Practice Recap
Offensive tackle Matt Spanos missed practice to take of ``academic matters,'' according to USC coach Pete Carroll. It's possible Spanos will find out today if he is eligible, because Carroll said grades were getting posted a day earlier than expected.
Comments
Honest question - not a flame. Can somebody explain this situation for me? Apparently Spanos is trying to blow one year of eligibility on one Bowl game (and albeit a great game), but still that's one year on one game..and USC is willing to bench entrenched starter Kyle Williams for it? I am wondering the scoop here - I just don't see how a Matt Spanos can take the place of Kyle with no reps at game speed...and that's a big stage for the experiment. So, that's an honest question.
Posted by: ReelBruin | December 21, 2006 03:34 PM
His is not losing a year of eligibility by playing in Rose Bowl. He has already been red shirted so he cannot red shirt this season.
Posted by: EricB | December 22, 2006 12:01 AM
Hey ReelBruin,
it's a good question but I think the answer is that Spanos is a redshirt junior. He already burned a redshirt year and this year is a waste because of academic ineligibility. Playing in the Rose Bowl merely salvages, in a small way, a season that was already completely lost.
So, no burning up a redshirt year here. If he can help the O-Line and shore up some of Williams' deficiencies then I say we put him in.
Posted by: dodgerdave | December 22, 2006 12:15 AM
The year is lost/used up whether he plays or not. His redshirt year was already used.
Posted by: listener | December 22, 2006 12:57 AM
After what Kyle Williams did vs. UCLA he's lucky to still be on the team
Posted by: fUCLA | December 22, 2006 07:26 AM
The year is already lost whether he plays or not. He is not redshirting he was academically ineligible for the regular season and the season of eligibility cannot be restored. As for game speed, he has practiced all year on the scout team against the 1st string defense so there's plenty of film for the coaches to judge if he's better than Williams right now.
Posted by: FyteOn | December 22, 2006 07:48 AM
Spanos was on track to start before his grade problems. He is already a redshirt junior, so he would lose this year of eligibility regardless of playing in the Rose Bowl. Moot point now.
Posted by: Nels | December 22, 2006 09:27 AM
Thanks, that makes sense. But still, I have to wonder at benching of a season-long starter for the last game....Perhaps I a over-analyzing...did Pete say he would start?
Posted by: ReelBruin | December 22, 2006 10:51 AM
ReelBruin,
That is actually a good question, but shouldn't you be focusing on the Emerald Bowl, and not the Rose Bowl?
Posted by: JJH4USC | December 22, 2006 11:21 AM