TrojanWire - Notre Dame

Future Heisman Contenders From the Class of 2010

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:01:54 -0800

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Not every recruiting class contains a future Heisman winner. Here are the last 10 Heisman winners and the classes that produced them:

Chris Weinke (1990*/1997)

Erich Crouch (1997)

Carson Palmer (1998)

Jason White (1999)

Matt Leinart (2001)

Reggie Bush (2003)

Troy Smith (2002)

Tim Tebow (2006)

Sam Bradford (2006)

Mark Ingram (2008)

* — Weinke originally signed with Florida State in 1990 but he embarked on a pro baseball career before returning to the Seminoles in 1997.

Recent classes missing out on Heismans: 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007 (so far).

With signing day in the books, here are the players from the class of 2010 (in no particular order) who I think have the best chance of competing for future Heismans:

Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn–Dyer is a slippery, low-to-the-ground runner who should immediately thrive in Gus Malzahn’s offense. I predict he will hit the 1,000-yard mark as a freshman (assuming health and qualification) and go on to a stellar career on the Plains.

Lache Seastrunk, RB, Oregon–I thought it was funny that reaction in the recruiting world to Seastrunk going to Oregon was rather muted. Said one coach to me “He’s going to Oregon–there must be something wrong with him.” Well, this is a guy who everyone wanted just a few months ago and now all of a sudden schools are poo-pooing him. I don’t buy it. This is one amazingly fast back who is perfect for the Chip Kelly scheme. He should be an instant star.

Mack Brown, RB, Florida–There haven’t been many ultra-productive running backs coming out of Urban Meyer’s offenses of late, but Brown could be the exception. He’s a nifty north-south runner who should thrive in the wide-open space of Meyer’s attack.

D.J. Morgan, RB, USC–Morgan could possibly redshirt his first season at USC due to an injury suffered his senior season. But once he gets healthy, he’ll be one of the more exciting players in the country. A legitimate track star (world junior champ in the high hurdles), he has the speed and moves to take it the distance on every play.

Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn–I was a big fan of Newton’s game when he went to Florida and I’m still high on him as he heads to Auburn. If he wins the starting job, he’ll throw for a lot of yards and touchdowns for the Tigers and could end up being one of the better quarterbacks in the SEC.

Devin Gardner, QB, Michigan–If Rich Rodriguez is to resurrect Michigan, he may need Gardner to come through sooner rather than later. Reminiscent of Vince Young and Terrelle Pryor physically and should be a great fit for the Wolverine offense. If he develops, watch out.

Andrew Hendrix, QB, Notre Dame–Hendrix is an underrated talent, with a very good arm and excellent athleticism. He could very well be the future for Notre Dame once Dane Crist’s eligibility expires. He looks like a typical Brian Kelly quarterback to me and that means he’ll be putting up big numbers one day.

Blake Bell, QB, Oklahoma–Bell is a raw talent with a lot of upside. It looks like he is tailor-made for the Oklahoma offense. Can really move his feet despite his 6-6 height. Keep an eye on him.

There’s my top Heisman guys from the class of 2010. It’s not an especially deep class as far as this list goes and it could well be that no Heisman winners emerge from this group. However, I think these guys I’ve listed have the best chance.

Welcome To USC Seantrel Henderson

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:53:50 -0800

(Photo by Icon Sports Media)

The top offensive lineman prospect in the nation is coming to USC.

Seantrel Henderson chose the Trojans over Ohio State, Notre Dame, Florida, Minnesota and Miami. Henderson is a 6’8 300 lb. offensive tackle and considered by many the top recruit in the country.

Pac-10 games of the decade

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:55:36 -0800

Lots of extraordinary games to choose from, as well as many ways to ascribe greatness: the size of the stage, the competitiveness of the game and the overall strangeness.

And we made the executive decision not to make this a list of USC upset losses -- other than the biggest one of those.

10. Oregon 56, Arizona State 55 (2 OT), 2000: Many of you are drawing a blank, but the ones who saw this one are jumping out of their chairs and going, "Oh man. That one was nuts." Both teams scored 21 points in the fourth quarter. The teams combined for 1,228 yards, 663 of those for the Sun Devils. Ducks quarterback Joey Harrington threw six -- SIX! -- touchdown passes, including three in the fourth quarter, the last of which tied the score with 27 seconds left after the Sun Devils gave away a critical fumble. Arizona State freshman QB Jeff Krohn threw five TD passes, by the way. ASU lost the game when coach Bruce Snyder decided to fake the extra point and go for the two-point conversion in the second overtime. It failed, leaving fans in Tempe stunned.

9. Washington State 30, USC 27 (OT), 2002: Any of you Cougars fans able to muster the memory of kicker Drew Dunning's slide on his knees at Martin Stadium? Dunning sent the game into overtime with a 35-yard field goal and then made the game-winner from the same distance in a victory that was critical to the Cougars' run to the Rose Bowl. The game featured a brilliant quarterback duel between Carson Palmer and Jason Gesser -- Gesser passed for 315 yards, Palmer for 381 -- and a dominant performance from Cougars defensive tackle Rien Long, who went on to win the Outland Trophy. Between this game and the 2006 Rose Bowl, USC lost just once.

8. Oregon 44, Arizona 41 (2 OT), 2009: If Arizona had won this game, we now know the Wildcats would have played in their first Rose Bowl. The Wildcats led 24-14 early in the fourth quarter, but then the game went crazy. With red-clad Arizona fans encircling the field, Ducks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli tied the game in regulation with six seconds left with a touchdown pass to Ed Dickson. Masoli then won it in the second overtime with a 1-yard run. Masoli ran for three TDs and passed for three more.

7. Stanford 24, USC 23, 2007: Greatest upset in Pac-10 history? Maybe. Stanford was a 41-point underdog playing its backup quarterback at No. 2 USC, which had won 35 in a row at home. But Trojans quarterback John David Booty, who foolishly played -- and was allowed to play -- with an injured throwing hand, threw four interceptions, while Stanford's Tavita Pritchard led a clutch, game-winning drive, throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Mark Bradford on fourth-and-goal with 49 seconds remaining.

6. Oregon 37, Oregon State 33, 2009: It was the Civil War for the Roses, with the Ducks earning a berth in the Rose Bowl after slipping a game crew of Beavers. While the return of Ducks running back LeGarrette Blount was significant -- he scored a critical touchdown -- the game belonged to redshirt freshman running back LaMichael James, who scored three touchdowns and rushed for 166 yards, and quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who ran over Beavers safety Lance Mitchell to convert a fourth-and-3 play from the Beavers' 33 with 3:41 left as Oregon ran out the final six minutes with its final drive.

5. California 31, Oregon 24, 2007: Sixth-ranked California, featuring a stellar performance from receiver DeSean Jackson, outlasted No. 11 Oregon in a game between two teams that each would at one point rise to No. 2 during the season, though both ultimately crumbled. The game turned on a strange play as the Ducks were on the cusp of tying the score. With 22 seconds to go, Dennis Dixon found Cameron Colvin near the goal line, but Colvin fumbled trying to reach the ball into the end zone when he was hit by Marcus Ezeff. The loose ball went through the end zone and was ruled a touchback and possession for Cal.

4. Washington 33, Oregon State 30, 2000: It was the greatest game no one saw because of the late, West Coast kickoff at Husky Stadium. And at the time its magnitude wasn't clear. The critical play of the back-and-forth affair happened when Washington defensive tackle Larry Tripplett caught Ken Simonton for a three-yard loss on second-and-1 from the Huskies 26-yard line with 42 seconds left. The Beavers panicked and mistakenly spiked the ball -- they had a time out left -- and then Ryan Cesca missed a 46-yard field goal to tie. It was the Beavers only loss of the season; they crushed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. They would have played Oklahoma for the national title if they had prevailed. And the win helped the Huskies win the Rose Bowl tiebreaker.

3. USC 23, California 17, 2004: No. 7 California had a first-and-goal on top-ranked USC's 9-yard line with under two minutes left. At that point, Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers had completed 29 of 31 for 267 yards and a touchdown. But the Bears couldn't punch it in, with USC registering a sack and forcing three incompletions. It was the closest call of the season for the best team of the USC dynasty.

2. USC 34, Notre Dame 31, 2005: The infamous "Bush Push" game. No. 9 Notre Dame was about to knock off top-ranked rival USC and make Irish coach Charlie Weis a national sensation, but Matt Leinart led a drive for the ages in the waning moments as the Trojans prevailed, scoring the winning points when Leinart got a little extra help from Bush on his second effort on a quarterback sneak.

1. Texas 41, USC 38, 2006 Rose Bowl: Perhaps the great game in college football history, particularly considering that the stakes were a national title for two unbeaten teams and the field was packed with talent and future high draft choices. Vince Young almost single-handedly willed his team to the victory -- he ran for 200 yards and passed for 267 more -- and denied the Trojans a third consecutive national title. USC walked away with a laundry list of "what ifs," but the ultimate result was a 34-game winning streak coming to an end.

Pac-10 teams of the decade

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:55:11 -0800

Yes, there are lots of USC teams in our list of the "best Pac-10 teams of the decade."

Not sure how you get around that. From 2002 to 2008, the Trojans finished ranked in the nation's top four. During that span, no other conference team topped the Trojans in the national rankings.

One team not listed, however, merits special mention: Oregon in 2007.

That team was 8-1, ranked No. 2 in the BCS standings and appeared to be headed for a showdown with LSU for the national championship. Then quarterback Dennis Dixon blew out his knee at Arizona -- he'd actually hurt it the week before vs. Arizona State -- and the Ducks subsequently lost to the Wildcats, the first of three consecutive losses before a blowout victory over South Florida in the Sun Bowl.

More than a few people -- not just Ducks fans -- believe that team would have won the national title if Dixon had remained healthy.

Of course, if wishes were fishes then cows would fly.

10. USC, 2007: A toss-up between this squad and the Trojans 2006 team. The '07 team finished ranked third in the AP and second in the coaches poll, while '06 finished fourth in both. '07 lost to 41-point underdog Stanford and at Oregon, see above about the Ducks. '06 lost at Oregon State and at UCLA, a 13-9 defeat that cost it a spot in the national title game. That last detail iced it for '07.

9. USC, 2002: More than a few pundits watching Carson Palmer and company pound Iowa in the Orange Bowl opined that, by season's end, this might be the nation's best team in 2002. After a 3-2 start in Year Two of the Pete Carroll Era, the Trojans won eight in a row to finish 11-2 and ranked No. 4.

8. California, 2004: Sure, the Bears laid an egg vs. Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl -- quick Cal fans: how many receivers were missing due to injury? And what do you think of Mack Brown? -- but Aaron Rodgers and company put on quite a show. The only regular-season defeat came in a thriller at USC -- see below -- 23-17, when the Trojans held strong after the Bears had a first-and-goal from the 9-yard line with less than two minutes left.

7. Oregon State, 2000: If not for a crazy finish at Washington in a 33-30 defeat, the Beavers might have played Oklahoma for the national championship. They went on to blister Notre Dame 41-9 in the Fiesta Bowl and finished ranked fourth in the nation. Go back and look at the roster: Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, DeLawrence Grant, Dennis Weathersby, LeDarius Jackson, Ken Simonton, etc. This was hardly a scrappy, little team.

6. Washington, 2000: This crew of Huskies was hardly dominant but they just found a way to win week after week, led by quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo. The 11-1 season included a victory over Miami, which finished ranked No. 2, a loss at No. 7 Oregon, and a Rose Bowl win over Drew Brees and Purdue.

5. USC, 2008: This crew paired one of the best defenses in college football history with a quarterback who's playing in the AFC championship this weekend. Yes, it's fair to ask how the horsepucky this team didn't win the national championship. Oregon State fans care to explain?

4. Oregon, 2001: How strange was the Ducks 49-42 loss vs Stanford, their only defeat of the season? The normally staid AP said this in the game story, it was "a game that had everything but aliens landing on the Autzen Stadium turf." The Ducks led by 14 in the fourth quarter before a blocked punt and interception from Joey Harrington allowed the Cardinal to take the lead. While Oregon fans mostly remember getting BCSed out of the national title game by Nebraska, the Stanford game prevented them from playing Miami in the Rose Bowl. The Ducks blasted Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl and finished No. 2, still the program's best final ranking.

3. USC, 2003: A dominant team that lost only in triple-overtime at California. Only a BCS computer glitch forced the Trojans, ranked No. 1 in every poll, to share a portion of the national title with another squad.

2. USC, 2005: The offense was a thing of beauty -- 580 yards, 49 points per game -- but a young defense, which featured a true freshman and four sophomore starters, cost the Trojans in the thrilling BCS title loss to the University of Vince Young.

1. USC, 2004: Unbeaten, undisputed. Dominant. Best team of the decade in all of college football? Perhaps, though folks could make a strong argument for Miami in 2001. An extraordinary array of talent on both sides of the ball. And defense was the difference vs. 2005. It ranked sixth in the nation in total defense and third in scoring. The Trojans battered Oklahoma 55-19 for the national title.

Assessing the damage from college football's winter of discontent

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:03:11 -0800

Today is not the day to use the word "seismic," but there aren't many adjective too strong for the shift in college football over the last three weeks. If you fell asleep on the night that Alabama beat Florida and Texas beat Nebraska to end an unusually uneventful regular season on Dec. 5, and didn't wake up to survey the landscape until sometime next August, you'd think almost 10 years had passed.

Since Christmas alone...

Urban Meyer suddenly retired, then un-retired despite legitimate health concerns that could keep him from returning to the sideline this fall; Mike Leach was suspended and then fired by Texas Tech for allegedly isolating Craig James' concussed son in not one but two separate enclosed spaces; Adam James subsequently released a creepy, dubious cell phone video from inside the infamous closet, and pass-happy Texas Tech hired a coach with an old school philosophy based on running and defense; Jim Leavitt was fired by South Florida for allegedly grabbing and slapping a player who later admitted to lying on his coaches behalf to save Leavitt's job, which Leavitt immediately demanded back; Pete Carroll abruptly resigned to follow his NFL dreams, just days before news emerged that major NCAA sanctions against the program he led for nine years could be mere months away; within a few hours, Carroll had been replaced at USC by the sport's biggest lightning rod, Lane Kiffin, whose departure nearly sparked riots in Tennessee, and who immediately set about reassembling the regime that oversaw the scandal that put the Trojans in the NCAA's crosshairs in the first place.

Somewhere along the way, Bobby Bowden coached his 417th and final game at Florida State, Ohio State ended a decade-long Big Ten losing streak in the Rose Bowl, Boise State completed an undefeated season and Alabama won a national championship in a game in which a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist was knocked out on his team's fifth offensive snap. Lately, that's what qualifies as mundane.

I hesitate to predict an end to the thunderclaps, with the Tennessee and South Florida jobs still open and three frantic weeks to go until recruits officially sign on to their respective schools, but it's certain already that the first season of the new decade will kick off with a landscape reminiscent of the flattened tress following the Tunguska Event. The reigning juggernauts on either coast, USC and Florida, will both be wracked by major attrition, uncertainty and, if Meyer fails to return, a potentially crippling regime change; their mantle of sustained dominance has apparently been assumed by Alabama. The two most unique and consistently entertaining coaches in the country, Pete Carroll and Mike Leach, each vacated his post under wildly different circumstances within days of one another. The most feted quarterbacks of the last three years, Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford, will be struggling for respect in the NFL. Notre Dame's latest (and most promising) reclamation project is underway. Boise freakin' State has a significant chance to open the 2010 season ranked in the top five, and to close it at No. 1. So does Oregon, which not that long ago would have seemed every bit as awkward in the frontrunner role as Boise.

Actually, the idea of a Ducks-Broncos rematch for the 2010 title would be all too appropriate: They kicked off last fall with the only moment of the regular season that matched the last few weeks for surprise and sheer unbelievability, and would make it abundantly clear to the world how thoroughly the old order has been overthrown. Maybe we're not there yet -- the other likely favorites will be more familiar powers Alabama and Ohio State -- but the changing of the calendar has done a remarkable job of reminding us to check our assumptions at the door.

If USC wants to bring Del Rio home, will Jacksonville let him go?

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:53:13 -0800

USC's coaching search hit the pedal just hours after Pete Carroll's official farewell Monday night, springing hacks and rumors into action from coast to coast. In Los Angeles, the L.A. Daily News' Scott Wolf says USC has presented a formal contract to former Trojan All-American and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, who's reportedly spent much of the last few days making calls to potential USC assistants -- specifically, to former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta.

In Jacksonville, though, the Florida Times-Union's Michael C. Wright says he expects Del Rio to be back in Jacksonville in 2010 after the coach put in yeoman hours Monday night ahead of today's fateful meeting with Jags owner Wayne Weaver, based on "multiple sources inside the building" who note that Jacksonville assistants signed contract extensions during the season and don't expect anyone to be fired today. Let the stare down begin.

Del Rio (above left, with Gary Busey in 1984) was fast-tracked through the NFL coaching ranks after a long pro career and has zero college coaching experience in any capacity, though he's reportedly gung ho to return to his alma mater. The marriage could be an easy one if Jacksonville is willing to oblige by firing him -- thus kicking in a huge buyout -- off the team's second straight losing season. If Weaver elects to keep him around, on the other hand, Del Rio gets nothing for resigning.

So the $15 million question could be one of the classic love-or-money variety: If Jacksonville doesn't cast him out with a fatter check in hand than he could ever expect from any university in America, just how much is the SC job worth to Del Rio, anyway?

Some Brief Thoughts on Pete Carroll's Departure from USC

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:51:12 -0800

More photos » Damian Dovarganes - AP

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As we move forward I will probably do more in looking back on Pete Carroll's tenure at USC, but for now I just have some general thoughts as it all sinks in...

So, we turn the page on the Pete Carroll era at USC...

If you didn't see the presser you can watch it again here.

There will be many who write and dissect PC's tenure at Heritage Hall. Some will be positive, some will be negative. I just hope many will be fair. No coach does everything right and all the good ones have their share of controversy and when they are in charge at a nationally prominent program every little issue is magnified into a national conspiracy by those who would wish said program ill will.

Pete Carroll changed the atmosphere around the program. He embraced its traditions and made a few of his own along the way. His easy going style made it easy to get comfortable with the program again. He changed the culture as he embraced the fans and opened up practices.

He made it fun to enjoy USC football again!

I am not going to try and write a historical piece on Pete Carroll. Others are already doing that so I will leave it to the professionals.

For a change Dennis Dodd actually writes something decent...

Pete injected a personality we thought he never had into a rudderless program. Who knew that an out-of-work average former NFL coach from the University of Pacific had these kind of chops?

From the get go, he was recruiting. Not just players either. In 2005, Pat Ruel was happy with his NFL job with the New York Giants. Carroll convinced the veteran offensive line coach to come out and talk about a job. It took one lunch with Carroll in Manhattan Beach on a cloudless sunny day with the waves crashing in the background for Ruel to change jobs.

Carroll's coaching tree continues to grow. Steve Sarkisian is at Washington and has already been mentioned as a possible replacement. Kiffin took some of Carroll's exuberance with him to Tennessee. Carroll allowed them to run USC's offense while still in their early 30's. Both run their practices the same as Pete did at USC.

Players loved him. Recruits flocked to him. In one three-year period, 40 true freshmen saw the field for the Trojans. The downside was that a lot of those players developed quickly and went to the NFL after three years. The upside was that the cycle started all over again. Carroll sold that possibility to the next round of recruits.

Pete embraced the history, tradition, the hype, the hangers on. Even the media.

Open locker rooms, open practices, Win Forever. Game day at the Coliseum, sellouts, Tommy Trojan, the Song Girls. I walked off the field with Matt Leinart a night after he beat Notre Dame at home. The look in his eyes told me the kid knew his whole life was about to change.

Matt, you had no idea.

God, you not only wanted to cover it, you wanted to be part of it.

Everyone wanted to be a part of it!

SC wasn't this much fun since McKay left.

And just like that it is over...

It went by pretty fast!

I refuse to think and say "what if" as many have and will do about a number of moves that Pete Carroll made (or didn't make).

In for a dime in for a dollar...

You take the good with the bad...

I really couldn't be happier for Pete Carroll as he makes the move to Seattle.

SC has a bit of a rough road ahead but SC will be fine.

We will have to take our licks in the coming months but as we have seen with other programs who have had issues with the NCAA it isn't the end of the world. Oklahoma and Alabama come to mind. Whatever the punishment is will be real, it will kind of be like getting the flu, we'll feel crummy and slog through it but sooner or later it will pass. With the right staff and with the right attitude anything is possible.

Everything happens for a reason.

I refuse to be down or melancholy. It couldn't last forever, nor should it have.

I do not know what the future holds but I am confident that those pulling the strings will make the right moves to continue to keep this program nationally prominent.

It won't be easy as we are about to go through change. A new coach and staff mean new rules and a different way of doing things. That will good and bad. The expectations will be high but we need to be supportive and understand that it just won't continue like the way it was before.

There will be fits and starts. There will be stumbling blocks along the way but I have no doubt that SC will still be in the national discussion from a football perspective and not from a punishment perspective.

USC is bigger than just one coach no matter what he accomplished at during his time at USC.

So its a new beginning with a lot of unanswered questions...

And I am excited to see what the future holds!

FIGHT ON!

Putting The 2009 Season Into Perspective

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:33:44 -0800

When you are accustomed to watching USC win Pac-10 championships and Rose Bowls, anything short of that is a disappointment. By those lofty standards, the 2009 season was a disappointment (and hopefully just a down year). When talking about an upcoming season for the USC Trojans, you will hear the words "Rose Bowl" and "National Championship" along with it. It is a sign of where USC football is and where it expects to be. That alone tells you that in the college football world, the high standards at USC are the exception, not the rule.

Consider this: a down year for Notre Dame and Michigan is finishing 3-9. A down year for Pete Carroll's USC is finishing 9-4 and comfortably in the Top 25. If finishing 9-4 and remaining in the Top 25 is a down year for USC, I'll take it!

One man's trash is another man's treasure. To translate that, one bad season for USC is another team's dream season. This year the Temple Owls had their best season in 30 years. Guess what their record was? 9-4. Illinois had their miracle season in 2007 when they made it to the Rose Bowl (and was blown out by USC 49-17). Their record was also 9-4. And there are plenty of other teams, too many to count, who wish they finished 9-4.

HIGHLIGHTS: Anthony McCoy 2009

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:40:14 -0800

Senior tight end Anthony McCoy has been ruled academically ineligible for the Emerald Bowl against Boston College, thus marking the end of his career as a Trojan. McCoy's most notable performance this season was against Notre Dame, where he racked up an astonishing 153 yards on 5 catches. Below is a TrojanWire highlight video of Anthony McCoy making a statement for why he should play on Sundays.

HIGHLIGHTS: Anthony McCoy 2009

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:40:14 -0800

2009 Team Awards

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:16:18 -0800

The Trojans held their annual end-of-the-year awards ceremony at the Nokia Club Sunday night. This years MVP is Damian Williams. Williams finished the season with 58 receptions for 821 yards and eight total touchdowns. Williams has until January 15th to decide if he will forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Other Trojans receiving awards were:

Most Inspirational Player: Stafon Johnson
Linemen of the year: Jeff Byers (offense); Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey (defense)
Special teams player of the year: Garrett Green
Service team players of the year: Michael Reardon (offense); Marquis Simmons (defense)
Player of the game versus Notre Dame: Anthony McCoy
Player of the game versus UCLA: Allen Bradford
Jack Oakie "Rise and Shine" Award (year's biggest hit): Taylor Mays
Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award: Garrett Green
Bob Chandler Award (underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character): Christian Tupou
John McKay Award (underclassman with the most competitive spirit): Devon Kennard
Courage Award: Josh Pinkard
Co-Lifters Award: Jeff Byers, Will Harris, Taylor Mays
Best Fan Website: TrojanWire
Favorite Thing to Look Forward to on Mondays: Song Girl Monday by TrojanWire

USC Football News and Notes 12/14 - Emerald Bowl Prep, Team Banquet and C.J. Gable News

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:49:01 -0800

So, the team is back at it this week as they go into bowl prep.

A couple of interesting story lines are taking shape as the season comes to a close.

I noted yesterday that Safety Josh Pinkard is out for the Emerald Bowl because of a knee injury. That makes things very interesting as Pete Carroll will now be giving us a small glimpse into the future as to what players may have a role in 2010.

With Pinkard out, sophomore T.J. Bryant, who has been the nickel back, probably will start. But redshirt junior Shareece Wright and redshirt freshman Brian Baucham also are in the mix.

Wright, a projected starter, is expected to be available for the game after sitting out the regular season because he was academically ineligible.

Baucham, who was ahead of Bryant coming out of training camp, returned to practice Sunday after missing several weeks because of a foot injury related to a September motorcycle accident.

I am not really sure as to just how effective Wright will be after not playing for almost four months. His loss really became apparent in the second half of the season when SC's defense started to struggle. I was not pleased that Wright did not take his classwork seriously...his not being on the team really changed the dynamic of the defense.

The question I have for everyone is academically eligible does Wright deserve to play or should he wait for spring ball? Wright definitely should not start but should he see some playing time? Playing in a bowl game to me is privilege not a given. I know he is talented but is missing the regular season enough of a punishment? It is a fine line but what is the message that needs to be sent?

T.J. Bryant already has some playing time under his belt but we really have not seen anything of Baucham after his motorcycle accident...will he be game ready?

- - -

Last night USC held their Team Banquet and handed out a number of awards...

Sixth-year senior Jeff Byers was named offensive lineman of the year, while Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey shared defensive linemen of the year honors. Senior quarterback/wideout Garrett Green was recognized as special teams player of the year. And, for the third consecutive year, Green also won the Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award for having the highest GPA on the team.

The night wasn't lacking thrills. Cedric the Entertainer performed standup comedy and linebacker Marquis Simmons led a rendition of "Lean on Me" -- along with the tear-jerking presentation of Johnson's award by Jake Olson.

Here's a look at the full list of winners from the 2009 USC football awards ceremony on Sunday night:

Most Valuable Player: Wideout/punt returner Damian Williams

Most Inspirational Player: Tailback Stafon Johnson

Linemen of the year: Center/guard Jeff Byers (offense); defensive tackles Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey (defense)

Special teams player of the year: Quarterback/wideout Garrett Green

Service team players of the year: Center Michael Reardon (offense); linebacker Marquis Simmons (defense)

Player of the game versus Notre Dame: Tight end Anthony McCoy

Player of the game versus UCLA: Tailback Allen Bradford

Jack Oakie "Rise and Shine" Award (year's biggest hit): Safety Taylor Mays

Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award: Quarterback/wideout Garrett Green

Bob Chandler Award (underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character): Defensive tackle Christian Tupou

John McKay Award (underclassman with the most competitive spirit): Linebacker Devon Kennard

Courage Award: Cornerback Josh Pinkard

Co-Lifters Award: Offensive lineman Jeff Byers, safety Will Harris, safety Taylor Mays

Recognition of the 22 graduating seniors

The awards for Stafon Johnson, Garrett Green and Damian Williams are no surprise.

Speaking of Garrett Green...

Garrett Green has been cleared to hold on placements despite a torn ACL in his right knee.

How cool is that! He definitely deserves it. He has probably been the most under the radar player on this team over the past few seasons. It sucks that he won't have a bigger role on kick returns like he has had but at least he will get a chance to have a hand in his final game as a Trojan.

- - -

So, what about C.J. Gable?

No player has been as much as an enigma as Gable has during his time at USC.

He had the hot hand before going out with an abdominal injury and he had a pretty good season in 2008 until he saw the bench after putting the ball on the turf against ucla and Penn St. At times his attitude has been questioned in the press but that is hard to really know. He made some statements in the past that probably put him in the doghouse but this season he has been completely off the radar.

Last season there were some rumblings that he might go pro but he stuck it out...

But with the season almost over the questions are now being asked...will he stay or will he go?

Gable is one of several draft-eligible Trojans underclassmen who must decide by Jan. 15 whether to go pro or return to school. Unlike many of the others, Gable has played only a bit role this season after being a major contributor a year ago.

Gable started all but one game last season and tied for the team lead with 10 touchdowns. This season the redshirt junior has no starts and just 21 carries as Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford have shared most of the workload.

"It’s been frustrating," Gable said Sunday after USC’s second practice in preparation for the Dec. 26 Emerald Bowl. "Anybody would be frustrated. … Why would you play if you don’t care whether you get in or not?

"I care because I want to play. But I can’t do anything about it but keep on doing what I’m doing, which is work hard and let everybody see what I can do."

Gable made quite an impression Sunday, when, according to USC coach Pete Carroll, "he was the best guy on the field." But being a good practice player — and a good soldier after complaining about playing time last season - hasn’t translated into a greater role during games.

We have heard how great players have performed in practice only to see them disappear when game time comes around so I am not taking Gables strong performance as nothing more than just a snapshot in time.

Personally, I think he goes pro. SC will still have a glut of running backs, four off the top of my head, and that is before LOI Day where SC is in the mix for a couple of more top RB's

Here is a little more for the DN...

After rushing for 617 yards on 107 carries with eight touchdowns last year, Gable has been buried behind Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford in the running back rotation during his redshirt junior season, causing him to contemplate whether he'll return to play for the Trojans in 2010 or explore his value in the NFL draft in April.

"(In the past) I've always been basing my decisions off anger, but now I'm thinking clearly," said Gable, who has seen action in 11 of 12 games, but has rushed for only 98 yards on 12 carries with no scores.

"The most important thing is graduating. I've learned that football isn't everything. There is life after football. It's been difficult, but I just get in a rhythm in practice and I forget that I'm not playing anymore. I don't talk about it unless somebody brings it up."

Gable needs three more classes to graduate, but intends to sit down and talk with coach Pete Carroll following the Dec. 26 Emerald Bowl against Boston College in San Francisco about his future prospects.

"Allen is coming back too, but it also depends on who they might bring in," Gable said. "The only thing I know I'll benefit from by coming back is that I'll graduate. But (this year) they were better than me. The best man won the position."

Gable's mature approach hasn't been lost on Carroll, especially following the Trojans' second practice in as many days since a 21-17 loss to Arizona on Dec. 5.

You know Carroll is going to try and get him stay...but he may be in the same as Mark Sanchez. He can take those three classes and be done next semester so his commitment in my eyes is fulfilled...he has no obligation to stay once he has his degree...

It should be interesting.

Kelly and Notre Dame

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:46:29 -0800

You have to give Notre Dame credit. It finally got serious and went out and got the guy that was, really, a no-brainer to lead its program back to glory.

I think it’s a fantastic hire, with the only question mark being whether Kelly can hold up as Irish coach and all that comes with it–the scrutiny, the media attention and the pressure.

The potential is there for Notre Dame to be great again. How will we know the Irish are truly back?

Heismans.

Hancock, Ex-Bush Cronies Helps Spread the BCS' B.S.

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:39:55 -0800

Bowl Championship Series coordinator Bill Hancock was a guest of Adam Gold and Joe Ovies earlier this week on 620 The Buzz in Raleigh. Hancock made it clear he is against expanding the current system into a plus-one format, where the top four teams would play with the winners squaring off in a title game.

"Here's their problem with the four-team playoff," he said. "It would not stay at four. Every bracket has grown ... Pretty soon you'll have eight. Pretty soon, somebody whose No. 5 will say, 'Wait a minute, that's not fair, we need in.' And they would change it to an eight-team playoff."

My question: What's wrong with that?

You can listen to the interview by clicking here.

In recent weeks, Hancock has surrounded himself with former members of the George W. Bush Administration to help defend the indefensible system. This includes the high-profile hiring of the communications firm owned by Ari Fleischer, the former White House Press Secretary.

Late last month, there was the launch of the website Playoff Problem. According to domain records, Playoff Problem is registered to Trent Duffy of HDMK.

Duffy held several positions in the Bush Administration, including Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief Deputy Press Secretary. He did not answer our email for comment.

The site's pitch includes this: "We have decades of experience working in the White House, Capitol Hill, national political campaigns and the private sector, and we have been engaged in hundreds of high profile public policy battles."

Nothing like getting Washington insiders to help do the dirty work. ...

While Hancock and his former Bush cronies continue to lobby for the status quo, this year's lineup of BCS games is already running into trouble. First came the curious pairing of BCS outsiders Texas Christian against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Instead of having David vs. Goliath matchups involving say, Boise State-Iowa and TCU-Georgia Tech, the BCS decided to go for a David vs. David matchup of the Horned Frogs and Broncos.

This, of course, was a way to sidestep controversy should the Davids beat the Goliaths.

Other problems are cropping up. The Florida-Cincinnati matchup in the Sugar Bowl lost its luster Thursday when Brian Kelly decided to become Notre Dame's coach. He won't be around for the bowl, meaning he values his new gig more than coaching an undefeated team in a lousy BCS game.

One has to wonder if Kelly would have coached the Bearcats if they were playing in the BCS title game.

Texas, of course, was a questionable choice to play Alabama in the BCS title game. As John Feinstein wrote in the Washington Post, the Longhorns did not beat a team that finished in the top 20. In the Big 12 title game against Nebraska, Texas managed only 18 rushing yards. Hardly the stuff of a champion.

Had Texas lost, Cincinnati would have been paired against Alabama. Cincinnati mysteriously passed TCU in the final BCS standings despite a defense that failed miserably down the stretch. Opponents dented the Bearcats for an average of 36.5 points in the last four games.

It's clear the little guys will never be on equal ground in this corrupt system. The Mountain West and Western Athletic conferences hit the jackpot this year, but the leagues would have been off as forces of change. Last July, they had a chance to stand up to the BCS but backed down. Huge mistake. Imagine the outcry today had TCU and Boise State been prohibited from competing in the top tier of bowl games simply because they didn't believe in a rigged system.

Feinstein writes that "there's no one out there willing to stand up to the BCS bullies."

He's right.

Notre Dame To Hire Brian Kelly

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:26:15 -0800

(Photo by Icon Sports Media)

ESPN is reporting that Notre Dame is set to hire Brian Kelly as the new head coach of the Irish. Kelly coached Cincinnati to a 12-0 record this year. The Bear Cats are set to play in the Sugar Bowl against Florida on New Years day.

Here is what Cincinnati’s best wide receiver, Mardy Gilyard, thinks about Kelly’s decision:

"I don't like it. I feel there was a little lying in the thing. I feel like he'd known this the whole time. Everybody knows Notre Dame's got the money. I kind of had a gut feeling he was going to stay just because he told me he was going to be here."

In three seasons at Cincinnati, Kelly’s teams went 34-6, won back to back Big East titles and received two straight BCS berths.

Sources: Kelly to be new Irish coach [espn]