Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian
The Oregonian has a good story on how Oregon State true freshman Sean Harlow, the son of former USC great Pat Harlow, is starting at right tackle for the Beavers. The key point is every USC assistant coach wanted Harlow but not Lane Kiffin.
Pat Harlow asked USC to stop contacting his son because he was tired of seeing the staff contact his son but not offer a scholarship.
“I wasn’t really a big fan of Lane Kiffin,” Sean Harlow said. Story here
Now that kicker Andre Heidari made four field goals and said he fixed his motion, it really raises the question of why this was not addressed sooner. I’m not referring to Heidari because kickers miss field goals every game but just overall special teams shortcomings.
USC had a blocked field goal (kicker completely blameless on it) and a miss against Washington State. Then there were two missed field goals against Notre Dame. A lot of factors go into misses, not just the kicker.
But if special teams came through in those situations, the Trojans are 7-1 right now and the season looks a lot different.
USC added two walk-ons to its depleted roster: WR David Mellstrom of Virginia Tech and WR-TE Robert Flewelling of Pasadena. Mellstrom was a walk-on wide receiver at Virginia Tech in 2011 and 2012 redshirt freshman, but did not play.
Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion leads the nation in passing, passing yards per game and touchdowns passes but none of that impressed USC safety Dion Bailey on Tuesday, who did not even know Mannion’s name.
“What’s the quarterback’s name?” Bailey said. “He’s OK.”
Just in case it was an honest mistake, Bailey said Mannion was “OK” a second time and complimented Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
“His receiver’s good. (Mannion) is OK,” Bailey said. “Cooks comes down with it. Their offense just gets the ball to Cooks. (Mannion) finds Cooks.”
Oregon State wide receiver Brandin Cooks leads the nation in receiving yards (1,256) and is tied for first in touchdowns (13) and . . . did not even get offered a scholarship by USC. That shows the inexact nature of recruiting as the Trojans’ 2011 recruiting class included wide receivers George Farmer, Marqise Lee and Victor Blackwell.
Lee was not a can’t-miss prospect at the time, with questions over whether he would play offense or defense in college. USC actually did not even contact Lee much between his junior and senior seasons until assistant coach Kennedy Pola saw his tape at Serra and urged Lane Kiffin to offer him.
But it shows even if you have the nation’s No. 4-ranked recruiting class in 2011, you can still miss someone who is from Stockton, Calif., like Cooks.
“He’s a great player,” Ed Orgeron said.
USC kicker Andre Heidari said he is no longer lacking confidence or in a “fun” like last week.
“I felt I needed to redeem myself,” Heidari said. “I do think I’m out of the funk. I hit the ball a lot better in practice today.”
Heidari made 4 of 5 FGs against Utah last weekend after detecting a flaw in his kicks.
“I watched all kicks from my freshman season (in 2011) and I totally saw a change from then to now,” Heidari said. “I didn’t have my eyes back and I (wasn’t standing) tall (this season).”
Wonder why no one noticed this before last week?
USC wide receiver Marqise Lee is still questionable and has not been on the practice field this week. Tight end Xavier Grimble (ankle) will probably play, Ed Orgeron said.
USC coach Ed Orgeron was asked what would be the biggest issue playing at Oregon State on Friday.
“We need to get ready for the speed of the game,” Orgeron said. “It seems like they play really fast up there.”
If I left an issue off the list for the poll question below that you think bothered USC more, feel free to post it here.