June 2006 Archives
ESPN plans to air its piece on former defensive end Frostee Rucker on Sunday at 6:30 a.m. Three alleged victims are scheduled to be interviewed. Details from ESPN below.
A USC coach asked former baseball coach Mike Gillespie to be on the sideline for the team's fall opener. It's not surprising, since Gillespie was one of the most highly respected coaches by other coaches at USC.
Shortly after the Reggie Bush controversy broke, USC president Steven Sample called football coach Pete Carroll and basketball coach Tim Floyd into his office and wanted to know if everything was being done to prevent agents from influencing athletes.
Sample was assured the issue had been addressed before the Bush controversy but was warned that street agents or ``runners’’ remain a threat. What's interesting is that the issue actually made Sample's radar but it illustrated the Bush matter worried everyone on campus.
Mamadou Diarra, a 6-10 center from Stoneridge Prep in Simi Valley, said he will officially commit to USC next week after talking to his coach, who is currently in France.
``I want to come (to USC),’’ Diarra said. ``They have a good coach and I want to stay in Los Angeles.’’
Diarra is ranked the 26th-best player in the nation by Rivals.com.
UPDATED: During his on-campus visit Thursday, basketball recruit O.J. Mayo found time to play several pickup games with USC players Nick Young, Lodrick Stewart, Jeremy Barr, incoming freshman Taj Gibson and a group of Stoneridge Prep players including Mamadou Diarra, Babacar Sylla and Thomas Ibraham.
Diarra, who is still learning English, said he was impressed with Mayo.
``He’s a good player. We played two games together and we won both,’’ Diarra said.
Diarra wants to attend USC while Sylla said he wants to stay in Los Angeles. Ibraham is only a junior. Gibson is still awaiting his ACT score to determine his eligibility but still has the option of attending summer school, to increase his GPA and potentially lower the necessary test score.
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O.J. Mayo, the No. 1 basketball recruit in the nation, met former USC quarterback Matt Leinart during today's campus visit.
When USC announced its move to 710-AM, it was assumed about four games would be switched to 790-AM because of conflicts with Angel games.
But now it sounds like every game will be on 710 because the station believes USC should get priority. Why? Because Angels owner Arte Moreno bought Spanish station 830-AM a few months ago and is expected to move the Angels there next season.
What do you do while waiting for the nation's No. 1 recruit to visit USC on Wednesday?
I decided to show Trojans coach Tim Floyd this clip of Bobby Knight playing golf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WPqcnbGEUE&search=bobby%20knight (WARNING: Extreme language included)
It beat watching a dreadful NBA draft, although Floyd was interested in hearing the remarks of Bulls GM John Paxson, where he used to be the head coach. Oh, yeah, the recruit. O.J. Mayo of Cincinnati, Ohio, took a late flight to Los Angeles where Floyd and his entire coaching staff were waiting.
Pete Carroll was also in Heritage Hall around 10 p.m., which is unusual for June to have both coaches around that late.
Linebacker Brian Cushing said he's still bothered by the Rose Bowl, seven months later.
``It bugs the hell out of me to think about that game,'' Cushing said. ``How I felt, with my shoulder (ailing). How the game went. It brings a lot of fire to me.''
USC's quarterback crisis disappeared during the final summer workout of the week yesterday, as freshman Garrett Green joined John David Booty, Mark Sanchez and Mike McDonald.
Even though the Trojans secured two commitments at the position, last week USC coaches spoke to juniors from Alabama and Texas at the position who made campus visits.
Things are heating up in the Frostee Rucker case. I hear ESPN interviewed the alleged victim and at least one witness on camera. The piece is being edited and should be shown shortly.
Someone who speaks to defensive end Everson Griffen regularly said colleges are having a tough time reading where he will attend. Griffen is currently attending USC's football camp.
``First he says it's Arizona, then it's UCLA, now it's USC,'' the source said. ``It keeps changing.''
There’s about four incoming freshman still considered on the borderline academically as the August deadline approaches. One of those still trying to meet all academic requirements is wide receiver Vidal Hazelton, who was first identified in February as one of the at-risk freshman.
Chad Kreuter hired Bill Mosiello, manager of the New York Yankess Class A team in Charleston, S.C., and former Riverside Community College and Cal Poly Pomona assistant Tim Burton to his coaching staff.
The opening date for the Galen Center has been pushed back again. Originally set for mid-August, the opening date was rescheduled for Sept. 14.
But the Sept. 14 volleyball match against Pepperdine was recently switched to Malibu because the arena will not be ready. The latest guess is late September/early October. Of course, most fans only care if the Galen Center will be open for basketball season in mid-November. Kind of like most football fans don’t care about either.
UPDATE: Apparently one reason for the delay is a problem with permits.
Defensive back Cedric Everson of Detroit will not attend USC's football camp this week because of an illness in the family. He may fly to Los Angeles next week.
Maybe there’s something to the theory that the busier you are, the better you perform. The football team compiled a better grade-point average in the fall semester than in the spring.
Five players made the dean’s list and four earned a grade-point average above 4.0 in the spring semester. Eighteen players were above 3.0.
USC quarterback Mark Sanchez said he is ``stronger than ever mentally’’ as he returns to summer workouts and 7-on-7 passing drills following the district attorney’s decision not to file sexual-assault charges.
Sanchez said he also feels improved physically this summer.
``The 7-on-7 is the best I’ve thrown in awhile,’’ Sanchez said. ``I haven’t been second-guessing myself.’’
Tight end Blaine Irby of St. Bonaventure High in Ventura committed to Texas. Irby (6-2, 224) produced the highest-rated workout among a large group of high school players at USC in an April camp.
But Irby’s family and USC did not see eye-to-eye, which eliminated the Trojans and gave the Longhorns a big Southern California commitment.
Meanwhile, Everson Griffen, one of the defensive ends in the country, will attend next week’s USC camp. He’s officially listed Arizona, USC and UCLA as his top choices although sources say he’s been lukewarm to the Bruins recently.
USC scheduled its free to the public scrimmage at the Coliseum for August 20 at 1 p.m.
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Keary Colbert worked out with the Trojans during Thursday’s 7-on-7 practice, catching passes from quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and John David Booty. Colbert is lifting weights at USC while in Southern California. His wife, former Notre Dame High track star Sierra Hauser-Price, recently started law school at Duke University.
Colbert said he looks forward to teaming up with fellow USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
Booty, recovering from back injury, throws about 60-70 passes each day. Incoming freshman wide receiver Travon Patterson from Long Beach Poly participated in the workout and caught a lot of passes.
Here’s some more home basketball dates:
Nov. 28 – Mississippi Valley State
Dec. 14 – Bethune Cookman
Dec. 17 – Charleston Southern (Las Vegas Classic)
Dec. 19 – Longwood (Las Vegas Classic. No, this is not a misprint)
USC opens with South Carolina (which recently signed a contract) for its first basketball game at the Galen Center and other home opponents include St. Mary’s, The Citadel, Long Beach State and Loyola Marymount.
Meanwhile, Davon Jefferson showed up Thursday night to play pickup basketball. The former Lynwood High still wants to attend USC and needs to clear considerable academic obstacles.
The last report I received was that Jefferson was still not doing everything necessary academically, although there’s still time for him to get things together.
Defensive back Cedric Everson of Detroit is scheduled to attend USC's football camp next week but he also will probably stop by UCLA over the weekend. He's actually one of UCLA's top prospects and it will be another tug of war to see who gets him.
New England Patriots special teams coach Brad Seely, a friend of USC coach Pete Carroll, is hanging around this week, offering some pointers. Carroll’s mentor, Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, is scheduled to arrive later in the week.
Now that USC received commitments from two Oaks Christian players, it's time for Oregon to follow suit.
It looks like the Ducks will receive commitments from linebacker Casey Matthews and wide receiver-defensive back Anthony Gildon soon.
Former USC defensive end Frostee Rucker hired Leonard Levine to represent him against two misdemeanor counts of spousal battery and two counts of vandalism.
Levine represented USC quarterback Mark Sanchez in his recent sexual-assault case. The alleged victim is a former USC student and accuses Rucker of getting into an altercation with her at a party last August and smashing her cellphone. From my own knowledge, this could be an interesting case.
A prominent USC recruit was disinvited from a football camp because of "character issues."
One player USC is recruiting might seem especially familiar in Westwood: Defensive tackle Brian Price of Crenshaw High in Los Angeles. Price already committed to UCLA but the Trojans are still recruiting him.
USC is becoming increasingly hostile toward the idea of the NFL returning to the Coliseum. Sources said President Steven Sample believes the idea is bad for USC under any circumstances.
Already, the failure to see eye-to-eye on some issues saw USC threaten to suspend the use of any university parking structures for NFL games.
With commitments flowing in (see Marshall Jones), it’s worth talking about one of the Trojans’ first commitment, tailback Broderick Green of Little Rock, Ark. A few weeks ago, someone who knows Oaks Christian tailback Marc Tyler told me that Green would go elsewhere. That hasn’t happened yet though Green sounds less solid in his commitment.
After some digging, I’ve been told Green’s come under intense pressure in Arkansas over his commitment, which resulted in public comments leaving the door open to attending another school.
That comment Pete Carroll made about Kaluka Maiava starting over Keith Rivers at outside linebacker continues to make an impression. Rivers recently met with Carroll to discuss the remark and Carroll said it was ``taken out of context.’’
It only seems like there is a football camp every day at USC in June. One of the more intriguing prospects on campus today was wide receiver-safety Martin Bayless (6-2, 190), a junior from Castle Park High in Chula Vista. His father, Martin Bayless Sr., played in the NFL for 13 years and is currently an assistant coach for the Houston Texans.
Meanwhile, walk-on punter Greg Woidneck, punted well on his own Monday as he prepares for training camp.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa visited a USC football practice and spoke to the Trojans last season, gave a speech on campus earlier this year and delivered the commencement speech last month.
But today he returned to his alma mater, UCLA, to give the commencement address and it sure sounds like he took a shot at the Trojans.
Here’s part of his remarks:
Offensive tackle Sam Baker and center Ryan Kalil were placed on the watch list for the Outland Trophy, which goes to the top offensive or defensive lineman.
Wide receiver Whitney Lewis starts looking for a new school today.
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_3954023
USC coach Tim Floyd’s basketball camp featured about 100 players this weekend. An unexpected visitor was former interim coach Jim Saia, who interviews Monday for the Fresno City College job.
Ironically, Saia and new USC baseball coach Chad Kreuter grew up together in Marin County and attended the same middle school. Here’s some observations from the camp:
USC is hosting guard Eniel Polynice from Sarasota, Fla., this weekend as it searches for a point guard for this season. Polynice (6-4,180) recently received a passing score on his SAT and is drawing interest from North Carolina State and Oklahoma.
UPDATE: It appears unlikely Polynice will be coming to USC, making it more plausible the Trojans will try to bring in a Croatian point guard for this season.
Considering the highest-profile player on the team is ineligible, there’s an impressive lack of concern over the status of wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett around USC. There seems to be an overwhelming feeling Jarrett will be declared eligible before the season once he pays back any money he owes Bob Leinart for living at Matt Leinart’s downtown apartment.
Again, this whole situation would be handled internally (between USC’s compliance office and the NCAA) with little fanfare if Bob Leinart did not leak the story to the media because he and Matt Leinart’s advisors were worried the matter might affect the quarterback's image. Instead, it placed a negative focus on Jarrett, a more preferable scenario.
Long-time USC baseball assistant coach Andy Nieto was hired as the head coach at Bishop Amat High School.
USC hosts UCLA at the Galen Center on Saturday, Jan. 13. The Trojans and Bruins play at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
USC changed the location of the student section in the Galen Center for next year’s basketball games. The student section was originally behind the south basket but will now be behind the north basket under the large window on Jefferson Blvd.
The reason was simple: USC coach Tim Floyd wanted the students behind the opposing team’s basket in the second half.
Some readers asked to elaborate on the earlier Tyler post. Without getting too personal, there was a comment made during a conversation with Charlie Weis that turned Tyler off during the spring and helped make it unlikely he would attend Notre Dame.
The fact USC is closer-to-home is probably the No. 1 reason Tyler chose the Trojans, but it played a part in the overall decision.
About two weeks ago, I heard Whitney Lewis was no longer on the football team.
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_3943737
But this was not a usual case of someone transferring and caused some consternation within the football program, so I waited to see if things changed before writing about it. There were some off-field issues also involved.
I would say Montana State is a likely destination, however I hear coaches there are not thrilled with Lewis after he contacted them in December and changed his mind about transferring.
As expected, Oaks Christian running back Marc Tyler committed to USC. Staying close to home obviously favored the Trojans but Oaks Christian sources tell me it did not help that Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis made a disastrous impression during a one-on-one conversation in the spring.
As I mentioned yesterday, Oaks Christian safety Marshall Jones could also be committing to USC soon.
Quarterback John David Booty was upbeat after some light throwing this week. ``It felt great,’’ he said. ``I can’t wait to get out there (for training camp).’’
USC’s identified a Croatian point guard who might be able to help the crisis at the position following the death of Ryan Francis and early season ineligibility of Gabe Pruitt.
But there are several issues that need to be addressed before getting too excited. Because the point guard played club basketball, he would need to have his eligibility reinstated by the NCAA, even if he did not receive money. Also, there are the usual academic hurdles when recruiting a European athlete.
We mentioned earlier that the Rose City Showcase tournament in Portland will deprive some top local talent from attending USC’s basketball camp this weekend. USC targets O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker, ranked by some as the top two players in the country, are also scheduled to appear.
The SoCal All-Stars, which features USC commitments Daniel Hackett and Malik Story, are playing in the tournament. Here’s a list of players and club teams:
Everyone knows Oaks Christian tailback Marc Tyler is expected to announce tomorrow he is commiting to USC.
But don't be surprised if safety Marshall Jones also commits to the Trojans soon. That's what I've heard from several sources at Oaks Christian today.
I mentioned that Camarillo punter Bryan Anger, considered by some to be the No. 1 punter in the state, attended last week’s skills camp at USC. But the most impressive kicker I saw was Brook Van Muijen of Monte Vista High in Danville. Van Muijen made 13 of 17 field goals last season and also handled punting duties and put on the best display at USC.
Salute to Troy, the annual barbecue that kicks off the football season, is scheduled for August 18. This year's event should be more fan friendly from an autograph standpoint following last year's complaints that Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush did not sign autographs.
Former USC quarterback Rocky Hinds was on campus Monday. No, he isn't thinking of transferring back from UNLV following John David Booty's back surgery. Hinds was just visiting, something he's done occassionally since his departure.
Former USC baseball coach Mike Gillespie was contacted by LSU about their vacant coaching position. LSU athletic director Skip Bertman, formerly the Tigers' long-time baseball coach, is looking for a new skipper after Smoke Laval ``resigned'' last week.
Gillespie and Bertman went head-to-head against each other many times, most memorably for the Trojans in 1998, when they defeated LSU twice prior to winning the national championship game. LSU eliminated USC in the 1990 and '94 regionals.
USC center Abdoulaye N'diaye recently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to drain fluid and should be able to work out in a couple weeks.
This weekend will be important for the Trojans’ recruiting because they are hosting a basketball camp for underclassmen. However, there’s some disappointment because the club basketball team featuring USC recruits Daniel Hackett and Malik Story will be in Portland for a tournament. It also deprives a visit from former Dominguez point guard Brandon Jennings.
More importantly, it prevents Hackett and Story from recruiting other underclassmen at the camp.
Also, it's likely center Mamadou Diarra of Stoneridge Prep will delay making an official commitment to USC although he is still expected to sign with the Trojans.
Tomorrow is the start of Flashback Fantasy Football Camp, where some people will pay as much as $4,400 to mingle with USC coach Pete Carroll, run drills in shorts and play catch at Howard Jones Field.
Last I heard, about 140 people signed up for the camp and each year enrollment increases. New baseball coach Chad Kreuter will probably be pleased to know his locker rooms will be taken over for three days by the campers. At least he’s learning early who rules the roost around here.
If USC and UCLA go head-to-head at any position in recruiting, it could be cornerback. Both schools offered Long Beach Poly’s Donovan Warren and Valencia’s Shane Vereen. But there’s a good chance Vereen could spurn the local schools and commit to Stanford.
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan’s now had more than one conversation with a recently departed USC assistant coach about the Sept. 16 game with the Trojans. ``He knows it would be a helluva win for them,’’ the coach said.
One of the players who attended USC’s skills camp over the weekend was tight end Mikhail Marinovich of JSerra High in San Juan Capistrano. The half-brother of former USC quarterback Todd Marinovich, he’s starting to appear on the radar for colleges.
It’s still early, but it’s more likely right now Marinovich could end up at UCLA than USC.
Yesterday we mentioned the Saints’ initial impressions of Reggie Bush. I just spoke to a Cardinals player who said the team thinks highly of quarterback Matt Leinart after watching him practice.
Here’s the interesting part: Arizona coach Dennis Green and some of the Cardinals’ veterans lectured Leinart not to bring ``his Hollywood stuff to our (practice) facility’’ and reminded him the goal is to win games.
Leinart apparently took the advice personally and said it would not be an issue.
``He wants to be liked,’’ the source said.
Since it's not football season yet, if anyone wants to talk about the World Cup, feel free.
Word out of New Orleans is the Saints regard Reggie Bush as a bit of a mystery. They realize his talent after watching him firsthand but are not quite sure how to use him.
That never was a problem at USC until fourth-and-2 in the fourth quarter of the Rose Bowl.
Remember when Pete Carroll told a Trojan club a few weeks ago that Kaluka Maiava would start at weakside linebacker ahead of Keith Rivers?
The comment certainly interested the Trojans, because players quizzed Carroll about it. Carroll downplayed its significance.
``People just took it and ran with it,’’ he said.
Although Michigan is also listed as a contender, my source tells me Oaks Christian safety Marshall Jones is only seriously considering USC and Oregon right now.
USC ranks Jones as one of the top players in next year's recruiting class.
One of my Oaks Christian spies continues to say tailback Marc Tyler will commit to USC soon.
``He's not going to Notre Dame. He said it's boring out there. He wants to be closer to his family. I'm 99 percent certain he will go to USC.''
Student affairs is not going to punish USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. It's one of the few times vice president of student affairs Michael Jackson kept his nose out of athletics.
http://www.dailynews.com/usc/ci_3916525
With USC playing Arkansas at night, it gives the Trojans seven night games. If one of the four remaining undecided kickoffs is scheduled at night, USC will play a school-record eight night games.
So much for college football being a traditionally afternoon affair.
Organizers of the Vegas Invitational basketball tournament informed USC that its potential opponent in the first round will be Charleston Southern.
USC plays two home games Dec. 17-19 in the tournament then goes to Vegas for games on Dec. 22-23. Florida State, New Mexico, Kansas State and Wichita State are among the possible later opponents.
The Galen Center opener with South Carolina is scheduled for Nov. 16. South Carolina still hasn’t signed a contract but that is considered a formality.
And now, a football item: The Arkansas game will kickoff at 7:45 (Central Daylight Time). USC's full TV schedule is listed below (all other times are Pacific Daylight Time):
The New York Post reports that residents at the Medici apartments in downtown L.A. say Paris Hilton keeps ``thoughtlessly’’ parking in a handicapped spot when she visits Matt Leinart. ``I find the reports surprising,'' Hilton's spokesman Elliot Mintz told the Post.
Former USC tailback Petros Papadakis' radio show on 1540-AM is moving to a new time. Papadakis will be heard from 4-7 p.m. weekdays, a step up from his current 12-2 p.m. slot.
UPDATE: Petros Papadakis starts his new time period on Monday. Dave Smith will now be heard from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Fred Roggin is out.
UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Here's what the station said today about Roggin:
USC hosts a football camp this weekend for some top prospects and one of those attending will be Bryan Anger of Camarillo, considered the top punter in the state. Anger already received scholarship offers from LSU, Oregon, California and Washington.
Last year, none of the punters attending the camp did well enough to earn an offer.
USC guard Gabe Pruitt will be ineligible for the fall semester and miss about a third of the season. It means the Trojans will likely rely on freshmen Derek Glasser and Kevin Galloway to play the point at the outset of the season.
Pruitt will miss two of USC's biggest non-conference games against South Carolina and Kansas.
Some of you might have seen this story today.
http://www.dailynews.com/usc/ci_3907068
Offensive tackle Thomas Herring nearly left USC this week but is expected to stay, according to USC coach Pete Carroll.
None of this is football related. Herring is going through some rough times and it sounds like football is not a big priority right now. He is not looking to transfer. But whether he does remain in school will be something that remains to be seen.
UPDATE: Herring worked out with the team today and knows this is his last chance to remain on the team.