Clay Helton knows USC needs more than just talent

9:03 PM ET

Clay Helton loves having talented players. He just hates hearing about it.

The USC coach went into and came out of his first spring session as a head coach preaching the doctrine that the Trojans cannot survive on talent alone.

“I really wanted to sell these kids in spring that my least favorite word in the English dictionary is ‘talent,’” Helton said. “I’ve heard that we’re a talented bunch for the last six years. I’d much rather have a fundamental, technical, physical, tough football team that is also talented.”

Clay Helton wants the Trojans to rediscover their toughness and physicality. Keith Birmingham/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire

USC’s talent will be put to the test in 2016, when the Trojans face the toughest schedule in the country, according to ESPN’s FPI metrics. And there’s no time for a tune-up. The Trojans open the season Sept. 3 in Arlington, Texas, against Alabama, the defending national champs. Two weeks later, it’s a trip to Stanford to face a Cardinal team that swept the Trojans last season, beating them at the Coliseum and again, 41-22, in the Pac-12 title game.

Those two games in particular are why Helton opted to ditch the music during spring ball. He wanted his players taking “mental reps” while listening to their coaches. It’s why he lined up the offense and defense then threw down the …

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