Answer Wednesday!

D.J. Morgan and scholarship limits are topics in this edition of reader questions.

Q: The Monopoly Is Over Here said:
Why does Petros call you the Wizard of Whittier?

A: He actually calls me the Whittier Wiz because that is my hometown.

Q: bestlakersfan said:
Lots of people, myself included, were very surprised by the Amir Carlisle transfering to ND news. However, I think this is good for SC because I am a huge fan of DJ Morgan. I think he is going to breakout this next year and become a two year starter (JR and SR years) for SC. What are your thoughts on DJ? Any inside scoop from what you have seen in practice of him?

From videos I have seen from him and the limited in game action he had earlier on this year, I really like what I see.

A: I don’t think this is good for USC because Amir Carlisle was a talented back and impressive practices. You are right that it is good for D.J. Morgan. I like Morgan but I think even last year he was hindered by the residual effects of his knee injury. He sometimes battled hamstring and other issues from overcompensating in his healthy leg. He should be healthier this season. I think he his strength is that he has good quickness and is also a physical back. I expect him to play a major role next season backing up Curtis McNeal. Who thought a year ago we would be talking about who backed up McNeal?

Q: Nathan Exp said:
Scott, would you please clarify a scholarship count question for me? When a player transfers out, normally that would free up a scholarship. But with the sanction limiting scholarship offers to 15/year, does that mean SC is not able to replace the transferee without using one of the 15 annual scholarships? Thanks for answering.

A: When a player transfers out, the 15 scholarships does not become an issue as much as the 75 limit. So USC can take a transfer like Florida cornerback Josh Shaw. But that just means it might need to remove a scholarship from a current roster player to get to the 75 limit.

7 thoughts on “Answer Wednesday!

  1. I am having arguments about this scholarship “turnover” with my friends. How unethical is what Laney is doing right now? Should Trojans be embarrassed by this or just chalk it up as the cost of doing business with scholarhip limits?

  2. Holmey,

    I’m not so sure he nudged all of these guys out. Some of them legitimately wanted to leave. As for it being unethical, some coaches in the sacred cow known as the SEC do this even without scholarship reductions! http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703384204575509901468451306.html

    If the NCAA is going to break USC’s back with scholarship reductions for something they couldn’t prove and if they are going to allow certain players to leave via free agency, then why shouldn’t Kiffin be able to tell players that don’t stand a chance of playing for him that a better opportunity awaits them elsewhere? I don’t think he’s forcing them to leave but he is telling them that they won’t play. It sucks and I don’t like it but Paul Dee should’ve thought things through. There’s a term for policy like this–it’s called “blowback.” In the end, the real losers of these policies are the student-athletes.

  3. again!! WTH?? at least gay mono is funny.

    gay mono, whoever you are, could you please take over the C-buck comments? PLEASE????

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