USC Now mailbag: The offense, UCLA and Bryce Dixon

Time again for some summer reading and the USC Now mailbag. Who is ready for the season already?

If you have any questions about USC football or recruiting, send them to LNThiry@gmail.com or tweet @LindseyThiry and they could appear in a future mailbag.

I was wondering if we will be seeing USC have Cody Kessler run more read-option and designed quarterback runs.

-- Jesse Sullivan

USC quarterback Cody Kessler worked with strength and conditioning coach Ivan Lewis over the winter to improve his speed.

Kessler ran a couple of times during spring practice, when his receivers appeared to be covered.

However, I doubt that USC coaches will rewrite their playbook to include designed runs for Kessler, who has improved his speed but doesn’t look fast.

UCLA has dominated USC the last three years. Do you see this changing this year?

-- Edward Kish Jr.

UCLA defeated USC, 38-20, last season, 35-14 in 2013 and 38-28 in 2012.

I don’t have a crystal ball, but this season the rivalry game should be more competitive -- if only because UCLA graduated quarterback Brett Hundley, who kept the Trojans’ defense off balance the last three years.

USC returns third-year starter Cody Kessler, and the Trojans should bring a new found intensity to this season’s game after they were embarrassed by the Bruins last November.

I am curious, who pays for these kids to attend these camps like the recent one at USC?

-- Diane Bedford

The players who attend the camps must cover all of their own expenses. The university is not allowed to pay for athletes to travel to campus and attend camp, per NCAA rules.

Do we have any idea if Dixon will be readmitted?

--Terry Williams

Former USC tight end Bryce Dixon told The Times in June that he wanted to return to the university. He said he met with school officials to discuss the cancellation of his scholarship and that he would meet with them about the issue again in the coming weeks.