Round 6

There’s been no knockdowns in this fight, being broadcast live on CaesarTV.

Q: I have heard some good things about Anthony McCoy the past few seasons. He hasn’t played much though. Do you think he’s got the skills to be an effective starter?

A: McCoy’s intrigued me from Day 1, because he looks physically impressive and Pete Carroll constantly talked about playing him as a freshman but never really did. Last year, he got limited action. At times, he seems to be in and out of the doghouse. This should be his year. He seems athletic enough to be a weapon. This is a make or break year for him, as often happens with players in their third season. I think he can be a contributor.

Q: Do you have a good working relationship with Arbo ?

A: Who?

Q: Everyone has talked so much trash about how the receivers couldn’t catch, especially Patrick Turner (BUST). He dropped so many first down receptions last year. And one more thing, how does Ronald Johnson look. There is an article on usc.rivals.com saying he is focused this year. Was he not focused last year?

A: This time of year is when you always hear cliches like “being focused” or “not being focused.” Johnson was a true freshman last year so he was learning. Now he has more experience and knows the ropes, so he should be better. And it will help if the QB can connect with him when he is open. Patrick Turner usally looks fine in practice. So like a lot of players, wait till the games to see if there’s a difference.

Q: O.J. Mayo told Adam Rose he will be back next year. According to Rose, Mayos answer was unequivocally affirmative. What has Mayo said to you?

A: One reporter who was present in the locker room described Mayo’s comments as “lip service.” The last time I spoke to him about it, he said he wanted to come back and get his degree one day, which implied he would be leave after the season. But like I said Saturday, take everything now with a bit of caution and wait until after the season. Some of USC’s biggest football stars said they were returning only to announce they would go pro after the season.

Q: I’m just curious if you happen to know how stud 2009 DE recruit Chris Bonds unofficial visit to USC went?

A: Chris Bonds, a defensive end from South Carolina, is very interested in USC and likes the coaching staff and was excited when offered a scholarship. But it’s very early and he’s from Columbia, so the Gamecocks will be in this too along with other SEC schools. When he comes to the camp this summer, we’ll be able to better gauge how he feels about the Trojans.

Q: What % of the recruits that sc offers do they recruit hard?

A: Generally speaking, because everything changes, probably about 50 percent get recruited aggressively. But the truth is the list of players can change from week to week. Some guys get recruited the whole time, but others get recruited hard, then interest lags, then get recruited hard again. An example of this was defensive lineman Datone Jones, who signed with UCLA. USC’s interest ebbed and flowed for about a year.