USC football: Max Tuerk starts spring practice at center
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Max Tuerk has started games for USC at offensive tackle and guard.
The junior could be on track to start the 2014 season at center.
With Marcus Martin entering the NFL draft, new Coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff have turned to Tuerk to fill the void.
On Tuesday, USC’s first day of spring practice, Tuerk worked with the first-team offense at center.
“Whatever the team needs,” Tuerk said.
Tuerk worked at center in the spring of 2013, but he said the length of his arms made it difficult for quarterbacks to receive consistently good snaps under center.
Sarkisian is installing a fast-paced, no-huddle offense that is almost exclusively run out of the shotgun formation.
“For Day 1, we didn’t snap any over the quarterback’s head,” Sarkisian said. “So knock on wood, and there were no grounders. That was the first thing I was concerned about.”
Sarkisian said Tuerk could play three positions and that the offensive line would evolve.
“It is comforting to know that you have an experienced player at center when you’re operating at this pace,” Sarkisian said.
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