USC Morning Buzz: Number Of Reasons For Wide Receiver George Farmer To Leave

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FARMER.NDThe timing of wide receiver George Farmer’s decision to turn pro, just before the deadline, seemed strange, especially because of his firm comments he would return for his senior season.

I don’t mention this because his departure shakes up the team. I’ve already written it should be fairly painless to replace star receiver Nelson Agholor. But I’ve heard from several sources who know Farmer he was told he would compete with JC wide receiver Isaac Whitney to wear No. 8. Farmer’s been No. 8 since his freshman year.

Remember back when Pete Carroll made quarterback Brandon Hance give No. 4 to wide receiver Whitney Lewis? It’s not unprecendented. And it is now expected Whitney will wear No. 8 next season.

31 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Number Of Reasons For Wide Receiver George Farmer To Leave”

  1. Farmer left because he was never gonna be first string at USC, even as an uninjured senior, and his NFL player-dad calls all the shots and thinks son is the most talented player in the universe. The USC coaches have seen Farmer in action for three years. My guess is they knew this was coming and and are fine with it. Jersey numbers are the least of Farmer’s worries. As a low draft choice, he’ll struggle, but hopefully won’t get hurt again. Whitney doesn’t look like a worldbeater to me. But then, Farmer wasn’t one either.

    • I’ve never heard anyone reasonable question Farmer’s ability. He has been injured repeatedly. That happens. But coaches don’t like injured players. A kid who might be healthy for one year vs a kid who seemingly is healthy and you’ll have for two years for many coaches means that the injured kid is expendable.

      Don’t doubt that a kid with his size, speed and elusiveness and hands (he was the fastest kid we had on our roster) with some time off to heal will be snapped up for measurables alone. Coaches also believe in genetics, they’ll think that he has what it takes in physical make up (not to mention familiarity with what it takes in the NFL.)

      We’ve seen coaches be really wrong on talent at SC before and watch kids who did not start do far better in the NFL than kids that did. helps USC recruiting in one way– guys who didn’t start get to the league. He did well when he could so I’m 1000% on his side.

      • I’m not on anyone’s side here. But I will say I was never overly impressed with Farmer’s hands, route-running or elusiveness when he was healthy. Ya, he’s got great speed (straight ahead) and good size. It takes A LOT more than that. Good luck to Farmer. USC will be fine and Farmer will be lucky to catch on in the NFL IMO. Hope I’m wrong about Farmer and the NFL.

      • Even from afar I saw Farmer when he was at Serra and I also witnessed how fast he is when he smoked D’Anthony Thomas in the 100. I agree with you on the coaches don’t like injured players. Coaches, not just at USC, have been wrong about a player, but in Farmer’s case, I think he’ll be a nice addition to an NFL roster and I support him as well.

    • Clearly it sent a signal to Farmer that Sark was recruiting not one, but two JC players, who only have two years’ eligibility, and are more developed physically, and probably in other ways. As you say, he saw that he was never going to seen as the favorite target.

      I don’t know if the coaches saw the exit coming, but they did not do much to prevent it.

      Did he deserve that? We’ll never know. I’m inclined to think Farmer suffers some reality-denial problems. Hope I’m wrong.

      I, too, watched a little video on the JC duo, and didn’t fall out of my chair either. OJ Simpson will not be in the building. Yet, the Scout report on Whitney was highly favorable. Less so on Hampton, although Hampton is generally ranked higher. What do I know?

  3. more insignificant drivel. If Farmer was leaving because he didn’t want to compete with incoming JC players, he will have a real difficult time in the NFL. If he is really as good as he thinks he is, and the SC coaches are just too stupid to recognize his talent, he should have graduated, transferred, and set the world on fire at his new school with “enlightened” coaches. Will see how his career goes in the league, but I have a feeling, for all of his physical ability, he lacks the “it” factor than Lee, Woods, etc possessed.

    • Wrong, it was a none too subtle snub by Sark on a player who has more than paid his dues.

      • Sure- so Sark purposely doesn’t play his best guys?
        Is he trying to lose games? That logic makes no sense. Farmer has enormous talent, but the coaching staff didn’t feel as confident in him as they did in Smith or Agholar. It is as simple as that, and now George must convince NFL GM’s that he is ready for the league, even though he didn’t start in college. Good luck with that.

  7. If this was the case, and I don’t think it is considering that Wolf is no more privy to inside information than I am, then Farmer should’ve accepted the challenge and COMPETED for his job and number. For some reason, he thinks the NFL is going to be easier. We’ve seen this movie before.

    • AGREEED!
      Grimble being the 2014 example.
      What a BIG mistake he made, now GF is doing the same.
      Just sayin’

  8. It won’t matter much, Farmer will get hurt in training if he gets drafted and not play anyway.

  9. Clown U Family Tradition marches on.

    The fact that a Senior could lose his number to a recruit JC player SUCC’s. Could K lose his number to Browne – I doubt it , even if K gets hurt and Browne is named the starter?

    Remember Clownster’s, Farmer got hurt participating in Clown U Football activities – not high jumping a second story fence to get away from LA finest.

    Dough Boy = CS head FB coach.

  10. Another topic that has been danced around is the quality of the incoming JC receivers. They’re scaring guys off, huh? Sound like pretty darned good players – or at least the potential to be. I’m encouraged by this – haven’t heard footsteps like these for incoming players in quite some time. And if George felt like the competition from new players would be too much for him, and he feels he would have a better chance in the NFL – hey, it’s his life, and I wish him the best. I just want to hear more about Whitney….

  11. Obviously, Wolfy, you really tapped into something here – there is SOMETHING about the name “Whitney” and jersey numbers divisible by 4 that creates this kind of behavior from SC Coaches… hmmm, what could it be???

  12. Pete Carroll was good at keeping things under wraps , but Steve Sarkisian is the just the opposite . Internal issues will always leak out under Sark, and simply because he’s a CLOWN with no leadership abilities, and no stern coaching presence .

    • Sark is a good coach. There’s no doubt about that. But he didn’t earn the industry nickname “the salesman” for nothing.

  13. Whatever reason he left was a dumb one – but it certainly wasn’t as dumb as losing a number.

  14. I met Sark years ago right before he left USC to go to Washington. Interesting man with a sharp football mind. However, he also struck me as someone that would just as soon throw a kid off the bus if another kid he wanted winked at him. I don’t doubt he told Farmer he’d have to compete with Whitney for number 8. What’s significant is he probably told Whitney he’d get number 8 without a second thought.

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