflections.
Like Silver, Thompkins has picked up the mentoring mantle, helping younger players at his position like Floyd Boucard and Cash Jacobsen.
“I just want to be a great leader, role model for the younger guys. It was hard for me coming up in their position, so I just want to show them what to do, things like that,” Thompkins said. “I spend a lot of time with them just not here on the field, outside of here as well.”
Thompkins even came up with the idea of an escape room for a bonding event with his teammates.
He wasn’t shy when it came to boasting about his team’s win, either.
“We all talked about it like doing something, but I came up with the escape room idea just because I’ve done it before and I know it takes teamwork and coping with people around you,” Thompkins said. “I don’t know about everybody else, but we did (make it out in time). We won.”
The hope for USC is that the chemistry that’s developing in the defensive line group will translate to productivity on the field.
So far in spring practice, the enthusiasm of the younger players and leadership of the veterans seems to be leading in that direction.
“They’re really out to prove something. I mean, you feel that on our defensive line right now,” Riley said. “The young guys have come in, brought in a lot of energy. These older guys now are some of the guys that have been in the program, have improved and want to step up as leaders and kind of really help push the group forward. So that’s in a really healthy place.”