SoCal Sports Hub » NCAA

UCLA closes the gap, LA is the Recruiting Capital of the World

Josh — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:03:34 +0000

Both USC and UCLA had absolutely excellent recruiting off seasons, UCLA finished at #12 (ESPN), #7 (Scout) and #8 (Rivals); topping the Trojans once. With USC at #10 (ESPN), #7 (Scout), and #2 (Rivals); it is the closest the two teams have been for over a decade. You can still say that USC has the edge, but UCLA has obviously caught up to the Trojans in these past two years.

UCLA has 24 commits, I’ve emphasized my personal favorites: (from UCLA’s official site)

Name	Pos.	High School	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
Anthony Barr	ATH	Loyola	6-4	225	Los Angeles, CA
Derrick Bryant	DL	Brookhaven	6-5	240	Columbus, OH
Sealii Epenesa	DL	Iolani	6-2	300	Honolulu, HI
Wesley Flowers	DL	Edison	6-5	253	Fresno, CA
Kody Innes	OL	Saguaro	6-5	273	Scottsdale, AZ
Jordon James	RB	Corona	5-10	190	Corona, CA
Anthony Jefferson	DB	Cathedral	6-2	180	Los Angeles, CA
Malcolm Jones	RB	Oaks Christian	6-1	220	Westlake Vilage, CA
Eric Kendricks	LB	Hoover	6-1	213	Fresno, CA
Cassius Marsh	DL	Oaks Christian	6-4	270	Westlake Village, CA
Tevin McDonald	DB	Edison	5-11	180	Fresno, CA
Owamagbe Odighizuwa	DL	Douglas	6-4	240	Portland, OR
Aremide Olaniyan	LB	Woodberry Forest	6-2	200	Woodberry Forest, VA
Paul Richardson	WR	Serra	6-1	175	Gardena, CA
Shaquille Richardson	DB	Los Alamitos	6-0	175	Los Alamitos, CA
Dietrich Riley	ATH	St. Francis	6-1	195	La Cañada, CA
Josh Shirley	ATH	Kaiser	6-3	220	Fontana, CA
Kip Smith	K	Legacy	6-1	205	Broomfield, CO
Chris Ward	OL	Mater Dei	6-5	300	Santa Ana, CA
Wade Yandall	OL	Carson	6-4	300	Carson, CA
John Young	TE	Loyola	6-4	250	Los Angeles, CA
Jordan Zumwalt	LB	Edison	6-4	217	Huntington Beach, CA

This day was basically one of the best in recent history for anyone who even roots for UCLA. With 24 signees, the class has evolved into one of those “Landmark” types of classes. Of course, it all got going with the signing of Edison Line Backer, Jordan Zumwalt. Zumwalt initially signed with Stanford, but Harbaugh didn’t make sure he had Jordan locked down, and he slipped into Westwood.

However, the biggest sign for the Bruins today was Owamagbe Odighizuwa, the 5 Star D-Lineman is one of those guys who is predicted to immediately make an impact on the team, and in a place where UCLA is very, very thin.

That’s all I’ve got for now, but stick around as the information is finalized.

Laying the Foundation: USC Football Recruiting in 2009-10 (what We Know)

Rick McMahan — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:55:58 +0000

With national signing day less than 24 hours away, it is time to take stock of the Trojans prospect for fielding a quality class of recruits for the 2009-2010 high school football season.

The loss of Pete Carroll as head coach of the Trojans has affected this years class but not to the extent that it was feared prior to the announcement of Lane Kiffin as the new head man of USC.

In fact, now that Kiffin has taken over for Carroll, the Trojans find themselves squarely in the sights of several highly rated prospects who were not seriously considering the Trojans just three weeks ago.

Demar Dorsey, who recently backed off of his verbal commitment to Florida and was part of the ten recruits who visited the Trojans this past weekend, now has USC high on his list although Florida State will be hard to overtake for the services of this talented athlete.

Chaz Green, the mammoth offensive lineman from Tampa, Fl. was also a last minute push of the Trojans and was heavily recruited by Kiffin when he was at Tennessee. The Trojans and Florida will vie for this talented prep player. Green goes to the top of the Trojan wish list if Seantrel Henderson opts for someone other than USC.

Nickel Robey, the very talented corner back from Georgia also was part of this last weekends troop of visitors and rated his trip to the land of the Trojans as a “10.” Robey said that the trip was motivated by the hiring of Kiffin, whom he said he could ” definitely see playing for.”

These are just some of the talented prep players that the Trojans might find playing for them in the coming years.

What we do know now is that two of those verbal commitments prior to the departure of Carroll now are no longer considering USC and have placed their pledges to other schools.

Brice Schwab, the talented and massive junior college offensive lineman from Mt. Palomar in California now has Arizona State listed as the school he will sign with tomorrow. Schwab will come in and vie for a starting position with the Sun Devils immediately and his defection will be a sore spot for the Trojans who need depth at the position.

The other known defection is Matt Darr, the #1 prep punter in the nation. Darr notified the Trojans that he will now sign with Fresno State and that the departure of Pete Carroll was main reason for his dropping USC.

What we also know is that Giovani Di Paolo, the highly rated offensive lineman from St. Bonaventure high school in Ventura, Ca., is no longer a “lock” for the Trojans who will now compete with UCLA for his services.

This comes as sort of a surprise due to the fact that Di Paolo lobbied for months for an offer from the Trojans whom he called his “dream school.”

Apparently Pete Carroll was a large part of those “dreams.”

So with the drama of tomorrow’s signing date looming large in the rear view mirror, the questions building for days and weeks will finally be answered.

Given the timing of Pete Carroll’s departure, the Trojans probably could not ask for a better situation than they received when Lane Kiffin accepted the USC offer to become their new head coach.

Kiffin, along with his father Monte and recruiting head man Ed Orgeron, has and will continue to do a masterful job at luring both regional and national talent to the Trojans.

The pipeline of prep talent will continue to flow into the southland for the Trojans who, in the long run, may find themselves better off with Carroll now residing in Seattle.

I expect the annual question of when Pete Carroll will leave for the NFL will not be part of the off season verbiage now that Lane Kiffin is the head man for USC.

Who knows how many recruits opted for other schools due to questions of when Pete Carroll will leave USC for greener pastures?

What we do know is that this question is no longer part of the equation for Lane Kiffin and the USC Trojans.

We also know that tomorrow will begin the true start of the Lane Kiffin era and that Trojan nation waits with fingers crossed in hopes of another highly regarded recruiting class.

How that class shapes up remains to be seen but given the circumstances, USC could not ask for a better situation.

February 3 will answer a lot of questions but should not be seen as the true indication of how Lane Kiffin will fare at bringing prep talent to USC.

Those questions will be better served by the signing class of 2010-2011 for the Trojans.

But tomorrow will be a nice lead in for that class and Lane Kiffin hopes for the best.

So does Trojan nation.

UCLA Women’s Gymnastics: Westwood’s Best Kept Secret

Derek Hart — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:49:26 +0000

Recently I visited the house that John Wooden built, UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, as I’ve done several times a year for the past few years.

However, it was not to watch a basketball game – shockingly enough, considering that with its 11 national championships, hoops are to Bruins the way football is to crosstown enemy USC – iconic in UCLA lore.

And although it has won 19 NCAA titles of its own and has a coach in Al Scates who’s a legend in his own right, I wasn’t at Pauley Pavilion to see the volleyball team, either.

The team I was going to see, compared to football and basketball, is a tad under the radar in the grand scheme of college sports, though it has grown immensely over the past decade.

Compared to March Madness and the BCS, this sport doesn’t get quite as much mainstream attention, not even compared to the Women’s Basketball Final Four.

Which is most unfortunate, because these are some of the best athletes one will ever see, young ladies who rarely stand 5′6″ but can do things that Tim Tebow can only dream about.

For instance, ever tried to just stand on a four-inch wide piece of wood that’s four feet off the ground?

Ever tried to swing from one bar to another when they’re not the same height? Or do crazy tricks while jumping over a padded vault or running around a large mat?

These ladies I was going to see can run, jump, spin, twist, and dance on all those things, and do them very well. The routines they can do are so mind boggling and gravity-defying, it could easy debilitate the average jock.

I’m taking about a sport that has been one of the most successful programs at UCLA this century – the women’s gymnastics team.

Led by the dynamic Valorie Kondos Field, who’s been the head coach since 1991, the Bruin gymnasts have been nothing short of incredible in winning five NCAA championships, including four in a five-year span from 2000-2004.

Only Georgia, with ten titles, and Utah, with nine, have won more.

Many outstanding gymnasts have donned the blue leotard in Kondos Field’s tenure, including Olympians such as Yvonne Tousek and Kate Richardson from Canada, and a whole slew of Americans led by Jamie Dantzscher, Kristen Maloney, Tasha Schwikert and Mohini Bhardwaj, who was a silver medalist at the Athens Games.

The fact that these Bruins are either the first or second reanked academic team on campus every year is another big selling point. This program has been loaded with Academic All-Americans over the years, and continues to be.

Indeed, these are real student-athletes, which in the era of football players getting arrested or being ineligible due to bad grades and basketball players going the one-and-done route, is a refreshing relief.

And very nice to see; I only wish my grades approached these gymnasts’ when I was a UCLA student.

As for this year, the Bruins have perhaps their best chance at winning an NCAA title in several years.

Anna Li is the lone senior among the bunch and a five time All-American who, along with floor exercise All-American Brittani McCullough, is the leader of a team that has been ranked number one this season, and is always near the top of the polls.

Vanessa Zamarripa and Canadian Olympian/World medalist Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs deserve mention for their impressive performances. Zamarripa collected three perfect 10s on vault, finishing third in the all around during last year’s NCAA Championships, and has picked up where she left off this season. Hopfner-Hibbs was equally outstanding in winning the Pac-10 Conference Freshman of the Year in 2009 and scoring as high as 9.95 on the vault and floor.

Niki Tom and Mizuki Sato have been excellent as well, both of them being all Pac-10 performers.

These are just some of the amazing young ladies that grace the mats in Westwood; they are so good at what they do that I thoroughly enjoy myself at the meets.

The only disappointment that I have in all of this is a very small one: The fact that USC seems afraid to face these athletes, as the Trojans do not field a gymnastics team, thus leaving the Bruin gymnasts on the outside of the crosstown war looking in.

I feel for those young women in that regard; it would be exciting to see the rivalry on the vault, beam , bars, and floor.

Then again, perhaps ‘SC has no gymnastics program because the Trojans know they would be dominated by their Bruin counterparts, which is undoubtedly something they don’t want.

In the meantime, people need to come out to Pauley on Sunday afternoons, which is when they usually have their home meets, and support this great team, which boasts the highest average attendance in UCLA sports outside of football and men’s basketball.

Here’s a case in point: Their opening meet against then-second ranked Utah at Pauley drew over 5,100 fans. The women’s basketball game vs. number two-ranked Stanford, held the next day in the same venue, drew less than half of that total.

That is saying something.

These ladies have certainly upheld the Bruins’ tradition of excellence in that hallowed arena, and then some.

If you would like to see what I’m talking about, the Bruin gymnasts’ upcoming home meets are on January 31st, February 14th and 21st, and March 14th, all starting at 2:00 p.m.

I highly encourage everyone to check them out. Trust me – you’ll be glad that you went.

Laying the Foundation: USC Football Recruiting in 2009—Markeith Ambles

Rick McMahan — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:54:15 +0000

The one thing USC fans feared with Pete Carroll’s departure was the effect it would have on this year’s recruiting class.

Would there be a backlash from the verbal commitments who have already pledged to USC? What about those who were considering the Trojans but have yet to decide? Would they still cross USC off of their list?

Ummm…no and no.

With the announcement of Lane Kiffin as USC’s head coach to replace Carroll, the response of those who had verbally committed to the Trojans, by and large, was immediate.

They are sticking with USC.

Almost all of the in-state recruits were expected to stay with the Trojans, but this was not necessarily the case with those beyond the friendly confines of the state border.

Kyle Prater, the all-everything wide receiver from Illinois, said that when Carroll accepted the offer to become the Seattle Seahawks head coach, he would open the recruiting process back up. Same thing with the No. 1 tight end, Xavier Grimble, from Las Vegas.

So, what happened?

Well, Prater has just enrolled for classes and will be joining the Trojans for spring practice.

And Grimble reaffirmed his commitment to the Trojans.

The hiring of Lane Kiffin has turned out to be quite a coup for USC, who brought a coach back to the Trojans already familiar to the system that Pete Carroll left behind and who obviously has the juice to recruit both locally and nationally.

Which brings me to Markeith Ambles.

Ambles, the highly sought after wide receiver from McDonough, Ga., was recently spotted on USC’s campus and is expected to sign with the Trojans on Feb. 3.

Is this a good thing?

Normally, when a prominent recruit signs with a college team, there is cause for rejoicing for those who follow the team.

This may not be the case with Ambles.

Pete Carroll had initially targeted Markeith Ambles as a wide receiver due to his incredible speed and athleticism.

That has not changed. Ambles is supremely talented.

But he also comes with some baggage.

Due to questions regarding impropriety with Markeith Ambles recruitment, Carroll backed off Ambles and stopped recruiting him back in July.

With the Reggie Bush investigation looming in the distance, Carroll thought that the increased exposure Ambles would bring USC would not help with the NCAA.

Carroll was probably right.

But with the departure of Carroll, things have changed.

Lane Kiffin, who went after Ambles hard while he was head coach at Tennessee, has no such compunctions. Kiffin picked up the recruiting of Ambles when he was named head coach at USC and thus, Ambles’ interest in the Trojans has been reciprocated.

If there is nothing to the smoke billowing around Ambles regarding any fire associated with his recruitment, then Kiffin should go forth with his recruitment, and the Trojans should be thankful if he signs.

However, if there are any improprieties with Ambles, then Kiffin should back off and end the recruiting process now.

There are at least two reasons for not recruiting Ambles if there is even a hint of truth to questions regarding him.

One is obvious and has already been stated. USC does not need any additional exposure with the NCAA.

The other is that the Trojans are absolutely loaded at the wide receiver position with this year’s recruiting class.

Depending on which recruiting service you subscribe to, the Trojans already have three of the top 30 prep receivers verbally committed to USC come signing day.

Please note, this is not just three of the top 30 prep players (the Trojans have more than just three of those), but those three are all wide receivers.

In addition to Kyle Prater, the Trojans also have Robert Woods, the speedster from Serra High School, who many consider an even better prospect than Prater, and Dillon Baxter from San Diego.

All Baxter has done is set a state record for scoring and was named state player of the year.

Now, it is possible that Baxter will be tried first at running back, since Kiffin has taken over for Carroll.

Nonetheless, the Trojans are stocked at the position.

So, be careful Lane Kiffin.

Be damned certain that Markeith Ambles doesn’t bring more than a soft pair of hands and exceptional speed if and when he signs with the Trojans.

While we may need his talent, we don’t need any suspicion with the football program.

We have enough of that already.

UCLA – USC: Trojans Embarrass Bruins At Pauley, 67-46

Derek Hart — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:49:46 +0000

I was afraid this might happen, the way the basketball teams from UCLA and the University of Southern California have been playing of late.

I was afraid that the edge that the Trojans’ guards and forwards had over their Bruin counterparts would lead to a convincing USC victory in Pauley Pavilion this past Saturday.

I was proved to be right, as the Trojans rolled over UCLA, 67-46, in front of a crowd of 11,108 that was no doubt disgusted at what they saw.

Considering that the 21 point differential was USC’s largest over the Bruins since 1945 and their biggest ever at Pauley, one may wonder if the Bruin players really understood the magnitude of the crosstown rivalry.

It was like UCLA (2-3, 7-10 in the Pac-10 Conference) didn’t even try, like they laid down for their enemies from South Central L.A.

The final statistics certainly indicated that, as the Bruins put up a brick house big enough to solve L.A’s homeless problem in making just 15 of their 45 shots. They were out rebounded 37-22 and had only five assists to ‘SC’s 13 while committing 12 turnovers.

UCLA was likewise horrible in the paint, performing like Mini-Me as the Trojans (11-6, 3-2 in the Pac-10) bullied them around in outscoring them 28-14 in the key.

Nikola Dragovic was particularly pathetic as he scored a mere two points and missed all six of this shots from the floor, while his Balkan counterpart, Nikola Vucevic, had a career high 19 points.

Dwight Lewis was the real Bruin killer, however. He made five of nine three pointers on his way to a game high 24 points; he scored more than half of UCLA’s team total all by himself.

Any chance the Bruins had of being competitive in this hoops version of the crosstown war came to a screeching halt when ‘SC went on a 17-5 run to start the second half. After another Trojan run with five minutes left, the fans started heading for the exits in droves; it must have been like rats running from a sinking ship, because that’s exactly what UCLA was on Saturday.

And who could blame them?

Coach Ben Howland put it best when after the slaughter was over, he said, “I’m embarrassed for our team…the program, (the) former players and coaches.”

Quite the understatement, don’t you think?

It’s time for some harsh reality Bruin Nation: The players – if that’s what you want to call them – on this season’s edition of the UCLA basketball team are just not very good, mediocre at best. Some of them have the potential to be solid players in the future, but as for this year, forget it.

This team cannot shoot (especially from the charity stripe) or rebound consistently. Too many of them lack good fundamentals and they turn the ball over way too much; these Bruins have more turnovers than assists this year, sad but incredibly true.

All of that adds up to what will likely be the worst UCLA hoops squad in decades, maybe even worse than former coach Steve Lavin’s last team that went 11-19 in 2002-2003.

As much as it hurts me to do, I’m officially writing them off for this season.

Being that the Bruins’ next opponent is a Washington team that could well blow them out the way that USC did, I feel I have no choice.

I am sorry to say this, but these Bruins are in ruins.

At least for this year.

UCLA Basketball: A Mid-Season Report

Derek Hart — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:37:35 +0000

Now that the mid-way point in the basketball season has arrived for the UCLA Bruins, three words best describes coach Ben Howland’s team:

Youth. Inexperience. Mediocrity.

After starting the year 2-6 with losses to Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State (of all people!), the Bruins have gone 5-3 since that horrendous beginning, including 2-2 in the Pac-10 conference.

It was a foregone conclusion that UCLA was going to be rebuilding after losing standouts like Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, and Jrue Holiday to the NBA.

One could say that the team has improved over the past eight games in winning five out of their last eight, but issues still remain.

Malcolm Lee, Tyler Honeycutt, Reeves Nelson and Jerime Anderson are young layers who have talent and potential, but have made costly mistakes such as turnovers – which cost them in their 70-59 loss to Stanford yesterday.

Nelson, in particular, is a beast in the paint as far as battling for rebounds, but can’t shoot free throws. Anderson has continued to make too many mistakes at guard; his tipped pass at the end of overtime at California could have spelled disaster for the Bruins if not for the ball falling into Michael Roll’s hands and him making the winning shot with less than two seconds left this past Wednesday.

In short, UCLA has suffered from a combination of freshman growing pains and Howland’s reluctance to open up the offense and needing his arm twisted to play zone defense, which he has finally done at times these past two weeks.

One source of hope is the fact that the Pac-10 is down this year with no teams standing out, which makes these conference games winnable. The one team that’s ranked in the top 25, Washington, is sure to fall out of the polls after an 0-3 start in league play, which included getting swept by the Arizona schools this weekend.

With their record currently at 7-9, UCLA does have a shot at finishing at .500, which Howland has marked as his goal. It all depends on how much the Bruins continue to progress and which team shows up at games.

USC comes to Pauley Pavilion this coming Saturday, and although the recent sanctions have rendered their season meaningless, with them being banned from all tournament play, the Trojans did go on an eight game winning streak led by forward Leonard Washington and transfer guard Mike Gerrity, who immediately turned ‘SC around upon arriving at Galen Center.

Beating them will be difficult, as Garrity clearly has the edge over Anderson and Lee at Guard and Washington has the edge in the frontcourt over Nelson and Nikola Dragovic.

Hopefully the Bruins, with their fans’ help, will find a way to win in their friendly confines.

It’s more or less a given that the only way UCLA will see post season play will be to win the Pac-10 tournament in March.

Unfortunately, no one in Bruin Nation is expecting that this year, so the only thing to do is to look for progress and improvement from this bunch.

If they show that, then the future will look quite bright in Westwood.

The “X” Factor In The Search For The Next USC Head Coach

Rick McMahan — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:05:07 +0000

On the cusp of the end of the Pete Carroll era at USC, it is now time to move on to the next chapter.

With the recruiting season winding down and Trojan verbal commits dropping like flies, it is imperative that Mike Garrett, the USC athletic director, act rapidly and with conviction.

Hiring a big name head coach is only part of the equation for the Trojans.

Just as important is maintaining continuity between the existing staff, the new regime and the recruits who are still in the fold.

Robert Woods, the all-everything wide receiver from Serra high has recently gone on record as saying he intends to stay a Trojan. Same with Anthony Brown.

Meanwhile, Kyle Prater from Illinois is just one of many that will start looking elsewhere.

Whatever the Trojans hope to salvage from this recruiting class must be dealt with now.

This is not to say that this years recruiting class should be sole motivation in a rapid hire.

But it is a factor and one that should be considered as Garrett moves forward in the process.

Of course, making the right hire for the long run is the predominant factor in Garrett’s decision.

As prominent names such as Mike Riley and Chris Peterson are bandied about, there is one other name that should be considered front and center as well. Perhaps not for the head coaching position right now, but with assurances in the future that he will be favorably considered.

That name is Ken Norton.

In addition to being a fine defensive mind, the man is a hell of a recruiter.

Ken Norton has been in on almost every Trojan recruit and if anyone can salvage this recruiting class, it is Norton.

Ken Norton is at least ready to become an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. To make that part of the new head coaches deal shouldn’t be much, if any, obstacle.

For Norton himself, it would let him know that he is wanted and needed.

If the new Trojan head coach is of an advanced age, Norton can be groomed for the position in the future.

More importantly, Ken Norton can serve as a bridge between the Carroll era and the new regime.

The retention of Ken Norton should be focused on just as much as this search for a new head coach.

Are you listening Mike Garrett?

Pete Carroll’s Legacy Will Be Written By The NCAA Infractions Committee

Rick McMahan — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:26:48 +0000

Now that ESPN is reporting that Pete Carroll has indeed accepted the offer by the Seattle Seahawks to become their next head coach, it is time to look at the legacy that Carroll leaves behind at USC.

Over the last nine years, Pete Carroll has turned in a sterling 96-19 record for the Trojans along with one BCS championship and two AP titles.

Along the way, Carroll has returned the Trojans to national prominence with his fiery, enthusistic style.

That style allowed him to lure prep talent from all across the country to come play for the Trojans.

It also allowed Pete Carroll to become an icon in Los Angeles where his prowess as a football coach walked hand-in-hand with his altruistic side that motivated him to create a charitable foundation, “A Better LA,” which focused on the problems of the inner city.

For everything that Carroll accomplished on the football field…and on the streets of Los Angeles, we in the southland thank him.

Pete Carroll returned a moribund program with tons of tradition but no leadership, to one of the premier college football teams in the nation.

We will never forget Pete Carroll for those contributions.

Yet there are other things we may never forget about Pete Carroll and those things are yet to become evident.

The ncaa is continuing their investigation of the Reggie Bush scandal.

Bush, the former Trojan running back is alleged to have received improper benefits from Trojan boosters specifically in regard to housing arrangements made for his family.

To what extent this investigation will impact USC remains to be seen.

Speculation has USC being imposed with sanctions and it is these sanctions that prompted Carroll to seek employment elsewhere.

Other rumors suggest that the working relationship Pete Carroll has with Mike Garrett has deteriorated to such an extent that Carroll was not even advised when Joe McKnight, the former Trojan running back, was declared ineligible for the Emerald Bowl.

Whatever the reasons for Carroll’s departure, the main thing that matters for Trojan fans are what he leaves behind.

If the ncaa determines that the infractions, if any, in the Bush case are so egregious that it warrants severe sanctions, Pete Carroll will have to carry the mantle of that punishment with him to Seattle.

Pete Carroll already will leave behind the wreckage of a very promising recruiting class.

The Trojans have lost many prep players already just due to the rumors of Carroll’s departure and more are to follow.

Exactly how many high school players will now defect remains to be seen but suffice to say, the damage has been done for this years class.

Yet, that isn’t Pete Carroll’s fault.

After seven great years of Trojan football (his first and last years at USC were just “so-so”), Pete Carroll has given his best to USC football.

And in America, we all have the right to better ourselves and if money is the primary consideration, the Seahawks will pile far more in Carroll’s bank account than USC can.

What may be Carroll’s fault, although this remains to be seen, are the sanctions that may be imposed by the ncaa.

If they are severe, and if it is shown that Carroll was responsible for their imposition, then Pete Carroll’s USC legacy will be tarnished.

The last impression that Pete Carroll will leave Los Angeles with will be one of angst for those USC fans he has left behind.

The sweet taste of Trojan football will become bitter for their fans if those sanctions cost USC scholarships or are manifested in a lengthy probation.

So we thank you Pete Carroll, for everything you did for USC football.

However, the full measure of our appreciation remains to be seen.

Your legacy in the annals of Trojan football will be written by the ncaa.

And that is an author with few, if any, bestsellers.

ESPN Says Seattle Seahawks Are Targeting Pete Carroll; Rumor Mill Swirls

Rick McMahan — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:54:13 +0000

ESPN’s Chris Mortenson is reporting that the Seattle Seahawks, who just fired head coach Jim Mora, are targeting USC head coach Pete Carroll to fill the newly vacated position.

Those same rumors have Carroll requesting USC assistant head coach Jeremy Bates join him in the Pacific northwest.

According to one source, in regard to Carroll leaving the Trojans for the head coaching position in Seattle, “This is going to happen.”

Of course we have heard this story before.

Until last year, almost every head coaching position that opened up in the NFL had Pete Carroll’s name attached to it.

And every serious overture by the NFL has been resisted by Carroll.

But how about now?

USC, which recently imposed self sanctions against its basketball team for recruiting transgressions, is still operating under the spectre of the Reggie Bush possible scandal still being investigated by the NCAA.

If Carroll is aware of major violations and possible sanctions to be imposed, there may be a real possibility for him to jump ship.

Now the absolute latest rumor has USC “reaching out” to Mike Riley, the Oregon State head coach, as a possilbility for replacing Carroll.

Either way, the timing of this is horrible for USC fans.

Deep into the heart of the recruiting season, with letter of intent signing day only three and a half weeks away, news of a possible departure by Pete Carroll could not come at a worse time.

The Army All-Star game, with a ton of USC pledged recruits playing and a like number considering the Trojans, will be played this Saturday.

It is crucial that Pete Carroll addresses this latest rumor immediately.

If Carroll, who is rumored to be interested in the Seattle job, truly is considering leaving, he needs to either say so or put it to rest.

Now.

Not tomorrow, not in two days, and certainly not after the letter of intent signing day when prep football recruits will sign their name on the dotted line expecting to be coached by Pete Carroll.

Whatever Pete Carroll decides, and I speak for thousands of Trojan fans who hope he stays, he will have contributed mightily to bringing the Trojans back to national prominence.

We, as Trojan fans, thank him for this.

We will also thank him for putting this latest rumor to rest as well.

Either way Pete, make up your mind and do it fast.

Dear Potential USC Trojan Linebacker Recruits: Read The NFL Rookie Awards

Rick McMahan — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:49:59 +0000

Dear Jackson Jeffcoat, Jordan Hicks, Christian Jones, Hayes Pullard, et.al.,

Have you read the news coming out the NFL regarding their defensive rookie of the year award?

Brian Cushing, the overall #15 pick of the Houston Texans, has just been awarded this prestigious award celebrating his 134 tackles, two forced fumbles, four interceptions and five sacks.

Cushing, a veritable tackle machine, will also find himself in the Pro bowl as well.

Wait, it gets better.

Clay Matthews, the overall #26 pick of the Green Bay Packers, finished third in that same voting by accumulating 51 tackles, one forced fumble and 10 sacks.

Matthews was one of only 13 NFL players to have 10 or more sacks in the NFL this year.

Hold on, I’m not finished yet.

Rey Maualuga, the #38 overall pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, had a fine rookie season as well before he broke his ankle. He finished with 63 tackles, three forced fumbles and one sack.

You think I am finished? Not quite.

Kaluka Maiava, the fourth round pick of the Cleveland Browns, excelled as well.

Maiava had a great rookie season with 45 tackles, two forced fumbles and 2.5 sacks.

What do these four players have in common?

Well, they are all former USC Trojans who were among the eleven USC players drafted by NFL teams after the 2008 season.

Oh yeah, and they are all linebackers.

Guess what?

The Trojans need linebackers and Ken Norton, USC’s linebacker coach and former NFL linebacker himself is just dying to coach you.

Just think of it Jackson, Jordan, Christian and Hayes.

Not only would you be joining a premier college football team that has a legitimate shot at a national championship every year but you would be coached by a man with a proven track record of putting his charges in a very favorable position come NFL draft time.

The facts tell the story.

USC has been producing fine linebackers for a long time.

Just before these four linebackers burst on the scene, Keith Rivers was also a first round draft choice of the Bengals in 2007.

There have been many others but you get the idea.

Besides, think of how good you will look in those Trojan uniforms.

Please don’t thank me for bringing all this to your attention.

I’m just a giver that way.

Besides, your signature on a USC letter of intent on February 2 will be thanks enough.

UCLA Football: The Six Greatest Victories Of This Decade

Derek Hart — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:27:45 +0000

Let us be honest and face facts: The first decade of the 21st century was a mediocre one for the UCLA Bruins football program.

Being a loyal alumnus and a dedicated member of Bruin Nation, that was a difficult thing to say. But it’s also the truth.

This program has had three coaches over these past ten years, including the current one, Rick Neuheisel. UCLA’s previous two head honchos, Bob Toledo and Karl Dorrell, were fired after failing to live up to expectations and falling behind crosstown enemy USC in the areas of execution and success.

Let’s take stock in the just completed decade:

An overall record of 67 wins and 57 losses, with a sub-par 41-43 record in the Pacific 10 Conference.

No BCS bowl appearances and a 3-5 record in the bowls they did appear in; two Sun Bowls were as good as it got for the Bruins.

A failure to reach the top ten in the polls, UCLA’s highest ranking being at No.11 during the 2005 season.

And worst of all, the Bruins beat the Trojans only once in ten tries, losing seven in a row in one stretch.

A performance like this wouldn’t be so bad at some schools, but compared to earlier decades in which UCLA enjoyed Pac-10 glory, Rose Bowl berths, and top ten rankings, this was an unacceptable period.

However, despite all of this there were bright spots as the Bruins did achieve some big wins over significant opponents, wins that made for some good memories in Westwood.

I thought I would list the six victories that were the best in my view, in descending order, starting with…

6. UCLA 20, Alabama 17 – 2001

This was by far the biggest road triumph during the decade, as the Bruins overcame a 10-0 Crimson Tide lead in front of a typically large and hostile SEC crowd in Tuscaloosa.

The defense came alive in sacking the Tide’s quarterback three times. DeShaun Foster ran for 110 yards, Cory Paus threw a 53 yard touchdown pass to Tab Perry to silence the ‘Bama faithful, and most significantly UCLA had no penalties or turnovers, the first and perhaps the only time that has ever happened.

5. UCLA 35, Alabama 24 – 2000

After a disappointing 1999, the Bruins began the new millenium against a team that was ranked third in the country, coming off an SEC championship and a win in the Orange Bowl.

Led by DeShaun Foster’s 187 yards and three rushing touchdowns along with Freddie Mitchell’s 46 yard TD catch and a touchdown throw off an option play, Bob Toledo’s squad overcame a 71 yard punt return and a 91 yard interception return, both going for scores, to get the victory as the defense forced three key turnovers.

It was a pretty decent way to begin a new century.

4. UCLA 23, Michigan 20 – 2000

The biggest thing I remember about this contest at the Rose Bowl was that it was excruciatingly hot, 103 degrees in Pasadena; 15 people had to go to the hospital for heat exhaustion that day.

It turned out to be worth it as UCLA came back from a 20-10 deficit in the fourth quarter behind Ryan McCann’s 236 yards passing and two touchdowns. Freddie Mitchell stepped up huge in catching ten passes for 137 yards, and Jason Stephens clinched the win with a last minute pick.

For the second time in three weeks, a number three ranked team fell to the Bruins.

3. UCLA 41, Oklahoma 24 – 2005

This was a statement game in Westwood, as the Sooners from Norman were coming off a BCS national championship appearance and had one of the game’s top running backs in Adrian Peterson.

Peterson was held to 58 yards on the ground as UCLA came back from an early Sooner lead to overtake OU. Drew Olson threw for 314 yards with three touchdowns as the Bruins scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, and the defense forced three Oklahoma fumbles which they turned into 17 points.

2. UCLA 47, California 40 – 2005

This battle at the Rose Bowl between the University of California’s two flagship campuses was epic, the best one in the longtime series.

It marked the first time that the Bruins and Berkeley’s Golden Bears met while ranked in the top 20, Cal at No.10 and UCLA at No. 18. Since both teams had high scoring offenses that year, it promised to be an exciting contest.

The crowd of 84,811 was not disappointed, as the game went back and forth with the Bruins overcoming a nine point Bear advantage and hundred yard rushing games by Cal running backs Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett in the final quarter. Maurice Jones-Drew helped to knock out the Bears with 299 yards of total offense and five touchdowns, which included an 81 yard punt return for a score that excited his UCLA teammates and Bruin fans.

The fact that the Bruins ended the game with a last minute interception and a final score by Drew only served to put an exclamation point on the whole thing.

UCLA showed much heart and guts in the victory, which should have gotten a prominent spot on ESPN Classic.

Now you know I could not make a list of great Bruin wins without including at least one triumph over the Trojan enemies.

Choosing this game as the most significant victory of the decade was admittedly predictable, but as a fervent member of Bruin Nation, it’s my duty and obligation…

1. UCLA 13, USC 9 – 2006

A game that will live forever in UCLA lore and, to the delight of Bruins everywhere, in Trojan infamy.

This was unquestionably the biggest upset in the history of the crosstown rivalry, and perhaps the biggest upset not only in UCLA football history, but in the entire history of Bruin athletics.

With ‘SC as a powerhouse and a defending national champion, complete with a 10-1 record, a No.2 ranking and playing for a spot in the BCS title game, how could it not have been an upset for the ages? Especially with UCLA being only 6-5 that afternoon of December 2nd.

Led by Justin Hickman and Bruce Davis, the Bruin defense absolutely shined in stuffing the vaunted Trojan offensive attack time after time, particularly on 4th down conversions.

Before 90,266 rabid fans, Eric McNeal’s tipped interception to stop a potentially game winning USC drive and Aaron Perez’s 63 yard punt sealed the deal on a victory that broke a streak of 63 games in which the Trojans scored at least 20 points, and most importantly denied the Men of Troy a shot at the national championship.

It was the highest ranked team that UCLA had ever beaten, as well as coach Karl Dorrell’s signature win.

And I had the privilege, pleasure, and honor of being at the Rose Bowl to witness it.

I hope these recollections of this past decade’s bright spots provided happy memories for Bruin fans and alumni, in light of the overall disappointment that these past ten years have brought to Westwood.

Perhaps the next decade that’s upon us will bring better results for Bruin football, and I’ll be able to make a list in 2020 of at least ten great wins rather than a mere six.

USC Trojan Recruiting Wish List: Five Players the Trojans Can Really Use

Rick McMahan — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:33:42 +0000

Now that the cap has been put on this disappointing 2009 Trojan football season, it is time to look to the future.

And that future begins on Feb. 2 when high school football players sign on the dotted line to play for their new colleges in 2010.

For USC, if the verbal pledges they have already received mean anything, some critical questions have already been answered.

At wide receiver, the Trojans have already received verbal pledges from some truly fantastic talent including five-star recruits, Robert Woods and Kyle Prater. Dilllon Baxter, an incredible athlete who is listed as a running back but is expected to be moved to wide receiver, is also a five-star athlete.

Consider wide receiver a position well covered.

At tight end, Xavier Grimble has pledged to the Trojans and he is widely considered the No. 1 player at his position in the country. Add to that Randall Telfer, the No. 6 tight end in the nation and the Trojans are also well situated at that position.

Jesse Scroggins has also pledged to the Trojans giving them their understudy to Matt Barkley at the quarterback position.

USC has also received other verbals who will look very nice in the cardinal and gold in years to come.

However, there are real areas of need for the Trojans as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Some of these areas require depth and still others are looking for that breakout athlete who can contribute right away.

With this is mind, here are five recruits that are both considering the Trojans and who USC could really use as they move forward into the 2010 season:

Seantrel Henderson (Offensive Tackle, 6′8″, 338 lbs.)

This mammoth tackle is coveted by every program in the nation. As soon as he walks on some lucky university’s campus, he will be the best player on their offensive line. The Trojans are in the running for Henderson although so are many others.

Jackson Jeffcoat (Defensive End, 6′4″, 233 lbs., 4.5)

Listed as a defensive end but will be moved to linebacker, Jeffcoat, the son of the former Dallas Cowboy linebacker has all the tools. As anyone who watched the Trojans this year knows, USC could really use some depth at the position. Jeffcoat has the Trojans fairly high on his list.

Ronald Powell (Defensive End, 6′4″, 250 lbs., 4.6)

Powell, a local kid, is an monster on the defensive line. Quick and explosive, Powell can dominate both with speed and power. The Trojans are very high on his list with only Florida considered a serious contender for his services.

Lache Seastrunk (Running Back, 5′10″, 183 lbs., 4.4)

Seastrunk, a burner with shifty moves, is probably the best prep running back in the nation. Now that the “stable” of USC running backs has been thinned, the Trojans could really use someone of Seastrunk’s caliber. Although Lache Seastrunk is considering the Trojans, Pete Carroll’s propensity to use multiple backs may hurt their chances of landing this talented runner.

Josh Shirley (Outside Linebacker, 6′2, 220 lbs., 4.55)

Although only listed as a four-star recruit, Shirley has five-star talent. A local kid from Fontana, Shirley has been targeted by the Trojan staff as a “must get.” UCLA and Washington appear to be the Trojans competition for Shirley’s services.

There are many others that the Trojans have their eye on and who are considering USC.

Many of these recruits will wind up playing big roles in the Trojans’ future and there will be hidden jewels in this year’s class.

Having said that, the five recruits listed here represent those recruits who would be expected to have the most significant and immediate impact.

After a disappointing 2009 season for the Trojans, the signing of a few of these recruits would certainly ease the pain of this 2009 and start the 2010 off with a bang.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/319484-a-2009-analysis-of-ucla-football-progress-made

Derek Hart — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:00:03 +0000

Hey folks, here’s the link of my analysis of the 2009 Bruin football team that I just published on Bleacher Report.com. Feel free to check it out and tell me what you think.

Oh, and Happy New Year!

Dear Tim Floyd From a USC Trojan Fan: Go Straight to Hell

Rick McMahan — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:54:22 +0000

Today it was announced by USC athletic director Mike Garrett that the Trojans would self-impose sanctions resulting from NCAA infraction violations stemming from former coach Tim Floyd’s illegal payments to a USC booster that had ties to former Trojan OJ Mayo.

These sanctions include the forfeiture of all wins in the 2007-2008 season, Mayo’s only year with the Trojans and, more importantly, no postseason appearances in either this years PAC-10 tournament or the NCAA playoffs.

When the news of the NCAA violations first surfaced, I recall thinking that there was no way anyone could be so stupid as to pay off anyone associated with a recruit.

So I never thought for a minute that the allegations were true.

Later, when Tim Floyd resigned under this cloud of suspicion, I truly felt sorry for Floyd, who I thought was being unfairly run out of town on a rail.

Silly me.

Based on Mike Garrett’s press conference, there was ample proof that Floyd was indeed stupid enough to make that payoff.

Now the Trojans are left to pick up the pieces of the wreckage that Floyd left behind.

While it hurts those fans of USC who were just beginning to rally behind this new group of players, it completely destroys this year’s team, which has played remarkably well over the last eight games, all victories.

The Trojans started out 2-4 but since has won those eight straight games, including blowouts of the then-No. 8 Tennessee and No. 20 UNLV and now stand at 10-4.

This weekend, USC swept the Arizona schools, including holding the 10-4 Arizona State Sun Devils to 37 points last night at the Galen Center.

USC was picked to finish last in the preseason PAC-10 poll after losing four starters, all their recruits save one (Evan Smith), and, of course, the aforementioned Tim Floyd.

New coach Kevin O’Neill, who knew that the possibility of these sanctions could occur was nonetheless disappointed at the news, which he broke to his players prior to the press conference.

O’Neill, who has done an amazing job with the Trojans in his short time here, said his players were devastated at the news.

And well they should be.

With the exception of Dwight Lewis, none of this year’s men of Troy played significant minutes for USC during OJ Mayo’s brief stay.

Two of the players, Mike Gerrity and Alex Stepheson, weren’t even going to school at USC at the time having transferred and being declared eligible only this season.

For Gerrity, who has won every game he has played for the Trojans this season and has been rightly identified as the missing component in the Trojans’ recent success, this news is particularly horrible.

Mike Gerrity, who has transferred twice before finally landing at USC, is a senior.

Now, with future looking so bright for this year’s Trojans, the rug has been pulled out from under him.

Make no mistake about it, the Trojans were on the road to March Madness.

Employing a suffocating defense and just enough offense, USC was just starting to jell in what appears to be a fairly weak PAC-10 conference.

Now their last game will be the end of the regular season on March 6, no matter how well they do.

Which is sad, because this group of players had nothing to do with Tim Floyd’s stupidity, yet they will be the ones to pay the price.

Further sanctions may be imposed by the NCAA, which is continuing its investigation.

But, make no mistake about it, even if there are no further sanctions imposed, this years Trojans will suffer mightily.

Meanwhile, Tim Floyd stays in his lucrative job as an NBA assistant.

Some things in life aren’t fair, and this certainly qualifies as one of them.

As a Christian, I shouldn’t wish for anyone, including Tim Floyd, to go to hell.

But as an avid fan of the USC Trojans and one who truly feels for this year’s basketball team, I just can’t get over the unfairness of it all.

I’ll ask the Lord for forgiveness later.

Surprising USC Trojans Complete Sweep of Arizona Teams

Rick McMahan — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:52:00 +0000

Well, this was unexpected.

No, check that. This was unimaginable.

Even for first year Trojan coach Kevin O’Neill who said, “If you told me at the beginning of the year we would have an eight game winning streak, I would have told you that you were crazy.”

Consider us all candidates for the loony bin.

USC won their eighth game in a row by beating the Arizona State Sun Devils 47-37 at the Galen center last night in a defensive slugfest.

This followed the Trojans 56-50 win over Arizona two nights earlier and now finds USC tied for first place in the PAC-10 standings.

Unexpected? No doubt.

The Trojans, picked to finish at or near the bottom of the PAC-10 in preseason voting, have forged an identity based on lockdown defense and just enough offense to win.

After losing 80 percent of their starting five, all but one of their recruits, and their head coach amidst a cloud of NCAA impropriety, USC should have been picked to finish last in the conference.

Except the only ones who matter, the players and their coaches, didn’t buy in to the negativity.

Coming into the ASU game, they and the Sun Devils were tied for third place nationally for overall defense efficiency.

After last night, the Trojans separated themselves from ASU by holding the Sun Devils to a ridiculous 24 percent shooting percentage for the game.

USC wasn’t much better, shooting 36 percent but it didn’t matter.

When your opponent scores only 37 points for the entire game, you don’t have to be an offensive juggernaut to win.

Which is good because the Trojans will never be mistaken for that.

But they sure as hell aren’t a last place team either.

Now 10-4 and riding that aforementioned eight game winning streak, the Trojans head up north to play Stanford and Cal this week.

We should know more about USC after this two game roadie which will feature a tilt with Cal who routed rival Stanford 92-66.

If the Trojans can find some semblance of offense and continue their suffocating defense, the Trojans just might pull off a victory at Maples Pavilion against the Bears, but it won’t be easy.

Yet, for USC, nothing this season has come easy but they still persevere.

Still, a sweep over the the two northern California teams will a tough sell.

Unimaginable? Maybe.

Just don’t tell Kevin O’Neill and his players that.

Eagle Bank Bowl: UCLA Overcomes Cold Weather And Temple Determination In 30-21 Win

Derek Hart — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:45:30 +0000

It was not looking good for the UCLA Bruins in our nation’s capitol yesterday.

The temperature at Washington D.C’s RFK Stadium was 32 degrees with a wind chill factor of 19 and 20 mile-an-hour winds; plus the field was frozen, making it difficult to get footing.

And on top of everything else, the Temple Owls, playing in their first bowl game since 1979 after having their first winning season in 19 years, were extremely motivated, rocking on the sidelines as they raced to a 21-10 lead in the first half.

In only their third bowl game ever, Temple outplayed the Bruins in the game’s first two quarters, with Owl quarterback Vaughn Charlton completing 12 out of 16 passes for 153 yards and a score.

Then the second half started.

Led by Terrance Austin’s 32 yard touchdown catch on a fourth down play from Kevin Prince early in the third quarter and linebacker Akeem Ayers intercepting a fourth quarter pass at the Temple two yard line and running it back for the winning score, UCLA overwhelmed the Owls to earn a 30-21 victory in the Eagle Bank Bowl in front of a small but bundled up crowd of 23,072.

After having given up 241 yards and 21 points in the first half, the Bruin defense stepped up big time in allowing a mere 41 yards the rest of the way, shutting out Temple and their two stud running backs, 5′5″ speedster Matt Brown, who led everyone with 83 yards on 20 carries, and standout freshman Bernard Pierce, who was knocked out of the contest just before halftime with an injury.

Being that Pierce had over 1,500 rushing yards this season and was his conference’s freshman of the year, losing him clearly hurt Temple and their chances.

The plays that turned the momentum around for UCLA?

Stopping Brown on a fourth and one play from the Bruin eight yard line in the third quarter was key, keeping the game within reach, as well as Rahim Moore’s 10th interception (which leads the NCAA) later that quarter to end another Owl threat.

After a shaky start in which he was like a baseball pitcher who couldn’t find the strike zone, UCLA’s Prince settled down to throw for a total of 221 yards on 18-for -31 passing, with a 47 yard score to Nelson Rosario to go along with his TD to Austin.

Chane Moline made some key second half runs, ending with 113 yards, 69 of them rushing, in his last game as a Bruin.

The Bosworth twins, Kyle and Korey, also played well in their final games, as did Reggie Carter, who came up with a sack in that pivotal third quarter, and Brian Price who, as expected, announced after the contest that he was making himself available for the NFL draft.

Since Price was the Pac-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, no one was surprised at his decision; he is projected as a first round pick.

It was plain to see that UCLA (7-6) gave an outstanding effort throughout the game, as they have had for much of the season.

The execution, however, was not quite there until the last two quarters, much like it was for a good part of 2009; A+ for effort, a somewhat lesser grade at times for results.

The fact that the Bruins overcame adversity, the cold, and an Owl team (9-4) from Philadelphia determined to show that they can play with the BCS big boys says much about UCLA’s character and resilience. As coach Rick Neuheisel mentioned afterward, the Bruins could have went with the “it’s not our day” mentality after falling behind, but they fought back and got the win, their first in the post season since beating Northwestern in the 2005 Sun Bowl.

That not only boded well for the outgoing seniors, allowing them to go out on a good note, it also bodes well for next year, as UCLA continues to build their program.

By winning their bowl game, a significant step was taken in doing just that.

In the meantime, I’m sure that after earning their first winning season in three years, the Bruins will more than enjoy their flight back from the frigid District of Columbia, return to Westwood knowing that their football campaign ended well, and look forward to Spring practice and 2010.

USC 24 Boston College 13: The Trojans Get Their Lesser Bowl Win

Rick McMahan — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 16:02:42 +0000

On a day when Urban Meyer shockingly stepped down from one of the nations premier college football programs, Pete Carroll took steps to return USC as one of those top teams.

In a sometimes driving rain, USC beat Boston College 24-13 in the Emerald bowl at AT&T park in San Francisco.

Boston College, who had overachieved all year, was only a missed extra point away from tying the Trojans at halftime.

Parlaying numerous Trojan mistakes into two scores during the second quarter, the Eagles had USC back on their heels as the first half ended.

However, the men of Troy found themselves just in time to turn back the Eagles, who were game, but couldn’t quite overcome the Trojans athleticism in the second half.

Missing 1,000 yard running back Joe McKnight, who was held out of the game due to compliance problems, and starting tight end Anthony McCoy and offensive lineman Tyron Smith, the Trojans sputtered and coughed most of the night despite some big plays and 438 yards for the game.

BC, who was led by shifty running back Montel Harris’ 102 yards, had 312 total yards for the game.

Matt Barkley, the true freshman who had struggled in the second half of the season, passed for 350 yards on 27 of 37 attempts with two touchdowns. Barkley also ran for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak.

Barkley also had two interceptions to go with those gaudy numbers.

Meanwhile, Damien Williams, Matt Barkley’s favorite target this year, had his coming out party for the NFL by grabbing 12 passes for 189 yards and was named the Emerald bowl’s most valuable player.

The Trojans also had some disheartening news from defensive end Everson Griffen, who announced that he too would turn pro instead of returning for his senior season.

Griffen, who has enormous potential, also was inconsistent during his Trojan career.

However, the Trojans did receive some good news when both fullback Stanley Havilli and running back Allen Bradford said they would return to the Trojans for next season.

In the game itself, the Trojans, with the exception of the disastrous second quarter, controlled the game throughout.

Despite giving up some huge chunks of rushing yardage to Harris, the Trojan defense held well on sloppy field.

Those same wet conditions also diminished some of USC’s overall superior team speed and probably worked to BC’s advantage.

This was an important win for the Trojans, who will go into spring practice with the momentum of a one game winning streak.

Many thought that USC wouldn’t be pumped for this lesser bowl but those same people must have forgot Pete Carroll’s ability to motivate.

A couple of days ago I wrote a piece asking what USC’s performance in the Emerald bowl would say about the Trojans in 2010.

While there were no dynamic declarations coming out of San Francisco last night, there was the notion that the Trojans were ready to take steps to return back to the top in 2010.

Whether those steps are small or are giant leaps, remains to be seen.

Laying the Foundation: USC Football Recruiting in 2009 (George Uko)

Rick McMahan — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:43:26 +0000

The Trojans got a very nice Christmas present today when it was announced that George Uko had given USC his verbal pledge for the upcoming season.

Uko, a 6′4,” 297 lb. monster of a defensive tackle, is ranked as a “Five-star” recruit by Scout.com.

George Uko, who prepped at Don Antonio Lugo high school in Chino, Ca., has been something of an enigma in his short playing career.

Until this year, Uko has had problems maintaining his focus and playing hard every down, however, this year, he has found far more consistency in his play, thus the high rating by Scout and other services.

Scout.com has Uko rated as their 25th best player overall and the No. 3 best defensive tackle in the nation.

For USC, the signing of George Uko is huge.

The Trojans, who are looking for interior line depth, will find it in Uko.

Athletic, quick and physically dominant, George Uko das been described as having the potential of a “quicker” Mike Patterson.

USC can only hope.

If George Uko stays focused (and healthy), he has all the tools to become the next great USC interior lineman.

Next spring, the Trojans will be holding open auditions, as always, for the vast majority of positions and they may find that Uko will vie for serious playing time.

He is that good.

So USC should feel really good about this Christmas present while they prepare to meet BC tomorrow in the Emerald bowl.

I’m sure Pete Carroll is writing his thank you note to Santa even as I type this article.

And well he should.

Gerrity, Trojans Roll UNLV 67-56; Win Diamond Head Classic

Rick McMahan — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:40:27 +0000

There is an ominous sound being heard by the PAC-10 opponents of USC.

Orchestrated by Mike Gerrity, the recently eligible point guard who is making the Trojans his third stop, that sound is beginning to reach crescendo level.

For UNLV, who came in with a sterling 12-1 record, they just want the noise to stop.

Led by Marcus Johnson’s 19 points and 9 rebounds, USC throttled the running rebels 67-56 to win the inaugural Diamond Head Classic on Christmas day.

Mike Gerrity, who scored 13 points and played all 40 minutes, was named tournament MVP.

And well he should.

Mike Gerrity’s handling of the ball and court leadership was the difference between the Trojans victory and victimization against what is typically a stifling UNLV defense.

The senior point guard repeatedly broke the running rebel defense which had been so stout in other victories, including quality wins against Arizona and Louisville.

None of that mattered to Gerrity, who simply dribbled around, through and sometimes over a rebel defense that hadn’t seen much of anything like the athletic Trojans.

USC trailed 3-1 early in the game but after that, never looked back, leading by as many as 21 points at one point in the game.

For the Trojans, their next game will open PAC-10 play against Arizona.

In the meantime, the Trojans will savor this tournament.

What is becoming abundantly obvious is that with Mike Gerrity leading the team, the Trojans are a different breed of cat.

Gerrity brings a calm leadership to the Trojans that makes those around him better players.

In Gerrity, the Trojans have a floor leader who doesn’t panic and always looks for an open man.

And the Trojans have responded by by beating their second top twenty team in the last four games, including a then #8 Tennessee by 22 points at the Galen center a week or so ago.

Meanwhile, Marcus Johnson stepped up his game with those 19 points and 9 boards.

In addition, Johnson was a defensive beast, forcing UNLV into bad shots and hawking the ball with intensity.

Dwight Lewis chipped in 13 points.

Alex Stepheson and Nikola Vucevic, usually point and rebound leaders for the Trojans, both had quiet games.

However, the fact that USC could overcome the off games of Stepheson and Vucevic to win this game in such convincing fashion is a testament to the Trojans vesatility under Gerrity.

There are some cautionary notes to be sounded though.

In the long run, bench depth beyond Leonard Washington must be developed.

Washington came in to give the Trojans a boost off the bench with 9 points and Marcus Simmons offered his usual stalwart defense but that was it for the reserves.

A seven man rotation may not hold up for the whole season so some minutes must be found elsewhere.

Also, free throw shooting for the Trojans was abysmal in this game.

59% (22-37) from the charity stripe will not cut it in the long run so expect coach Kevin O’Neill to make this a focus in the practices to come.

Having said all that Kevin O’Neill must be very pleased with the progress of the Trojans who now stand at 8-4.

And the rest of the PAC-10 might want to look for some ear plugs to stop all that noise.

What Will The Trojans Performance Against BC Tell Us About 2010?

Rick McMahan — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 02:36:33 +0000

Amidst the rubble of a disappointing 2009 college football season, the USC Trojans will try to pick up the pieces against a game Boston College Eagles team Saturday in the Emerald bowl.

For the first time in seven years, the Trojans will be participating in a non-BCS bowl game.

There is precedence for such an occasion.

Pete Carroll’s first year with USC, in 2001, with the Trojans riding a five game winning streak, lost to Utah 10-6 in the Las Vegas bowl.

The following year, Carson Palmer led the Trojans to an 11-2 record and a win over Iowa in the Orange bowl.

That year started an unprecedented seven year run where USC both won at least 11 games each year and finished in the top four nationally.

Of course, the comparisons end there for the 2001 and 2009 versions of USC.

In 2001, Pete Carroll was largely playing with those players left over from the infamous Paul Hackett year.

This year, the Trojans will be fielding a wildly inconsistent team, at times effective offensively, at other times woeful.

Meanwhile, the defense excelled for the first six games and then went south for the remainder of the season.

The only thing for sure about the 2009 USC Trojans was that nothing was for sure.

So how will the Trojans respond to this challenge of Boston College in the Emerald Bowl and what will this say about the 2010 Trojans?

Well, there are ominous signs already.

Three players that Pete Carroll was counting on will not be available on Saturday against the Eagles.

Averill Spicer, Anthony McCoy and Tyron Smith have all been declared academically ineligible for the Emerald bowl.

Spicer and McCoy will not be back next season but Smith, a starter already on the offensive line, will be an anchor for Carroll in 2010.

That is, if he stays focused and gets back into academic good graces.

Then there is the Joe McKnight saga.

McKnight, who was recently allowed to travel north and practice with the Trojans in preparation for the Emerald bowl, remains in limbo awaiting clearance from the NCAA which may or may not come by game time.

It appears that Joe McKnight is an innocent victim of a overzealous Los Angeles press contingent and McKnight, for one, is none too pleased with the turn of events that has seen his eligibility put on the shelf for the last week.

Joe McKnight, who is good enough to play on Sundays was recently quoted that he was probably going to come back to USC for his senior year.

Now I’m not so sure that McKnight will be as eager to sacrifice NFL riches for a return to college when he has a baby to care for and an over eager press corp auditing his every move looking for trouble and manufacturing it when they have any opportunity.

Such is the life of an athlete who plays at USC.

The real story come Saturday is which USC team shows up to play BC.

Will it be the focused Trojan team that beat Cal 30-3 in Berkeley or the sloppy team that was embarrassed by Stanford 55-21 at the coliseum?

Matt Barkley, the fabulously talented, but sometimes inconsistent true freshman quarterback, says that this game will be the first step to a Trojan turn around in 2010.

That much is true.

How USC plays in the last game of 2009 will be the first step to a successful 2010.

If the Trojans can find themselves on Saturday getting back to the execution and fundamentals that marked the previous seven years of Pete Carroll led Trojan football, then they will easily beat BC and start the Trojan road to recovery in impressive fashion.

If not, questions will abound in the off season and Trojan naysayers will have a field day.

So while this Saturday’s game may not either doom nor elevate the Trojans for the 2010 season, it will be a good indication of the Trojans desire to improve upon a sour 2009 season and build a foundation for next year.

And for eager USC Trojan fans, it will be game that has the potential to give them something to look forward to for next year.

And that is something that spoiled USC fans can use for comfort in a trying 2009 season.

USC Beats St. Mary’s 60-49: Something Special Brewing for the Trojans?

Rick McMahan — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:53:30 +0000

Don’t look now, but some strange things are going on in Trojanland.

USC, picked to finish at or near the bottom of the PAC-10, have found new life under first-year head coach Kevin O’Neill and an influx of new players.

The Trojans, who saw former head coach Tim Floyd resign under a cloud of NCAA suspicions that he violated a myriad of rules, also lost the bulk of their starting five from last year with Demar DeRozan and Taj Gibson both landing in the NBA.

As such, expectations for the Trojans were understandably low for the upcoming season. In Los Angeles, laser-like focus remained on the UCLA Bruins, just like in so many past college basketball seasons.

College basketball experts took a look at the Trojans and stifled a collective yawn, with nary a positive thing to say.

So much for the experts and their opinions.

Though it is very early in the season, the Trojans are making noise.

And lots of it.

With yesterday’s 60-49 win over St. Mary’s, a team that was expected to challenge Gonzaga in the WCC and who came in with a sterling 10-1 record, the Trojans have served notice that they don’t intend on being any one’s patsy this year.

The win marked the third straight since the arrival of point guard Mike Gerrity who led the Trojans with 17 points.

Previously, in his first start for the Trojans after being cleared to play by the NCAA, Gerrity led the Trojans to a rout over then No. 9 Tennessee at the Galen center.

While the play of Gerrity has been a huge lift for the Trojans, he is by no means the only transfer that has made an impact for USC.

Alex Stepheson, a local player who went to play for North Carolina, sat out last year and was finally cleared to play this year for the Trojans.

Stepheson’s return has reminded everyone why he was such a hot commodity coming out of high school, averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Meanwhile, forward Nikola Vucevic continued his strong play both inside and out.

Vusevic scored 15 points and led the Trojans with seven boards against St. Mary’s.

Although USC’s only returning starter from last year, Dwight Lewis, has been inconsistent, he has the talent to go for 25 points on any given night.

The other returning starter, Marcus Johnson, who was granted another year of eligibility after transferring from Connecticut, is a fabulous athlete and a lock down defender.

But that’s not all for the upstart Trojans.

Leonard Washington, a versatile forward who has had trouble staying on the court due to injuries and academic issues, returned yesterday and had 10 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes against the Gaels.

All of this portends very good things for the Trojans, who have made those same experts that discounted them at the start of the season sit up and take notice now at their resurgence.

And much of the credit must go to first-year coach Kevin O’Neill.

O’Neill, who walked into a minefield when he took over for Tim Floyd, was not a popular hire.

Given the circumstances surrounding the departure of Floyd and the loss of so much talent, the thought around southern California was that O’Neill simply took a job that no one else wanted.

That may be true, but there is no doubt that O’Neill has already left his imprint on the Trojans. They have responded to his coaching with a stifling defense, and just enough offense to make the future look very bright for the rest of the year.

In fact, a college basketball expert at ESPN has recently projected the lowly Trojans, so disparaged at the beginning of the year, to finish fourth in the PAC-10 and make the NCAA tournament.

Tomorrow, the Trojans take on Nevada Las Vegas for the Hawaii Rainbow Classic title and, if successful, will continue their resurgence.

Either way, USC has already exceeded most expectations for this year.

Something special brewing in Trojanland?

Indeed.

Reneging On a Verbal Commitment: A Microcosm of Our Eroding Values?

Rick McMahan — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:06:57 +0000

This year, I have written several articles reflecting on the efforts of the USC Trojans in the recruiting wars that dominate prep news at this time of year.

Titled, “Laying the Foundation,” these articles are my effort to follow the progress of the Trojans as they vie for the best high school players in the nation.

For successful college football programs, the recruiting and signing of a talented athlete is the difference between winning and losing.

It’s that simple.

It doesn’t matter how well you coach a player or how brilliant your game plan is, without the talent to implement that coaching and utilize that game plan, it is all for nought.

So, for me, recruiting is an integral part of any successful college football program.

Of course, part of what goes into the recruiting process is finding out the mental make-up of the student-athlete you are attempting to sign.

We read stories everyday of a kid who makes a bad choice and finds themselves being kicked off a team or, God forbid, being incarcerated for that lapse of judgment.

For coaches, part of the recruiting process is also determining the values that a prospective student-athlete possesses.

It is an undeniable fact that a college football player not only represents himself while playing for a university but also the school itself.

Which brings me to the topic of the article in question.

The last “Laying the Foundation” article I wrote dealt specifically with Tony Jefferson, the southern California athlete who recently gave his verbal pledge to Oklahoma after reneging on his word first to Stanford and then to UCLA.

In that article, I offered an opinion that the ease with which Jefferson broke his promise to these respective universities was a red flag of sorts regarding the kids values, and those counting on him should be wary of future problems that may come along with whatever talents he brings to the field.

Now, I am completely aware that coaches also break their words to players that they have offered scholarships to when a better player comes their way.

This is wrong as well and I offer no excuses for those coaches that engage in that behavior.

Having said that, the instances of recruits going back on their verbal pledges is far more predominant than the other way around.

Of course, there are mitigating circumstances that sometimes preclude the keeping of your word when it comes to verbal commitments that these prep athletes give to schools that offer scholarships.

For example, if a college coach that is recruiting you leaves or is fired, or if family circumstances develop that changes things, then the verbal commitment should not be considered a binding representation of the players word.

However, that was not the tone of what I was trying to say.

I was simply opining that an athlete who gives his or her verbal pledge should do so with the predominant notion that their word is important and that a lot of consideration should go into that decision before it is rendered.

Recruiting decisions are often based on filling needs and when a player gives a verbal commitment, then often coaching staffs move on to fill the next need.

When a player reneges on that promise to attend the school that they have given the verbal commitment to, they throw the entire recruiting plan for that school into disarray.

My point was that careful consideration should be entertained prior to giving the verbal commitment and once rendered, it should be honored unless circumstances such as those I have outlined occur.

Naively, I thought my assertions were self evident and that any reasonable person would agree that a persons word, by and large, was a value that should be embraced by all members of a civilized society.

Surprisingly, this was not the case.

Although my article has not received an abundance of comments (maybe because many agree with me, maybe not), the comments I have received have been of a nature that it is perfectly okay to break your promise, whatever the cause.

One person has even gone so far as to suggest there should be no contracts whatsoever that bind either coaches or players to the promises they make.

For me, this is alarming and symptomatic of the eroding values that society is displaying in modern times.

To rationalize the breaking of a persons word is just another convenient excuse to act in a irresponsible manner and it is this kind od a lack of accountability that plagues society in the world we live in.

Of course, in the grand scheme of things, a kid going back on his word isn’t cataclysmic by nature and maybe I am making too big a deal of this.

After all, people are dying every day in a world full of injustice.

But change starts in small ways and the keeping of your word is as good a place to start changing the world as any.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/312921-pac-10-bcs-bowls-my-preview-and-picks

Derek Hart — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:52:35 +0000

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Laying the Foundation: USC Recruiting…Jefferson, Stills to Oklahoma

Rick McMahan — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 01:50:48 +0000

It was recently announced that Oklahoma has received verbal pledges from two highly regarded prep football players, Tony Jefferson and Kenny Stills.

For Jefferson, who was recruited as an athlete by many schools, Oklahoma will be his third verbal commitment, following Stanford who was dropped in favor of UCLA.

As many of you who have followed this “Laying the Foundation” series know, I don’t put a whole lot of stock into a high school student’s ability to follow through on promises made before the actual signing of a letter of intent.

Tony Jefferson is a good example of why.

Jefferson, who I have seen play in person a couple of times and also reviewed tape of him, is a good player.

Having said that, he is by no means great. When I saw him, he was average, maybe a little better.

He has had some impressive games this year but most of that was him being featured against overmatched opponents.

I had suspicions of Jefferson as a player but none for the veracity of his word.

Both Stanford and then UCLA had received pledges from Jefferson who had no qualms about going back on his word when a better offer came his way.

While I think a student’s word at all times in their life is important, I am not so naive to think that a 17-year-old kid could not be swayed by the “next big thing” to come his way.

That “next big thing,” in this case, was Oklahoma.

So goodbye Tony Jefferson and good luck.

This USC fan will not lose a minute of sleep over your decision.

In fact, I was disturbed that the Trojans even made a run at Jefferson after he decommited from his verbal to UCLA.

However, I had read where Jefferson said that he hadn’t heard much lately from the Trojans who hopefully got the message that verbals from players like Jefferson weren’t worth the time he takes to utter them.

USC has had their fill of signing day decommitments and probably thought their efforts could better be served a player whose word they could count on.

However, the other Sooner verbal commitment is a bit more disconcerting for USC and their fans although in no way a surprise.

Kenny Stills, the fast and talented wide receiver from Carlsbad, Calif. will join Jefferson (if he keeps his word this time) and play for Bob Stoops.

Stills, who said the Trojans were his number one choice, attended the USC Rising Stars Camp and wowed everyone with his prowess, which included a 4.4 40-yard dash.

However, in keeping with the new Trojans recruiting policy, no offer was made by USC to Stills and he decided to look elsewhere.

Although Pete Carroll and his staff did eventually make that offer, it was too late for Stills.

Stills will be a very good college football player, and one, who in my mind, will far outshine Tony Jefferson at the next level.

More importantly, Kenny Stills took the time to look around and make his decision in a responsible manner.

That the Trojans could have had him early on is frustrating from a fan’s point of view but what may be even more disconcerting is that the Trojans’ coaching staff should have seen how badly this kid wanted to be a Trojan and made him an offer.

Having said all that, there may not be a place for Kenny Stills anyway.

The 2009 recruiting class already includes Kyle Prater and Robert Woods, two prep wide receivers who are rated higher than Stills by every recruiting service I have read.

So maybe it was just a matter of numbers and Stills might have thought better opportunities existed elsewhere.

In the final analysis, the loss of Tony Jefferson and Kenny Stills, in my opinion, only half hurts the Trojans for the 2009 recruiting year.

Based on the tone of this article, I’ll let you decide which half hurts.

Laying the Foundation: USC Recruiting in 2009 (Briggs and Martin)

Rick McMahan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:36:10 +0000

It is being reported by both ESPN and Scout.com that Trajuan Briggs, the 5′11″, 192 lbs running back from Birmingham High School has rescinded his verbal pledge to the Trojans and instead will sign with California.

Briggs, rated as a three-star running back who has been described as not “overly big, quick, or fast” may have seen the Trojan recruiting efforts cooling lately as USC continued their search for a big running back in the Lendale White or Allen Bradford mold.

Trajuan Briggs will never fit that criteria, and perhaps he saw the writing on the wall.

Whatever the case, California gets a running back that has also been described as having good vision and balance.

Briggs, who earlier had stated that he was “done with the recruiting process” after pledging to the Trojans, joins a long list of recruits in recent years who have gone elsewhere after verbally committing to the Trojans.

However, it must be noted that the Briggs defection may be a result of either a mutual decision by both the Trojans and Briggs or may include mitigating circumstances not readily evident.

In this particular case, it appears that the loss of Briggs will be far less costly than other defections, and the Trojans most certainly will set their sights on other players who fit their requirements better.

In other news, Chris Martin, an ESPN top 150 defensive end, who originally pledged to Notre Dame, has also given his verbal commitment to the Cal Bears.

Martin, who decided to look elsewhere after the firing of Charlie Weis, also had offers, in addition to USC, from Florida and Oklahoma amongst others.

The addition of Briggs and Martin mark a very successful week of recruiting for Jeff Tedford and the Cal Bears, if, and this is never a given with high school athletes, they sign their name on the dotted line come February.

In the meantime, USC continues to be in the hunt for almost every highly rated prep athlete, but news remains quiet and only time will tell how successful the Trojans are in the 2009 recruiting season.