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USC’s spring practice is done and football is officially over until the first week of August, so we’re going over the five biggest things we learned this spring.

We went over De’Von Flournoy‘s surprise spring Monday, defensive back depth on Tuesday and offensive tackle struggles on Wednesday. Our fourth thing is this: The USC Trojans defense is being built to better stop the spread.

They are subtle switches, but they're switches all the same.

Monte Kiffin is slowly but surely molding his USC defense into a more spread-friendly unit, we saw this spring. Essentially, the Trojans are adjusting to the rest of the Pac-12 in emphasizing speed more than ever, and it makes sense.

Evidence: All the experiments USC conducted this spring were tilted in one direction: Seeing if smaller players will fit at bigger positions, like trying safety Tony Burnett on the strong side of the linebacking corps and trying defensive end Greg Townsend Jr. on the inside of the defensive line.

We saw some of this last year, too. Based on the perspective the Trojans demonstrated in Lane Kiffin's first season at the helm of the program in 2010, they never would have tried out safety Dion Bailey at linebacker. But that spring experiment worked out well, and it worked even better in the fall when USC realized they could keep Bailey and fellow outside linebacker Hayes Pullard on the field in second- and third-down situations and not get completely exposed.

A lot of the struggles the Trojans had in 2010 were related to that. They used Devon Kennard as a middle linebacker, not his natural defensive-end slot, and they weren't quick enough to defend Oregon for four full quarters. Heck, they arguably weren't even quick enough to stop Arizona.

But they were last season. And they should be again in 2012, with basically every player across the entire defense on the smaller size, weight-wise. Wes Horton and George Uko might be the only USC defenders with prototypical frames for their positions.

Another potential get-small move for the future is putting incoming freshman Leonard Williams at defensive tackle. He's a nice-sized defensive end, but he could be a workable three-technique tackle, which is one of the Trojans' biggest needs behind Uko.

The Kiffins have demonstrated creativity with assembling their defense of late, and there's no reason to think they won't continue to this fall and beyond.

Check back Friday for our final thing we learned this spring.

USC already has its starting defensive ends identified in Devon Kennard and Wes Horton, and its top three tackles organized too.

But that's not enough. The Trojans need more linemen capable of logging 10-20 snaps a game to provide breathers for the starters. Who will back those five guys up against the fast-paced offenses of the Pac-12?

"That's the big question," USC defensive line coach Ed Orgeron said last week.

Orgeron has dedicated this spring to cultivating some playable backups for the 2012 season. And as of right now, he says, he has four potential players: redshirt freshman Greg Townsend Jr., junior Morgan Breslin, redshirt junior Kevin Greene and incoming freshman Leonard Williams.

Realistically, those four are competing -- or will be competing, in Williams' case -- for two slots behind Kennard and Horton.

"There's gonna be a third and a fourth end," Orgeron said on Saturday after the Trojans' scrimmage at the Coliseum. "But there is a big difference between the first team and the second team right now.

"Those guys have to rise and I have to do a better job of coaching them to get ready."

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USC defensive tackle Cody Temple is out for the rest of the Trojans' spring practice schedule after undergoing surgery on his right ankle over the weekend, Lane Kiffin announced Tuesday.

Temple, a redshirt freshman who moved over to defense from the offensive line in the winter, had been bothered by the ankle for some time but tried to practice through it for USC's first two weeks of spring practice.

The Trojans expect him back by August, meaning he should be able to take part in fall camp.

Kiffin said the 6-foot-3, 280-pound Temple was proving to be "strong on the point of attack" before the injury and "kind of a run-plugger." He had been playing on the second-team line behind George Uko and J.R. Tavai.

"He was doing well," Kiffin said.

Here are some notes that didn't make it into our other coverage from Saturday's scrimmage, the Trojans' first visit to the Coliseum since last November's 50-0 win over UCLA:

• USC had only two scholarship receivers and tight ends available on the field Saturday because of injuries, so De'Von Flournoy and Victor Blackwell got plenty of chances to show off to the coaching staff. Coach Lane Kiffin indicated that Flournoy, now a redshirt junior, was more impressive than Blackwell. Walk-on fullback Hunter Simmons took most of the snaps at tight end with everyone else out.

• So the track Trojans got mixed up a little bit. Nickell Robey, Marqise Lee and Tony Burnett had all planned to participate in the Trojan Invitational track meet on campus, but only Lee and Burnett ended up doing it. Kiffin convinced Robey that he needed to practice special-teams skills, so the junior cornerback skipped his long-jumping event, which Lee actually won. Burnett did the long jump on campus and then tried to golf-cart over to the Coliseum so he could participate in the latter half of practice but was turned down because of NCAA regulations governing two-sport athletes.

• Defensive tackle George Uko was "dominant" on Saturday, according to Kiffin, wrapping up a big week for the redshirt sophomore. He found out two weeks ago Saturday that he had been demoted to the second team and since then he has been the best player in USC's front seven and arguably the best player on the Trojans' entire defense.

• Injury report: Tight ends Xavier Grimble (toe) and Randall Telfer (hamstring), quarterback Jesse Scroggins (hip), running back Buck Allen (hamstring), center Khaled Holmes (calf) and receiver George Farmer (hamstring) all missed practice, and linebacker Dion Bailey (hamstring) missed almost all of it. Fullback Soma Vainuku hurt his back in individual drills and missed all of the scrimmage portion of the day.

• Final notes: USC resumes practice on Tuesday at Howard Jones Field. ... As Kiffin said he would, Matt Barkley did limited work and backups Cody Kessler and Max Wittek took the majority of snaps. ... Robey, D.J. Morgan and Curtis McNeal all practiced punt returning during individual drills.

Defensive tackle George Uko had a good first week of spring practice earlier this month. Then, during the mini-scrimmage that Saturday, USC coaches Lane Kiffin and Ed Orgeron noticed him taking occasional plays off on the defensive unit and decided to take action.

They left him a letter in the locker room telling him he'd been demoted to the second team for the next week of practices -- an obvious shock to Uko. But he came in Tuesday after a nine-day break and got himself promoted right back to the first team, showing the kind of domination that has long made him such an attractive prospect.

Put it this way: If Uko's not one of USC's most known players come the end of the 2012 season, something will have gone wrong. He has that potential. And he has the necessary approach -- the pure honesty and actual reflectiveness -- to fulfill his athletic potential.

"I knew what I was doing," he said Thursday, asked about the temporary demotion and how it came about. "It was on film. It wasn't like (the coaches) shocked me or anything. We have cameras here and they film.

"We watch the film and you know what you do. It's just reality."

Uko said he wasn't upset at the letter -- he was upset at himself.

"I was like, 'OK, I'm not gonna fight it, I'm not gonna argue it," he said. "I'm just gonna come out and work."

Here are the words Kiffin used to describe him on Thursday: "powerful", "quick," and "explosive." Here are the phrases: "He can run long," "He can play the run," and "He can rush the passer."

"He really responded," Kiffin said.

Of course, the Trojans are counting on Uko to lead the interior of the defensive line this season. With J.R. Tavai and Antwaun Woods battling for snaps at nose tackle, it'll be Uko manning the under tackle spot most of the time.

And that should be just fine.

"He’s a perfect 3-technique," Kiffin said. "The sky’s the limit for him."

A few notes that won't make it into our other coverage from Thursday's session:

• USC coach Lane Kiffin spotlighted safety T.J. McDonald for his improved play in the second week of the spring and also said defensive tackle George Uko has practiced well aside from an effort slip-up during the Trojans' first scrimmage. We'll have more on Uko's situation on Friday.

• Cornerback Nickell Robey, receiver Marqise Lee and defensive back Tony Burnett will participate in Saturday's Trojan Invitational track meet instead of scrimmaging with the USC team at the Coliseum. Running back D.J. Morgan, the other football-track participant this spring, will scrimmage instead of sprint. We'll have more on the foursome and their decisions on Friday.

• Defensive back Josh Shaw, a Florida transfer, said he will not practice for the rest of spring with a rib injury he suffered with the Gators. He participated in winter workouts for the Trojans earlier this year but had the situation flare up over the last few weeks, he said. Shaw also still awaits ruling from the NCAA on whether or not he'll be able to play this season with a hardship waiver.

• Injury report: Outside of the four Trojans sidelined with hamstring injuries, tight end Xavier Grimble (toe) and center Khaled Holmes (calf) also sat out of practice. Linebacker Marquis Simmons (shoulder) was very limited and quarterback Jesse Scroggins was limited with a hip injury. Safety Drew McAllister, who left Tuesday's practice early with a hand injury, practiced with a cast on his hand.

• Final notes: USC will scrimmage at 11 a.m. on Saturday in the Coliseum, the first time the Trojans will go back to the stadium as a team since November's 50-0 season-ending win over UCLA...Kiffin said quarterback Matt Barkley "won't play a lot" in the scrimmage, giving way primarily to backup candidates Cody Kessler and Max Wittek...Tight end Junior Pomee missed his second consecutive practice with a death in the family but could be back for Saturday's scrimmage.

A few notes from Tuesday's practice that won't make it into our other posts from the session:

• Offensive tackles Kevin Graf and Aundrey Walker switched sides, with Walker working on the left and Graf working on the right for the first time this spring. For the first week, Graf stayed on the left and Walker stayed on the right, but Trojans coach Lane Kiffin said he felt it was time to try out the other way. We'll have more on this move Wednesday.

• Injury updates: Center Khaled Holmes (calf), tight end Xavier Grimble (toe), running back Buck Allen (hamstring) and receiver George Farmer again missed practice after all missing the Saturday session before the break. We'll have more on Farmer later Tuesday.

• Defensive back Josh Shaw (rib), a transfer from Florida, has not yet practiced this spring as he awaits word from the NCAA on his request for a hardship waiver to play this season, but Kiffin said the reason he's staying off the field is the rib injury, not his status with the NCAA.

• Two players also went down with injuries during practice and were due to undergo tests afterward: safety Drew McAllister and linebacker Marquis Simmons. Simmons, who has had neck issues in the past, stood on the sideline with ice on shoulder for the second half of practice; McAllister hurt his hand and did not return.

• Players who impressed Kiffin over the first week of practice after he re-watched the film over the break: defensive tackle George Uko, receivers Marqise Lee and Farmer, linebacker Hayes Pullard and cornerbacks Isiah Wiley and Brian Baucham.

• Final notes: Kiffin said the Trojans had no off-field issues over the spring break, as far as he knew. The team took a week off before returning to meetings and conditioning on Monday...Tight end Junior Pomee missed practice because of a death in the family, Kiffin said...Lee and cornerbacks Nickell Robey and Tony Burnett are expected to participate in USC's Trojan Invitational track meet on Saturday morning before going to the Coliseum for the Trojans' 11 a.m. scrimmage.

USC’s out on spring break this week and not practicing, but each weekday through Friday, we’ll bring you one thing we learned from the first three days of practice last week and what it might mean for the future.

Our first item covered Marqise Lee‘s continued progress, our second the new-look Aundrey Walker and third the situation at backup QB.

Fourth is this: All options will be explored in the interior of the defensive line.

It doesn't necessarily reflect the talent levels of the players who created them, but USC's biggest hole this offseason -- by far -- is at nose tackle.

Nick Perry had a natural replacement, as did DaJohn Harris in George Uko. Matt Kalil had a qualified candidate to replace him at left tackle, too, in Kevin Graf.

But Christian Tupou's spot? The natural person to step in would be J.R. Tavai, but it's clear he's not being looked at as an every-down option. Then there's Antwaun Woods, whose playing time seems to largely depend on his physical condition.

So what next? Ed Orgeron and the Trojans are looking every which way for potential options to fill the hole created by Tupou's departure. Defensive end Wes Horton worked out at tackle last season, but Orgeron said last week that was a failed experiment and will no longer be tried.

Now, defensive end Greg Townsend Jr. is getting time at the three-technique, which could presumably push Uko to nose if it works out. Redshirt freshman Christian Heyward is sitting out the spring after undergoing shoulder surgery, but he'll get a long look come fall camp to determine if he can contribute 20 or snaps a game.

One thing is clear: The nose tackle spot is going to be USC's biggest 2012 weakness, unless someone unexpectedly emerges. Tupou wasn't a high-profile contributor, but he rarely made mistakes and he was consistently on the field when healthy.

The Trojans could use a similar player this season, since Uko, Horton and Devon Kennard -- the other starting defensive linemen -- have the ability to produce enough quarterback pressure on their own.

Check back later Friday for the fifth and final thing we learned from the spring.

Notes from Saturday's practice and scrimmage that couldn't fit into our other coverage off the session:

• USC coach Lane Kiffin said the defense dominated the day on Saturday, and it was clear. The Trojans' offense scored just two touchdowns on 56 total plays in 11-on-11 scrimmaging, with those two scores coming from Marqise Lee and De'Von Flournoy.

• Backup quarterback Jesse Scroggins spent almost the entire practice doing rollovers on the field. Kiffin said he "missed something" earlier in the week. Scroggins has made almost no progress this spring and is already falling behind Max Wittek and Cody Kessler in the race to back up Matt Barkley.

• Injury report: Receiver Robert Woods (ankle) is still out, as is fellow pass-catcher George Farmer (hamstring) and several other players who are out for the entire spring. New injuries Saturday included hamstring pulls for running back Buck Allen and linebacker Dion Bailey, as well as a calf strain for center Khaled Holmes, which pushed Abe Markowitz into the first-string lineup.

• Big hits were provided by linebacker Tre Madden on running back D.J. Morgan, cornerback Isiah Wiley on running back Curtis McNeal and fullback Soma Vainuku on defensive end Morgan Breslin. Madden's was probably the biggest of the day -- or at least the loudest. Morgan held onto the ball; McNeal didn't.

• Defensive end Wes Horton had an impressive interception on a ball that appeared to be tipped by defensive tackle George Uko. Cornerback Nickell Robey earned MVP honors from Kiffin after forcing a fumble from Morgan on the final play of 11-on-11 scrimmaging.

• Final notes: 2012 signee Jabari Ruffin (Downey, Calif./Downey) was in attendance at practice along with a number of 2013 signees. ... There were more family members, recruits and media in attendance than had been at Howard Jones Field in at least two years. ... Greg Townsend Jr. continued to work at defensive tackle and looked more comfortable Saturday than the first two practices.

USC defensive coordinator Ed Orgeron and head coach Lane Kiffin both compared a current USC defensive linemen to former Trojans defensive tackle Mike Patterson on Thursday, but they were different players.

Orgeron said sophomore J.R. Tavai resembled Patterson in his ability to play nose tackle despite his light weight; Kiffin said redshirt freshman Antwaun Woods resembled him because of his precipitous weight loss since arriving on campus last August.

The funny thing: Tavai and Woods are competing against each other this spring for the only truly open starting spot on the USC team. Every other position everywhere else has either a returning starter or a clear-cut leader. Nose guard is totally up for grabs between Tavai and Woods with Christian Tupou graduating and pursuing an NFL career.

They're totally different, too. Tavai is the over-achieving type, a 6-2, 271-pounder who doesn't show a ton of physical potential but proved enough to get on the field as a true freshman last season. Woods has been an underachiever thus far, seriously underwhelming the USC coaches in fall camp last year when he showed up weighing 340 pounds on his 6-1 frame.

More than likely, the two are going to split time at nose tackle in 2012. If both players can't be counted on to play at least 20 or 30 snaps a game this season, USC's defensive line is going to be in trouble. Former defensive end Greg Townsend Jr. has been working at tackle so far this spring and former offensive guard Cody Temple is too, but there are no other healthy defensive tackles on the roster besides George Uko, will start at three-technique.

Patterson, of course, was a stout 6-foot, 290-pound tackle who found success at nose guard at USC after coming in weighing considerably more than that. Orgeron fell in love with Patterson's potential as a high-schooler and convinced then-coach Pete Carroll he could turn into something.

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We’re doing position-by-position previews in the weeks leading up to spring practice, breaking down the depth chart for one position group each day, paying special attention to things that can change in the spring.

We’ve looked at the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen so far. Today, we analyze the defensive linemen.

Lane Kiffin always said former USC defensive end Nick Perry was a unique athlete.

Everyone else finally saw the same thing at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last weekend. Now the tough part comes, though: The Trojans have to replace him and the pass-rush presence he provided on the defensive line the last three seasons.

There isn't another returner on the line who has proven capable and consistent as a pass-rusher. Wes Horton has been effective in stretches and George Uko has shown flashes, but that's about it. Devon Kennard has struggled to get to the quarterback and the other projected starter, nose guard J.R. Tavai, doesn't even try to get there much.

Where will the sacks come from? That's part of what this spring will help figure out.

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USC's Cody Temple was all set to commit to Nevada as a defensive tackle back in November 2010, planning to call the Wolf Pack after school one day at Liberty High in Bakersfield and inform them of his plans.

Then his father picked him up and told him he had a phone call to make. And so he did, and found USC associate head coach John Baxter on the other end of the line. On the other end, in Los Angeles, Baxter soon passed the phone to Lane Kiffin, who offered the 6-2, 280-pounder a scholarship as an offensive lineman.

Temple, raised a USC fan, accepted immediately, signed in February of last year and served quietly on the scout-team interior offensive line throughout the 2011 season while using his redshirt year.

Then, Thursday, Kiffin called Temple into his upstairs office at Heritage Hall. He and Ed Orgeron had talked, Kiffin told Temple, and they decided that they wanted him on the defensive line again. There was less depth there than there was on the O-line, Kiffin said, so it made more sense for the team and the player.

Temple obliged, again immediately, beginning his new adventure in a Thursday conditioning session with his teammates as members of the USC coaching staff observed.

"It doesn't really matter where they put me," Temple said afterward. "Whether I was offense or defense I was gonna make sure I was on the field one way or another."

With Temple as a center/guard, there would have been 15 offensive linemen on the USC roster for five starting spots compared to four defensive tackles for two starting spots. The move makes sense, and he realizes that.

He'll compete with Antwaun Woods and J.R. Tavai for time at nose guard while Christian Heyward backs up George Uko at the three-technique.

"We were looking at nose guard because it looks a little bit light and seeing what I can do to help out," Temple said. "We discussed it -- getting on the field the earliest I could and helping out the guys."

Here are five more USC-centric observations from National Signing Day, focusing on what they will mean for the future of the Trojans. Later, we'll have a post on some news and notes Lane Kiffin revealed in his signing day press conference.

1. The star(s)

Most recruiting classes have one or two players who are recognizable names, often top-recruited quarterbacks or skill-position players from the area.

But the two most exciting players -- defensive end Leonard Williams and receiver Nelson Agholor, both from Florida -- in the Trojans' 2012 class don't fit either of those bills.

Williams' decision to choose USC didn't attract a ton of national attention, but it's clear the Trojans were both surprised and delighted at his choice. Kiffin credited defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron for sealing Williams' signature from out-of-state.

The 6-5, 270-pounder spent high school on the East coast of Florida, but he hails from L.A. and attended a camp at USC last summer. That's where USC's interest stemmed from.

Agholor is an interesting combination as an elite athletic prospect and a superb character guy. His high-school highlight film is prodigious; his press-conference performance Wednesday morning when he picked the Trojans earned him some positive attention.

Kiffin said Agholor will primarily play receiver at USC but could occasionally log some time at running back.

2. Depth issues at two spots

We wrote about the offensive line on signing day and how USC wanted to get one more lineman in the fold, but the truth is there were two other positions where the Trojans needed players more desperately than they did on the O-line.

Those spots? Defensive tackle and running back. The Trojans have only four scholarship tackles on the roster, and two of them have never played in a college game. The other two, J.R. Tavai and George Uko, have played but started a combined one game.

At running back, USC has three scholarship players and only two with any experience in Curtis McNeal and D.J. Morgan.

Kiffin didn't shy away from saying Wednesday that the Trojans were worried about their depth in the backfield. But, he emphasized, they chose being worried about depth over taking a prospect of questionable character or talent.

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It's unusual for the first practice after a large-margin victory, but the Trojans were missing quite a few starters and key reserves during Tuesday's session.

Safety Demetrius Wright (undisclosed) and defensive tackles DaJohn Harris (ankle) and Christian Tupou (knee) were out, and safety Jawanza Starling (rib), left tackle Matt Kalil (neck) and linebacker Simione Vehikite (neck) were very limited. Receiver Robert Woods (ankle) was also limited, sporting a yellow no-contact jersey once again.

"Unfortunately we had a lot of guys banged up today, even though it was a short game for us for the most part, meaning that our ones didn't have a lot of reps," Trojans coach Lane Kiffin said after practice.

All seven of those players suited up Saturday against Washington, with five fulfilling their traditional roles. Harris didn't start and was replaced by freshman George Uko; Woods started but was thrown to fewer times than he had been in any other game this season.

The weird part about the injury list: For most of the players, Saturday's game was the lightest load they experienced all season. USC was up 23-3 by halftime and Kiffin started transitioning in some backups in the third quarter.

"A surprisingly large amount of injuries for a game like that where we had a bunch of our guys only play 30-35 snaps," Kiffin said. "So hopefully we get them all back, we'll need them all for a very challenging week.

By very challenging, Kiffin is of course referencing the fourth-ranked Oregon Ducks, whom the Trojans will face on Saturday in Eugene.

USC expects most -- if not all -- of the seven guys to play against the Ducks. The players least likely to suit up are probably Vehikite and Harris.

LOS ANGELES -- We're just about set to go here at the Coliseum for the Trojans' 12:45 p.m. PT game against Washington. Here are a couple of last-minute things worthy of an update before kickoff:

• Defensive tackle DaJohn Harris, who sat out most of practice this week with an unspecified ankle injury, was participating in pregame warmups with his teammates, but he will not start Saturday. Harris' presence will be key against a Washington team that's carried by its run game, but redshirt freshman George Uko will make his first career start under tackle in his place. If Harris can't come in as a reserve, true freshman J.R. Tavai would back up Uko and nose tackle Christian Tupou.

• Also warming up with his teammates was freshman running back George Farmer, who has missed the last two weeks with a sprained ankle. Farmer made news this week by announcing he'd prefer to play receiver over running back, but he's only going to play running back the rest of the year. It'll be interesting, then, to see how much he plays this week now that he's healthy.

• Compared to the crowd last time USC played at the Coliseum, two weeks ago against Stanford, there were very few non-stands in the crowd as of half an hour before kickoff. Game-time temperature is projected to be 62 degrees, with a 35 percent chance of rain throughout the game, according to Weather.com.

• Former USC defensive end Kenechi Udeze is now working as an assistant strength coach for Washington. He and Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian made the rounds on the field pregame, visiting with a number of long-tenured USC staff members. Udeze played in the NFL for four seasons after being drafted in the first round out of USC in 2004 but was forced to retire in 2008 when diagnosed with leukemia. He has since beat the disease and is now in remission.