Open Forum

Time for post-Washington State questions. One per person please. I still have a few more questions to answer from the previous forum so if your question did not get answered yet, you do not need to repost it.

29 thoughts on “Open Forum

  1. Could you please explain your grade of C- for the Special Teams against Wazzou? They blocked a punt, blocked an Extra Point, were a perfect 7-7 on their Extra Points, including a successful 2 pointer, and had perfect kick coverage. Despite all that, because Joe Houston missed a FG before the half, they barely pass with a C-? Please explain this logic.

  2. Will you please give some insight into the relationship between Kiffin and Sarkisian. Kiffin’s comments about preparing for game 5 were interesting (i.e. that they have spent a lot of time preparing for this game).

  3. I understand and accept the 2-point formation / decision to go for 2. But, wouldn’t it be a good idea to use Dillon Baxter in the Mitch Mustain position? He can run, throw, and (presumably) hold the PAT if necessary. It seems his speed and elusiveness would match up much better on the tackle dive play that Mustain scored on against WASU (and the sweep left that Mustain failed on against Hawaii). Thoughts? Mind asking / suggesting this to Sunshine?

  4. What’s the latest on Kent Turene? Is he still solid? Rumors are flying that Wayne Lyons is pushing UCLA on him…

  5. Scott- you are an AP voter with capital knowledge. I am concerned that your interest in european soccer prevents you from casting a legitimate college football AP ballot. are you putting extra thought into your ballot this year with the boise state/tcu situation and the fact that the boise/tcu schedules are weak compared to bcs conference schedules?

  6. Wolf, I am unaware of any previous cases where the NCAA imposed significant penalties (other then vacated wins/records) because of players gaining extra benefits from outside agents. Also, from what I understand in the Maurice Clarrett case, OSU and the NCAA chose to disbelieve the accusers, Clarett and a former Buckeye player as they has some credibility issues, and thus essentially imposed no sanctions on OSU in that extra-benefit investigation. Given these precendents, don’t you think it would have been a stretch for USC to self-impose significant penalities on the football program prior to the NCAA’s decision?

    As an aside I think an examination of the Clarrett case and contrast that with the Bush investigation would be a great story. The allegations were far worse, but the NCAA bent over backward to discredit the accusers.

  7. Ed Orgeron with crutches in a fight against Heather “no longer McCartney” Mills. The fight takes place on the sand by the beach. Who wins?

  8. What are your predictions:

    1. What is USC’s final record this year?
    2. Who does USC lose to this season?
    3. Who wins the Pac-10 this season?
    4. Who wins the National Championship this season?

    As always, thanks for the forum, Scott.

  9. Why can’t Barkley throw a spiral on the longer range passes? It seems like his throws flutter a lot.

  10. I’m confused by your ranking of Stanford at number 9. I think they’re a top 5 team and might be in the BSC title game if they can get by Oregon on the road. Why not higher?

  11. Not to be a whiny little (you know what) but are there any journalists investigating the way the NCAA handled the Reggie Bush case? It seems like this would be a great opportunity for a journalist to get a lot of publicity and make some serious coin by publishing an expose style book on the apparent incongruities between the way the NCAA handled this case and the way it’s handled other cases.

    Also (I know your policy is a strict one question per person deal, but this is more of an aside) – do you know offhand how the freedom of information act pertains to obtaining grades/degrees at a public school. If, say someone wanted to investigate Vince Young’s academic career at Texas, could one examine his grades, or would that be considered “personal”? I know that the FOIA covers public employees (Athletic Directors’ emails, for instance) but I’m not sure how it relates to students.

    Thanks in advance.

  12. Mr. Wolf, how will the current NCAA investigation on UNC, South Carolina and Georgia impact USC’s appeal? The NCAA penalized USC for Bush accepting money and based on this decision it looks like UNC is in serious trouble considering that Coach Blake was on the payroll of one of the accuser’s company and multiple players were influenced by outside boosters/agents. Thank you in advance.

  13. What ever happened with Lane disputing the “with cause” portion of his separation from the Raiders?

  14. Coach Kiffen sees improvement…. Judging by what I am looking at, I don’t see a measurable amount of it after 4 games played. The goal of being 4 & 0 has been met. So what’s the next goal? Is part of the sanctions showing up on the field looking like a half dead team? Its like the team is being limited & held back. Just because Kiffin doesn’t bounce up & down like a pogo stick like PC, doesn’t mean the team can’t get some emotion & energy to explode on the field…

  15. I second another readers sentiment and would like to ask the same question in hopes of a good answer.

    Could you please explain your grade of C- for the Special Teams against Wazzou? They blocked a punt, blocked an Extra Point, were a perfect 7-7 on their Extra Points, including a successful 2 pointer, and had perfect kick coverage. Despite all that, because Joe Houston missed a FG before the half, they barely pass with a C-? Please explain this logic.

    Would you give Barkley a B- if he completed only 24 of 25 passes? It’d probably be a pretty horrendous incompletion…

    Thanks.

  16. Scott, You and certain L.A. Times journalist are among a few who have been critical of USC’s handling of Aaron Corp. Unlike Mitch Mustain, a talented player who has chosen to stick by the team through difficult times, Corp and his dad got their panties in a bunch and quickly bailed for Richmond following junior’s demotion. Based Corp’s first three games as the Spiders’ QB, it appears Pete Carroll and others who were squeamish about Corp’s ability may be vindicated as Corp may not even have what it takes to excel at FCS level, let alone the PAC10. Do you think the coaches who recruited him overestimated his ability to being with and what do you think Corp’s real chances are in D2?

  17. Scott, have the Trojans done any work yet that you know of, on compiling a list of players who can graduate in 1/11, and who would come to SC if offered, so that we may get a better handle on the 9 we are hopefully going to get? Thanx for the forums.

  18. If the winner of the Stanford-Oregon game goes undefeated, do we see that team in the BCS Championship Game?

  19. Now that we know for sure that Utah and Colorado will join in 2011, making the new Pac-12, this shouldn’t have any effect on the USC-Notre Dame rivalry right? Would the game be played in different months now? I know in even years USC-ND play in November at the Coliseum and in odd years USC-ND play in October at the ND stadium. So would that current format be altered? I know Larry Scott wouldn’t be dumb to force SC to drop the game because it would break tradition and hurt national exposure for SC and the Pac-12? And the ADs and Presidents meet in October so would this be a topic for SC to bring up? And would SC really cut ties with ND and end the rivalry cuz of the new conference?

    Thanks for the forum Scott!

  20. Scott, we hear talk about that dreaded 55 after 3 years of sanctions, but that assumes we have 85 players on scholarship when the penalties hit. I don’t see how we will, do you? I mean counting the seniors on this current team who will leave, it seems impossible to get to 85, even adding 9 in Jan.
    Thank you.

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