Open Forum

On your blog and other outlets I've read details on PC's meticulous pre-game rituals. The strict regimen was even followed for the WED night scrimmage where players stayed in an expensive hotel and had feasts befitting a Roman orgy. Did these rituals slowly evolve or has PC done this since his first few seasons? Discuss if USC has ever denied any of these requests and if public schools like Cal or UCLA have such luxuries.

What are the x, y, z, receiver positions and who are the starters for each?

Scott:

I have a question for you regarding Mitch Mustain's playing skills. Specifically, what kind of pocket passer is he? What is he like in making progression reads? Is he accurate and does he have patience needed not to force throws?

Thanks in advance.

Scott - What do you make of reports that the Florida coaching staff tampered with injured players Moody and Holland while on campus in an effort to get them to transfer? Pretty bushleague if true.

X = Split End and is a WR Patrick Turner.
Y = Tight End Fred Davis.
Z = Flanker, usually the WR who lines up outside the Tight End 1 yd off line of scrimmage. Can be moved to the slot on some plays and put into motion. David Ausberry?

Scott -
What is the starting O-line and primary backups at each spot? Seems we are infinitely thin right now and the Nebraska game is going to be tougher than most people think.

Hello Scott. Since I am limited to one question, it is going to be about our favorite subject...would you consider Mustain to be a mechanically sound quarterback in the traditional sense?

Scott-

What do you think about Dwayne Polee Sr being hired to worked in the basketball office?

Will Todd McNair be let go by the university either in the near future or when his contract expires at the end of June?

If Mitch Mustain flipped a game-used football into the stands, how much would the lucky fan have to pay in income taxes to keep it?

With USC students now having a guaranteed 16,000 season tickets available for purchase and assigned seating for the first time, do you know how many of these packages have actually been sold? Were any of the unsold student assigned seats made available for purchase to the general public?

Do you think it will hurt USC's recruiting efforts that it does not grant permission for an athlete to transfer to another school like Moody, Holland, and others before them? In other words, an opposing coach will tell a recruit that USC "punishes" a young student-athlete (not that I believe that) for wanting to transfer for whatever reason.

Waaaaay OT -

I was surprised to learn a few years ago that the DT no longer does a bogus Daily Bruin. That was one of the funniest things ever when it was done. Do you know why it was stopped?

Hi Scott,

An odd question... how tall, exactly, is JD Booty? My friend (who has stood next to him up close) claims he is UNDER 6-feet, and I think that's absurd. I know teams can exaggerate height, but fudging that much seems unlikely, to say the least. Any insight?? Thanks.

It seems Lane Kiffin would ideally want to end up being a College Head Coach. When Coach Sarkisian inevitably moves on/up would Kif ever come back as Assistant Head Coach and try and use that as his stepping stone to the College Head Coach ranks?

Why does ESPN's Mark May seem to be such a Trojan homer? He's from Pitt right?

Scott,

I want an honest answer for this question and not some politically correct "everything is fine" response.

Everything I have seen and heard from practices, scrimmages and the media points to Mark Sanchez simply being out of his depth at the college level and he just has not developed. I have heard this from people whom I respect deeply who were previously very high on Sanchez, but have now changed their tune. He is described as being inaccurate, constantly throwing interceptions, incompletes and fumbling. Once or twice, I can understand and it would be no big deal, but it seems like this is ALWAYS the case with him. I knew things had gotten bad with Sanchez when both Carroll and Sarkisian said that he does a lot of foolish things and the time he spends away from the team while he is recovering from his injury is a good thing.

So, Scott, why do you believe Sanchez simply has not developed while coming to SC? Was he simply a high school QB and not equipped for the college game? Is he out of his depth? Is he just too slow? Does he lack the focus to succeed? Was he just high school hype?

Please give me an honest answer and don't claim everything is fine, as that is clearly not the word that is coming out from numerous sources, over and over again. I respect your opinion, Scott, so do you just think Sanchez is out of his league at the college level and his mistakes and inconsistencies are too numerous to overcome after having two years to adapt?

Thank you.

If Meyer is tampering with our players, why doesn't Pete report them? Are we afraid because we also have skeletons ?

Is Michael McDonald still a walk-on or has he been given a scholarship by now? Has he already graduated with a degree?

Are any of your opinions on Mitch Mustain based on footage you have seen of him in game situations while at Arkansas? Is it all just from practices and scrimmages?

Scott, looks like you’ve allowed another TrojanSAEqueerForMustainNYC alias into the group. In addition to being racist, Mark Sanchez haters, they’re making a mockery of your “1 Question Rule”.

So, Scott, why do you believe Sanchez simply has not developed while coming to SC? Was he simply a high school QB and not equipped for the college game? Is he out of his depth? Is he just too slow? Does he lack the focus to succeed? Was he just high school hype?
Please give me an honest answer and don't claim everything is fine, as that is clearly not the word that is coming out from numerous sources, over and over again. I respect your opinion, Scott, so do you just think Sanchez is out of his league at the college level and his mistakes and inconsistencies are too numerous to overcome after having two years to adapt?
Posted by: Dennis Kramer | August 30, 2007 02:00 PM

Mitch Mustain is ready and will beat out Sanchez for the starting job in 2008, while Aaron will be No. 2, with the general assumption that Sanchez will have transferred out in a few months.
I actually know Michael McDonald from his time at Newport Harbor, which is in my hometown, and while he was a decent high school quarterback, you should realize that he is a walk-on and not a highly talented and developed player like Booty or Mustain. So don't be too hard on him, he is doing the best he can, but is simply out of his league as a PAC-10 quarterback. Solid young man, though.
Posted by: DaveFromCDM | August 17, 2007 11:46 AM

6) Mustain is a pro with the media, while Sanchez showed the athletic department last August with his LA Times interview that he was out of his depth. After lying on the record to Bill Dwyer about videotaped evidence, Sanchez was barred from speaking to the media. Totally embarrassing.
Posted by: JamesW99 | May 16, 2007 11:04 AM.

Sanchez is finished and that has been widely hinted at by many sources, including Scott himself saying that Carroll and Sarkisian acknowledge that he is out of his depth, so Mustain has been brought in.
Posted by: IBinParadiseValley | May 16, 2007 04:02 AM

That should prove quite conclusively what everyone has been saying all along - Sanchez is damn slow! He is simply out of his depth at the college level. Whitney Lewis Part II. He proved it at the scrimmage and the 40 above is just further proof.
Posted by: IBinParadiseValley | May 1, 2007 10:26 AM

With Mustain, people have already seen what he is capable of. It's not based on assuming the other QB is better. Sanchez has now been seen and exposed as someone out of his league in college. Playing against 21 to 23 year olds is a whole lot different than playing against 14 year olds from Orange County.
Posted by: JimmyCardinalGold | April 10, 2007 03:11 PM

Agree with IBParadiseValley - Sanchez is Whitney Lewis Part II. All high school hype and completely out of his depth in college. His ground game was so lacking, I was wondering why he was even on a football scholarship. I wouldn't be surprised if Corp jumped over Sanchez in 2007 (assuming, of course, Corp does not redshirt). Mustain over Sanchez in 2008 is a no-brainer.
Posted by: USCBUAD92 | April 9, 2007 05:01 PM

The Kiffin question is crazy. A head coach position in the NFL is the highest position in football. Why would Kiffin use that as a "stepping stone" to a lower assistant position in college. If anything an assistant's position in the NFL is a stepping stone to a Head Coach job in college (see Dorell). If Kiffin leaves the Raiders he will be given a Head Coach position in college as a fallback - unless he truly stinks. May not be USC but he will get hired somewhere - maybe a smaller Div. 1 school.

Scott,

Will you do a week of questions where you answer them as Pete Carroll would.

For example: Pete, why is it you give so much praise to Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Carlise when your team constantly has key players injured?

I'm looking forward to the game, but at the same time, I'm not. Over the past two seasons we get these young guys in our section (sec. 17 R36) who WON'T SIT DOWN. Is there a new trend the students started? Is the Thundering Herd expanding? What's the deal? My back is not going to take it this year.

Hey dumbass, how many times have you been exposed for being wrong after accusing everyone who criticizes Mark "The Nightstalker" Sanchez of being the same person? Did you not claim that Scott Wolf said things about The Nightstalker that he clearly did not say? Dumbass, you keep being exposed for being a lonely loser who thinks everything is a conspiracy against The Nightstalker. Did you not feel stupid the last time you were proved wrong by everyone? What about the time before that? Do you enjoy the masochism that comes from the public humiliation you endure from being such a dumbass? Don't concern yourself with The Nightstalker. He's been in jail for rape and can take care of himself. Idiot.

Scott

This question has been brought up before, but I have never seen a clear answer - what is the USC injury rate compared to other top schools; it seems to many of us fans that we are beating each other up in practice; remember those hits accumulate and slow down players or may contribute to injuries down the road. It seems there is no justification for a linebacker leveling a key receiver - like they used to say on the Army firing range, don't worry about it, you will get used to the noise, when, in fact you were going deaf.

Would like to get some response to the injury issue, as many of us do not have the time to follow multiple teams.

Scott:

With plague of injuries afflicting the team and such potentially dangerous events as Pedalgate and Elevatorgate still fresh in our minds and unsolved, this raises several questions:

1. What is being done to make sure our hero Mitch Mustain is kept far away from danger?

2. Will our hero Mitch Mustain be escorted to and from campus by bodyguards?

3. Have the coaches said that if any player so much as tries to lay a finger on our hero Mitch Mustain in practice, they will be cut from the team immediately?

4. Was one of the reasons that our hero Mitch Mustain not given the jersey #13 so as not to attract bad luck?

5. Is it true that Sanchez is really not injured, but his finger is in a cast so he cannot be fingerprinted as a suspect for Pedalgate and Elevatorgate?

Fight on!

I post only as myself and no other person. That is fairly well known. You post using Mitch Mustain's name and many, many other aliases, then accuse everyone else of being the same person. Your routine has gotten old and you keep getting exposed as being a fraud who is always wrong. Grow up.

Scott, how many of the kickers on the roster are on scholarship and how many are walk-ons?

Why did Pete Carroll hire Todd McNair with his past? Is he beating the running backs like dogs? No wonder they are all getting injured!!

Scott-

Do you not think that perhaps it is time for you to implement a minimum age requirement of 11 and IQ of 65 for people to post on your blog? How many times do your readers have to be exposed to the garbage being posted by some immature person using a player's name? Does all this back and forth really add to the quality of this blog? What do you think alumni from other schools must think when they come on your blog and read this garbage? It not only makes USC look bad, but it reflects poorly on you. Really, you need to start implementing some standards and banning certain posters.

If Eric Scott broke into Todd McNair's house, would he be attacked by pit bulls? ;-)

Have you had a chance to check out Mustain running the scout team offense against the first team defense this week? How has he looked?

Scott, is CJ really going to start? ...and what do you expect to see/who do you expect to see Saturday at the Running Back position?

PS - Bill, you come out of your off season slumber and THAT is the best post you can write? Seriously, that was a big let down buddy...but I guess you are a little rusty and not quite in mid season form yet.

Korat, didn't call you out by name this time. I guess you just apoplectically respond to the "racist, Mark Sanchez hater" tag. USCBAD92: "I post only as myself and no other person. That is fairly well known." Sure. And your proof is? Hahahahha. The more you say (post), the more you reveal yourself to be the fraud you are. I'm lovin' it.

Bryan, welcome to the "owner's" club, where all things Trojan are run by you and your cabal. I guess you're lobbying to extend your reach to include Scott Wolf and the LA Daily News within your empire. Good luck with that. Why don't you show more concern about Scott banning race-baiting idiots and Mustain sycophants? Oh, that's right, you're one of them!

scott, what do you think the difference in offensive philosophy will be between kiffin and sark. do you think the trojans can go undefeated without chow running the offense? will never forgive kiffin for not having reggie on the field against the horns!

scott, what do you think the difference in offensive philosophy will be between kiffin and sark. do you think the trojans can go undefeated without chow running the offense? will never forgive kiffin for not having reggie on the field against the horns!

scott, what do you think the difference in offensive philosophy will be between kiffin and sark. do you think the trojans can go undefeated without chow running the offense? will never forgive kiffin for not having reggie on the field against the horns!

On Sept. 26, 2006, Michael Jackson released a statement about the 2007-2008 football season. As found in the blog archives http://www.insidesocal.com/usc/archives/2006/09/usc_reverses_ti.html

Jackson says that there will be a change for student seating from General Admission to reserve seating. Most people thought that it would operate in a per game design similar to the way tickets are assigned for the ucla or ND game.

It now appears that Jackson has gone back on his word. All indications are that it is another year of general admission. How can Jackson go back on his word like that, and is he ready for the fifth annual first-home-game-of-the-season where several students are sent to the hospital due to the crushing general admission crowd that happens every first game for the past 5 years and has only been fixed several games later after the yearly complaints, or is that expected to take place for the second home game with a slightly more interesting opponent and slightly earlier in the hot afternoon heat?

Scott,

Not that it'll affect the outcome of the game, but what is your Over/Under versus Idaho for the following due to late developing changes on the OL:

#Center-QB exchanges left on the ground?

#False starts?

#QB tripped/stepped on by center or guards?

Hello Merciful Wolfman:

Hope you got a chance to read my comments re the weekend open forum--I didn't get a chance to post them until about 6pm on Mon. 8/27.

Since the Eric Scott problem is a lot more recent than Todds', do you think opposing coaches will try to use Erics' situation as a talking point to parents of present and future recruits in an effort to get them to de-commit, or not attend ucla, and, if so, do you think they will meet with some--or much, success?

Thanks very much, as always, Scott. We really appreciate the forums, and after reading the above questions/remarks, I see you can skip over a lot, thus making your job easier--so hope you can continue the forums and take the serious questions only. Sincere thanks once again!!!

Yeah I got a question Scott

When are they going to slow down the tempo of practice?

The majority of our best players are now injured and out. To be honest the team we will field vs. Idaho is about mid-level.

Last year the practice injuries to FB and other positions cost us the NC

The year before we had to play the Ting twins vs. Texas and that cost us another NC

So why do they keep doing it? now Spanos is out, and broderick green and hazelton and dennis and kevin thomas and sanchez and Chilo Rachal and others..if I was a high school player I wouldn't go anywhere near USC everyone gets hurt.

Are they just plain stupid?

Two days to go! Stories everywhere, but no games yet. YET! Tuesday practice featured a tougher than need be hit by Rey on Patrick Turner as 58 led with his helmet. This sort of thing, they say, will kill you eventually. It will certainly injure your own team mate. One needs to have enough common sense to be able to back off every so slightly when playing against their own team. Rey felt bad about it immediately, Turner felt worse, and may miss the Idaho game

Yep

They are just plain stupid

So is Pete Carroll really a good coach?

BTW that is from Pete Arbogast's log

How do you think the NCAA will rule on the petition they, allegedly, received from the the National Organization of Women (NOW)... requesting that Troy, USC, Oregon State, and South Carolina, change their nicknames or be inelgible for any "bowl games".

Hi Scott -

Can you explain Coach Carroll's OL/DL recruiting philosophy? I've never quite understood why we take such a limited number of lineman. This year's recruiting seems atypical in how we recruit the line. Outside of emphasis on out of state linemen, why do we have no qualms stockpiling RB/LBs, but doing the same at the line position is a no-no.

SCOTT! SOS--SOS! YOUR ROMAN MEAL BREAD WILL BE DISCONTINUED IN OCTOBER.
THE PARENT CO., INTERSTATE BAKERIES, WHICH IS NOW IN BANKRUPTCY, MADE THE DECISION---NOT ENOUGH SALES OF ROMAN MEAL OR WONDER BREAD!!! THIS COULD MEAN THAT SOON YOU WILL SAY:" THE FOLLOWING IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY TIREBITER1, ETC.

"

Thoughts on Penn State's "Fight On" posters?

Let the games begin ... yeah!!! Scott, what will be the reaction from the KING OF COMPETITION, PETE CARROLL, after seeing LSU, Louisville and RU beat down their inferior competition Thursday night? Will he want to make a statement or keep to the same old party line?

Methinks TIREBITER1 and USC1966 need to lay off the sauce while posting. Just kidding!

Scott,

There was once talk of UCLA and USC both wearing home jerseys when they play in the Coliseum this December. Is this going to happen?

Is 1966 correct? Turner's out?

Any idea where I might catch the USC-Idaho game in Budapest?

Hey dumbass, I never even mentioned another player. I only mentioned Mark "The Nightstalker" Sanchez and you get all defensive about The Nightstalker. Now why are you so obsessed with The Nightstalker? Did the two of you share a jail cell together? That's probably it. The prophecy of The Nightstalker's rape has come to fruition and he will not get to do the only thing he is able to do - play football. Only chance The Nightstalker had all year to play and it has been taken away from him. The Nightstalker raped a girl and now he is paying the price. That is what happens when you do something that causes harm to someone else. The rapist pays in the end.

With Broderick Green's recent season ending injury, does he now get placed on the transfer watch list?

Beverlyhills:
LOL--I know you were only kidding, but the really funny thing is, I actually WAS on the sauce last night--Bacardi 151 mixed with valium--don't try it tho, it can kill--you have to slowly build up a tolerance--ha ha. BTW, I THOUGHT YOU HAD A GOOD POST RE MARK! TAKE CARE.

for the redshirt candidates does any play time vs Idaho make them ineligible to redshirt?

for the redshirt candidates does any play time vs Idaho make them ineligible to redshirt?