A look at five issues as USC opens basketball practice

In the backcourt are two freshmen, a transfer and two seldom-used seniors.

In the frontcourt are two of the Pacific 10 Conference’s best post players.

And on the sideline, USC Coach Kevin O’Neill is planning to retool plenty — namely, a wretched offense — before the season starts Nov. 13 against UC Irvine.

“We’re going to run a lot more motion, probably a few less set plays,” said O’Neill, who was 16-14 in his first season at USC. “We’re really concentrating on turning misses and turnovers into easy baskets.

A look at USC’s five most pressing issues as it begins practice Friday:

Trojans have MoJo

Maurice Jones, a 5-foot-7 freshman, was a scoring dynamo who averaged 30 points last season while snagging Michigan’s Mr. Basketball honors. (O’Neill said Jones also has many wild dunks in his repertoire.)

With Fordham transfer Jio Fontan ineligible until mid-December, Jones will start the season directing USC’s offense and will spearhead its defense. Is MoJo ready? O’Neill thinks so.

“I want him to be very, very aggressive without turning it over or taking a lot of shots,” the coach said. “That’s a lot to ask of a young guy, but I’m convinced he’ll figure it out.”

Score or bore

Last season, the Trojans’ averaged only 59.6 points a game, worst in the Pac-10.

And with Dwight Lewis, Marcus Johnson and Mike Gerrity gone — they combined for 32.7 points per game — scoring responsibilities fall to the Joneses, freshman guards Maurice and Bryce, plus seldom-used seniors Donte Smith and Marcus Simmons.

Without backcourt scoring, USC can expect defenses to double-team post players Alex Stepheson and Nikola Vucevic.

“Our go-to player is probably going to be our inside guys, at least early in the season,” O’Neill said.

Better big man

Stepheson averaged 7.2 rebounds, second in the Pac-10 among returning players behind only teammate Vucevic, who averaged 9.4.

A transfer from North Carolina, Stepheson has the physique of a Greek god, but the 6-foot-9 senior played as stiff as a statue most of last season.

After studying yoga in the off-season, Stepheson appears more flexible and comfortable around the rim, and O’Neill is confident he will be more consistent.

“Alex didn’t have any preseason last year, so he wasn’t really in shape,” O’Neill said. “To me, that’s why he was up and down. He’s much more conditioned. He’s more explosive. I think he’s going to have a great year.”

Post is thin

USC’s rotation could go about 10 deep, but if Stepheson or Vucevic gets into foul trouble, the Trojans have no experienced post players in reserve.

Freshmen forwards Garrett Jackson (6-6) and Curtis Washington (6-9) have potential, but each weighs about 200 pounds and is likely to get knocked around.

That leaves O’Neill relying on his inexperienced backcourt.

“I think you’re only as good as your guards, no matter what league you’re in,” O’Neill said. “They’re going to have to step up.”

Travel-tested

O’Neill said he wants to schedule better opponents at home to help fill the Galen Center, where the average attendance last season was only 5,016.

“It’s a pro town; we have to play good people to get fans to come to our place,” he said.

The Trojans host Texas at the Galen Center on Dec. 5, but most of their stiffest nonconference competition this season comes on the road at Nebraska, Texas Christian, Kansas and Tennessee.

“We’re going to have to find a way to win some of those games and have some momentum going into Pac-10 play,” O’Neill said.

baxter.holmes@latimes.com