Thoughts from Tuesday’s practice, through the eyes of USCRipsIt…

– Wideout Damian Williams, out since the Arizona State game with a sprained ankle, returned to practice with a surprisingly strong performance. He took part in a majority of service team work, played significantly more than anticipated and felt “way better than expected,” Coach Carroll said. “Damian really surprised me,” Carroll said. “He got some stuff done today. It’s a big plus for him and he’s really upbeat about it.”

– Tuesday was the defense’s day — and in a big way. During 7-on-7 period, the defense shut down the offense en route to a 14-3 obliteration before storming back to win the final team period, 8-7. The defense captured wins on the day’s final five plays to climb back from a 7-3 deficit and clinch the overall practice victory. “I really like how we were battling all day long,” Carroll said in the post-practice team huddle.

– The one redeeming play for the offense in the lopsided 7-on-7 period happened when wideout Travon Patterson snagged a deep ball while falling backwards to the ground in between defensive backs.

– Offensive lineman Nick Howell continued to make a push for game snaps at guard with another noteworthy effort on Tuesday. “To his credit, he’s battling for playing time at the end of the year,” Carroll said.