Not every Trojans quarterback can say they are in an elite club. Last week Trojans quarterback, TJ Milk, found himself among the top 10 passing quarterbacks in the league. In three games, Milk is 38/63 with 486-yards passing.
This didn’t surprise Trojans Coach Joe Clayton. “The play action pass game is set up well with the offense we run. TJ works very hard and is extremely dedicated to being the best he can be,” the coach said.
In the past year, Milk said he has learned to be patient with the pass.
“I think I have learned to slow my passing game down to where everything doesn’t happen so fast. I can go through my progressions a lot better. I have done that way better than I did last year,” Milk said.
When asked if he thought he was a better pocket passer or a better thrower on the run, he replied, “I have gotten better throwing on the run. I actually feel comfortable doing both. This year every time I have rolled out I have been pretty successful. It has been nice to do both.”
On his four interceptions at Mojave he said, “I wish I had some of those back. honestly one was unlucky and another I just threw a bad ball. Then the other two I forced. I tell myself after an interception to forget the play. I know the more I think about it the worse I will play.”
Milk feels blessed that the Trojans have so many threats in the passing game. Jeremiah England, the six-foot-four tight end has at least one or two big catches a game. Deon Estes is another wide receiver who tears up the field once he gets the ball.
“The fact that the receivers have been tall has been great. It has helped me a lot and has given me two receivers that I can look to that are both 6 foot and above. They are big and both like college players. It is definitely nice to be able to look for more than one person. If one is covered I can always look to the next guy,” Milk said.
In addition to being a strong passer, the Trojans rely on Milk’s ability to be a mobile quarterback.
“I feel like my running threat is definitely there. I really have not shown it at all this year. I feel I can and it just has not come out yet,” Milk told the PVT.
Milk is confident that the Trojans can play at any level. “I think we can compete against any team and if we play to our best ability we can compete with anybody. We have so much potential and I would hate to see it wasted,” Milk said.
Milk and company travel on Saturday this week to Las Vegas to take on the Clark Chargers at 7 p.m.