Here’s my story on Ricky Town’s departure from USC on Sunday. Personally, I think Town made the right decision. He saw what was going on. Sam Darnold was playing better and has the strong arm/foot speed that could make him a starter for several years. Why stick around to be a backup?
In a practice last week, Town (in his final USC practice above) threw back-to-back interceptions to walk-on cornerback Jaylon Jones. And this was after a spring practice. Maybe quarterbacks can just stay in high school their entire senior years again. Doubtful.
Town needs to pick the right school now. Not an Alabama. More like a Hawaii.
Town’s exit was quick and easy, a sign it was not considered a huge loss. The fact Steve Sarkisian said “you want somebody that wants to be here,” spoke volumes. You think if Adoree Jackson decided to transfer today he would be allowed to walk away as freely?
And again, go back and read what the recruiting analysts wrote when Town was rated ahead of UCLA’s Josh Rosen. And Darnold, who was just a three-star in June, 2014. Recruiting rankings!
I don’t understand quarterbacks going to a school that has several high quality guys.
If you’re a lineman, or running back, or defensive back there are several positions available, and the likelihood of you seeing the field is pretty good
But there is only one quarterback position, and coaches usually play only one guy at a time each year. So chances are you will be holding a clipboard or signaling in plays.
Ricky Town and Adoree Jackson? What a ridiculous hypothetical scenario you present, Scott. …..and you continue to mock the recruiting services, yet you use them selectively to criticize all of the 3 star players that USC recruited, including Darnold!
Hawaii?……He also had offers from Michigan, Texas, Tennessee, Miami, Georgia, LSU, and Florida State, so the kid has much better options than Hawaii, Scott……why insult him as he walks out the door?
UH, he isn’t that good and never will be
Uh, have you seen the quality of QB’s in the SEC?….and I never said that he would be great, but there are a lot of QB’s who appear to be better than they really are, especially when they are put in the right system, with the right opposition……Texas Tech comes to mind……
Uh, have you watched film of Town ? Noodle weak arm and HORRIBLE throwing motion. Plus, he just showed you that he doesn’t want to compete. Have fun wherever you land Mr Town
makes you feel good about Sark’s recruiting eye, doesn’t it!
It does. Part of recruiting is the PR. Having Town flip from Bama was important, and the PR benefits were great. Sark then went after Darnold, despite the commitment of an over-hyped prospect. Then cutting him loose with few if any restrictions was a good move as well. Tells me Sark knows what he is doing.
Town has been on a performance downslope for a year now. Besides impressing Trent Dilfer and the Elite 11 last summer, he played very average in 7 on 7’s and his senior season he looked very soft and rattled. I think Town is being honest with himself and the coaches by his decision. In the players only practices he threw more INT’S on every video that seen.
In fairness, the USC staff changed his throwing motion, which may have something to do with his ups and downs.
It seems that Sark wants more of a run-threat from his QB. Which is fine, so long as he has decided, and will build the system and other personnel behind that.
It’s not a new idea, but the coaches doing it are well are finding success. Sark is looking more to Ohio State and Oregon and maybe Auburn for ideas.
Obviously, a lot is how well you do it, but
it appeals to young players, and with the right personnel, can be very prolific.
I’m glad Sark isn’t announcing it, because there is a share of supporters who don’t want change, be it system or uniforms. Better just to implement it, and if it’s successful, no one will complain.
I agree. I think Sark wants a Pro style Qb with the athleticism to run. Darnold fits that. As well as Matt Fink, and Tua Tagovailoa who they are recruiting.
Texas tech isn’t in the sec, genius. And those sec quarterbacks that “appear to be better than they are” have won 7 national championships since the last time a PAC 12 team won. But I know, espn sec bias and such…
Have question for you my friend and for those in the know.What is the thinking behind rule that doesn’t allow replacement of scholarship spot, when a student asks to transfer??? We had that last two years ,two RB, DB and Towne this year. So reason would have next recruiting year you could replace..Is it just another screwed NCAA rule or???
I suspect it’s another lame NCAA rule, but I can’t say much more than that, since 3 of most recent comments have been REMOVED by the moderator…
I’ve had two very benign, removed today also.something’s afoot
“Where’s Ricky Town? Where’s Ricky Town?”
Well, I talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about, Talk about
Talk about movin
Gotta move on
Gotta move on
Gotta move on
Won’t you take me to
Rickytown……
Ricky Town is talkin about movin
I’m glad that SOMEONE got the Funkytown reference! … LOL
Wolfie, when Town committed, right after Kiffin was hired by Bama, you hailed that as a coup. When Darnold committed, you questioned the staff for recruiting three stars.
Not only are the recruiting services whack, so are you, good sir!
Scott’s only reason for enjoying the “coup” was to spite Kiffin
The historian! Tough to do with a blog, but nice work.
Always look at a recruits date of birth! That date of birth speaks volumes. Ricky town, was a year older than other people in the rest of the class of 2015. When you are a youth that makes a huge difference. When town was rated as the best qb in the class of 2015, I looked at his date of birth. When I saw that he should have been in the class of 2014 I lost confidence in him.
It is also vice versa for those kids who come to college at age 17, and don’t turn 18 till their freshman year in college. Those are the hidden gems!
Wow, wolfie. I agree with you. I guess a broken clock is right twice…..
Theo Howard at UCLA practice today? Hmmm.
Sam Darnold was a composite 4 star QB but he only threw for 800 yards in the year he signed. That he is now showing he is a big time passer rather than a running QB who happened to have a big arm is great for him. A 6’4/6’5 running QB with four stars but only 800 yards throwing in a season meant the recruiters really projected well.
I have no idea why Wolf is downgrading Town, just because he’s leaving. He is big time, but at USC being big time doesn’t mean you will start. There are plenty of guys that get to the NFL from USC who didn’t start. Some people are better served at also moving on to another university. Anywho, we all leave school at some time, he’s still a Trojan.
Plenty? Other than Matt Cassel who would be the other backup QBs that got to the league? I get that SC has the most players in the league, but QBs have not been the position with the most success in the league. Every other position is represented much better than QB.
If Town is so ” big time ” why is he afraid to compete ? If he’s the 5 star stud these idiot recruiting services think he is, then he should beat out Darnold by a mile. Oh wait, he has a weak arm and a throwing motion that is horrid, maybe he is now playing against ACTUAL COMPETITION AND HE CAN’T CUT IT. Eastern Washington will take him, so will Hawaii, that’s where the other didn’t want to compete USC QB landed, aloha.
I think the staff letting transfer with few restrictions means they really don’t fear a rival gobbling him up. I don’t see him as a Pac-12 starting QB, even at WSU.
cassell,sanchez, Leinart, Booty recent former USC QB’s who did not start as freshmen but ended up on NFL rosters (some only briefly).
I remember the year after Carson Palmer left (2002), everyone assumed Matt Cassell was starting that next season. Little known Matt Leinart starts impressing the coaches in practices and before you know it, you start hearing about his performances from the coaching staff during the summer & pre-season of the 2003 season and is neck & neck with Cassell. He beats out Cassell, having never played in a game, starts against Auburn and wins and never looks back. Sark was there when this happened. This exact same scenario could shake out next year between Browne & Darnold depending on who continues to improve. Sark could think deja vu.
And either one could still have a long career in the NFL (see Cassell)
Haaaaaaaa. Leinart’s dad told PC that if Matty didn’t play he was walking. Who had the better pro career ?
Who’s talking about pro-football? And when you have 2-or more QBs that can take the field and win, no coach is going to submit to a threatening parent in playing his son… get real
I heard stories about leinart’s pop, too. I heard he had a lot of talks with Pete.
The qb competition is going to be very interesting next year. If I had to guess now I think it will be darnold. But there is still a year left for both Browne, and darnold to show what they can do. If sark is on the hot seat entering next year, he may go with Browne, though.
I agree that Sark is moving toward a running QB, but my guess would be Browne. Supposedly, he’s really improved. He’s much further along the curve than Darnold, plus he’s got special talents of his own. He was not a fading 5-star as a HS senior.
However, I think Browne may be USC’s last pure pro-style–if Sark can establish himself at USC.
Way to beat the dead horse of recruiting rankings. What you’ve failed to realize, again, is that in June of 2014, Darnold was coming off a season where he played in most of 3 games and had less than 400 yards passing. Based off of that, he shouldn’t have been a big national recruit. By the end of the year, Rivals had both Town and Darnold in their top 10 QB’s. Are the rankings really that bad because they probably should have swapped the #5 & #8 guys?
Comparing a true freshman opting out to the hypothetical loss of the team’s most talented player is just dumb, even by your low standards.
Of course Ricky Town made the right choice to transfer, because your not going to develop your Quarterback skills by holding a clip board. He’s still a great talent, but Steve Sarkisian can’t play 4 and 5 star Quarterbacks at the same time. And if you have as many as USC has on their roster, means your probably only going to get a chance to start for one season.
He is NOT a great talent
I disagree…frustration over being anxious,with unrealistic expectations, as a freshman,is wrong; learning to be a q/b on a team with a starting senior,and a 2nd q/b with 3 years of practice and playing time is not being realistic…who is helping this 18 yr old? to think logically…he has great potential…potential …
If production numbers are the difference between a 3, 4, and 5 star Quarterback then the the system is WACK, because different offenses will create more passing opportunities then others. So what ever formula they used to put Sam Darnold at a 3 star, and Ricky Town at a 5 star they need to abandon it and try something different .Street and Smith Football magazine did a survey on how many 5 stars make it to the NFL, and it showed that very few do, as oppose to player that were lower rated or not rated at all .