Tag Archives: Adoree’ Jackson

First look: No. 22 UCLA at USC

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UCLA running back Paul Perkins ran for 93 yards and a touchdown in the Bruins' 38-20 win over USC last November. (Keith Birmingham/Staff)

UCLA running back Paul Perkins ran for 93 yards and a touchdown in the Bruins’ 38-20 win over USC last November. (Keith Birmingham/Staff)

No. 22 UCLA Bruins (8-3, 5-3) at USC (7-4, 5-3)
Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 28, 12:30 p.m., L.A. Memorial Coliseum
TV: ABC/ESPN2 (Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman, Todd McShay)
Radio: AM 570 (Bill Roth, Matt Stevens, Wayne Cook)

Scouting report: A win over UCLA might not guarantee interim coach Clay Helton the full-time job, but a loss likely ends his chances. … USC’s defense is coming off a dreadful performance against Oregon, one in which it allowed six touchdown passes and 16.3 yards per pass attempt. The Trojans are allowing opponents to complete 63.8 percent through the air, the second-worst mark in the Pac-12 (ahead of Oregon State’s 67.9). … USC lost all-conference center Max Tuerk for the season as well as Toa Lobendahn, the versatile sophomore who replaced him. Former four-star recruit Khaliel Rodgers now mans the position, but is playing through a shoulder injury. … Quarterback Cody Kessler isn’t finding the end zone as often as he did last season (39 touchdowns down to 25), but his numbers have otherwise remained steady. … The Trojans rank first in the Pac-12 and No. 13 nationally with a 0.91 turnover margin. However, they are -3 in their four losses.

Series history: USC leads the all-time series, 44-31-7, but UCLA has won the last three games by double digits. Jim Mora can be the first Bruin coach to win four straight since Terry Donahue had five from 1991-95.

Key players:

QB Cody Kessler, RSr., 6-1, 215 — 243/351, 2,953 yards, 25 TD, 6 INT
— He has seven touchdowns against one interception in his last three games, but he’s twice averaged fewer than 6.0 yards per attempt against Pac-12 opponents this season. Continue reading “First look: No. 22 UCLA at USC” »

First look: No. 24 USC Trojans

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No. 11 UCLA Bruins (8-2, 5-2) vs. No. 24 USC Trojans (7-3, 6-2)
Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 22, 5 p.m., Rose Bowl
TV: ABC (Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe)
Radio: AM 570 (Chris Roberts, Matt Stevens, Wayne Cook)

Coach: Will Steve Sarkisian again top seven regular-season wins as a head coach?

For several years at Washington, the knock on Sark was that he could never take a team over that hump. Sure, he’d knock off a few ranked teams here and there, but after a 2009 debut that featured upsets of No. 3 USC and No. 19 Cal, his Huskies finished 7-6 for three straight years. When he finally broke through with an 8-4 record last season, he soon took the Trojans’ top job.

Now back at the school where he spent the bulk of his career as an assistant, the 40-year-old is pushing up against that same hurdle. USC will pull more talent than Sarkisian could ever get at UW, but in his first season, the Trojans seem to have a habit of playing down to opponents. Their losses to Arizona State and Utah required them giving up a Hail Mary and a touchdown with eight seconds left. More recently, they took a 31-2 halftime lead against Cal, only to see the Bears score four of the game’s next five touchdowns. Continue reading “First look: No. 24 USC Trojans” »

Which players have the best names in the Pac-12?

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By now, you’ve read many of the lists that have proliferated in college football’s dry summer months. The best 100 players. The freakiest players. The best coaches, best offseasons, best uniforms.

But this? This is the most important of them all. With Pac-12 Media Days — schedule here — kicking off this morning, I have compiled the five best names from each team in the conference.

Without further ado …

Arizona: Sir Thomas Jackson, Antonio Smothers, Tra’Mayne Bondurant, Brogan Kemmerly, Abraham Mendivil

Not great depth here, as the latter two names sacrifice catchiness in favor of length. Still, Sir Thomas Jackson alone is an MVP candidate.

Arizona State: Ezekial Bishop, Demetrius Cherry, Zane Gonzalez, Jaxon Hood, Jaelen Strong

A solid quintet that lacks a superstar.

Cal: Hardy Nickerson, Avery Sebastian, Bryce Treggs, Brennan Scarlett, Maximo Espitia

A nice throwback in Hardy Nickerson, bookended by a name that makes me want to re-watch Russell Crowe take on a despotic Joaquin Phoenix. Continue reading “Which players have the best names in the Pac-12?” »

Five-star cornerback Adoree’ Jackson picks USC

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Gardena Serra standout Adoree’ Jackson picked USC this morning, giving the Trojans a big push in a rivalry that had been tilting quickly to UCLA.

Last year, the Bruins finished with a consensus top-10 recruiting class for the first time since 2010, also their first haul ranked higher than USC’s by both Rivals.com and Scout.com since 2002. This year, UCLA whiffed on nearly every major recruit it hoped for heading into National Signing Day — including Jackson, who at No. 6 overall was the highest-ranked uncommitted player left in the country.

Missing out on the five-star cornerback/athlete ended a disappointing day for the Bruins, who reeled in a solid class but one that will finish outside the top 15 nationally.

The team also missed out on five-star linebacker Rashaan Evans (Alabama), five-star receiver Malachi Dupre, and four-star defensive end Davon Godchaux (LSU). They did manage to wrangle four-star linebacker Kenny Young out of Louisiana, but will finish this cycle without any five-star recruits.

Adoree’ Jackson has UCLA in top four

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Five-star prospect Adoree’ Jackson announced his final four last night: Florida, LSU, USC and UCLA. Ranked No. 6 in the country by Rivals.com, the 5-foot-10, 172-pound athlete is the top uncommitted player left on the board.

The Gardena Serra product can be an impact player as a cornerback, receiver or returner. He has one official visit left, but has not said where he will take it.

Jackson is also a state long jump champion, and has Olympic aspirations for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.

Of his four finalists, Florida has by far the strongest track and field program. Continue reading “Adoree’ Jackson has UCLA in top four” »