For USC’s Dillon Baxter, a valuable lesson

USC tailback Dillon Baxter no doubt would have preferred to address a different topic Wednesday when he met with reporters for the first time during training camp.

But the freshman from San Diego said he learned a valuable lesson after Coach Lane Kiffin suspended him from next month’s season opener at Hawaii for violating team rules.

“Just be responsible, do what you need to do and stop acting like a knucklehead and everything should be fine,” Baxter said.

Kiffin announced Baxter’s suspension last week, a day after USC’s Department of Public Safety filed an incident report about an unnamed student “violating team curfew” and “being under the influence of a controlled substance,” at the campus dormitory where Trojans players were housed during the first two weeks of training camp. The student was cited to USC’s judicial affairs office.

A source with knowledge of the situation said the unnamed student was Baxter. The source, who requested anonymity for lack of authorization to speak publicly about the matter, said officers smelled marijuana in the dormitory.

Kiffin said Baxter’s suspension was for an accumulation of unspecified incidents that have occurred since the former San Diego Mission Bay High star arrived in January.

“I’ve done a couple things, and things happen, and I made a mistake,” Baxter said. “But I’m going to move on from here on out.”

Kiffin is reserving judgment.

“His actions will speak a lot louder than his words, so we’ll see,” Kiffin said.

Kiffin said he was leaning toward leaving Baxter at home when the Trojans travel to Honolulu so that the freshman could concentrate on school and avoid having television cameras trained on him on the sideline.

Baxter said the media attention generated by his suspension has taught him that “it’s not like high school.”

“I’m starting to realize the whole picture,” he said. “I’ve just got to be smart with the things I do and realize that I’m under a microscope and [I’ve] just got to be a leader, do the right things.”

Barring injury, Baxter will make his debut Sept. 11 at the Coliseum against Virginia.

“I’m excited for the first home game back, playing Virginia in front of all the home fans,” he said.

Tight race

Jordan Cameron has impressed and Blake Ayles also has shown flashes, but of the six tight ends on the roster, Kiffin said junior Rhett Ellison was the only one currently capable of doing “everything that we need a tight end to do.”

“All the other guys have deficiencies right now and so we’re not in position where we feel very comfortable with any of those guys being an every-down player for us,” Kiffin said. “We’re excited about the prospects of guys but they need to become complete players.”

Quick hits

USC’s search for a starting left guard has been hampered by multiple injuries. Butch Lewis, who started six games at the spot last season, has not practiced because of a groin strain. Khaled Holmes sat out Wednesday because of neck soreness, Zack Heberer is recovering from a concussion and Michael Reardon appears to be playing through a hip strain. Redshirt freshman Kevin Graf worked at guard during spring practice but has mostly played left tackle. Graf sat out because of a shoulder strain…. The Trojans will not practice or work out in the weight room Thursday. They will practice Friday and scrimmage Saturday, though Kiffin said they might not tackle in the scrimmage to avoid more injuries.

gary.klein@latimes.com