Diggs digs early chance to play for USC

Jordan Diggs can cross a goal off his 2012 checklist.

He made his way onto the participation report for last weekend’s 48-10 win over East Carolina.

Diggs, a true freshman, relieved senior DeVonte Holloman at spur and played around 30 snaps in the victory.

“I made a few plays but there are definitely plays where I could have made a big play,” he said. “It was major just to be out there, to be out there and show coaches that I can play in front of that big crowd. That was my main goal.”

Diggs (6-0, 197) has been outspoken about his desire to play as a true freshman, calling it one of his “major goals.” The door to playing time opened more when sophomore Sharrod Golightly was suspended the first three games, leaving Diggs as the only backup at the position.

Seeing the field right away is a dream for most incoming freshmen, but there are many hurdles, linebackers coach Kirk Botkin said.

“It’s always good to be eager and compete,” Botkin said. “It’s hard going from being the star in high school and then coming in here. I compare it a lot of times to a freshman being in high school playing with seniors. That’s really hard. It’s no different when you go to college. These guys have been here four or five years and you’re trying to compete. It’s a different level.”

Freshmen get just as many opportunities as the veterans the first week or two of camp, Botkin said, with Diggs getting his share of reps in August.

The U.S. Army All-American played at Island Coast High School in Cape Coral, Fla. His father Shed Diggs played linebacker for the Gamecocks from 1984 to 1987.

The transition to the college game has especially been a mental adjustment, Diggs said, including learning the playbook and putting it into action on the field.

And there’s a noticeable difference in the players around him: Everybody is good here.

“It’s not like you have guys that aren’t as talented as me,” Diggs said. “Everybody is just as good, if not better. I’m out there working hard every play just to compete.”

Diggs made the trip to Nashville for the Aug. 30 season opener but watched the game from the sidelines. His goal was on hold, at least for 10 days.

“I talked with my mom and she was like, ‘Don’t get discouraged. Just keep working. When they call your number, just be ready,’ ” he recalled. “That’s what kept me pushing. I prayed a lot. I talked with Coach Botkin and kept working hard to be consistent. It would have been easy for me to get down on myself. I just stayed focused and kept working.”

Diggs’ chance came against East Carolina, and he finished with two tackles.

Diggs did well, Botkin said, and his first time in the game wasn’t without a memorable moment.

“If you go out there and watch the very first play he was in, he was all excited and he ran up in there,” Botkin said. “He did his job and the play was going away and he ran over there, and one of the wide receivers came around and cracked him. He came off the field and said, ‘Coach I got cracked, but I liked it! It woke me up and I was ready to go.’ After that he played really good.”

Diggs said he’s continuing to work on his field vision, technique and all the little things that coaches stress.

Golightly returns from a suspension next week and will battle Diggs immediately for the backup role at spur.

“Me and Sharrod are close,” Diggs said. “I ask Sharrod for advice. I’ve been competing with Sharrod just like he’s out there playing for us, like he’s going to suit up every week. I don’t feel it will be different when Sharrod comes back. I’m just going to continue to do work hard and I’ll let Coach take care of the rest of that.”

Diggs is doing everything coaches are asking him to do, Botkin said.

“He’s a good kid, coachable,” he said. “He’s going to be a good player. He’s got a bright future, I’ll tell you that.”

This story was originally published September 14, 2012 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Diggs digs early chance to play for USC."