Another Answer Session

Q: It appears we will be offering earlier than usual this year for 2009 recruits---in order to combat ucla, etc.-------but you have often warned about offering too early, citing, in particular, Penn St. and Notre Dame----so how are we going to reconcile this out? Could you discuss this a little bit re our plans, i. e. are we going to attempt to evaluate a little more earlier, just offer to guys we are certain we want, or going to offer to guys who we think have potential, etc------how do we offer early, yet try and avoid the pitfalls that may occur with offering too early? Thanx.
A: From what I see so far, USC's in offer mode and will do full evaluations later, as it worries about the threats across town and from Florida. This could be risky and I also hear one or two of these early commitments are shaky because it is so early. Here's a quote from Rivals.com recruiting guru Bobby Burton on these super early commits: ``That could be a positive and a negative. (Penn State coach) Joe Paterno started this whole early recruiting business 15 years ago and quite frankly, he stopped doing it. He felt it hurt him.’’

Q: It seems that USC does not recruit any JC players now. Yes Carl was recruited this year but he seems to be the exception than the rule. Any ideas why we stopped recruiting JC? We have had success with Will Poole, I believe Lofa was also JC
A: Part of the reason there's a decrease in JC recruiting is the program's current depth. But USC's also had some trouble getting the JC players who do come by campus because they want to play immediately and it's easier to go to Colorado, etc., where you know you will play. Plus, here's another factor: USC does not accept JC transfers who have a D on their transcripts or are PE majors. That's a killer for basketball and football.

Q: Who has been your favorite player in the PC era?
A: I have several but I feel like saying Matt Grootegoed, because he never changed from Day 1, played hard and did whatever he was asked.

Q: Are you aware if any of the coaches, or anyone in the athletic department, have read that Seattle Times piece from when Rick Neuheisel was the Washington coach and Jerramy Stevens got away with the rape of a coed? Does that piece not draw some eerie similarities with USC's own situation with how both Eric Wright and Mark Sanchez were also arrested for raping coeds, then were somehow never charged even though there was enough evidence to charge both players?
A: I already addressed this in the Friday Weekend Forum.

Q: So since the Seattle Times followed through on what happened to the alleged victim of the Jerramy Steven sexual assault case, do you know what happened to the alleged victims in the Mark Sanchez and Eric Wright sexual assault cases after charges failed to be filed? Are either of them still students at USC? Have they graduated by now? I'm not asking you to give their names, but I was just wondering if you knew what happened to the alleged victims.
A: I heard one transferred and the other remained in school but I did not interview either alleged victim.

Q: Do you know of anyone, representing USC, that will be attending the memorial service for former coach, Larry Smith?
A: I hope someone is because no one attended the memorial for Mike Bastianelli a couple years ago.

Q: Any updates on whether Dallas Sartz will be attending the Nelson-Kalil wedding in four weeks time?
A: If I had to bet, I would say no. Too awkward.

Q: Have you been following the national controversy between Conan O'Brien and Steven Colbert over who claims cedit for having attributed to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee's rise to prominence? But is it not true that the real reason Huckabee has become so prominent is not due to these two gentlemen at all but due to the "Mitch Mustain is from Arkansas" factor, so people want to jump on the Mitch bandwagon? Will Mitch's political influence on the presidential election be covered in "Mitch and Me"?
A: Don't forget Mitch can also claim credit for making Bill and Hillary Clinton who they are today. He's a true bipartisan. We will cover his political influence extensively.

Q: Can you provide us with any evidence that Newheisel referred to us as Aholes in that stupid halftime pep talk on TV ?
A: From what I saw, Neuheisel said ``you want to go looking for a guy who wants to beat those guys' butts across town.'' Not quite what as incendiary as originally reported, but nevertheless an entertaining answer.

Q: Isn't it obvious that if Matt Cassel had started over Tom Brady, the New England Patriots would have won the Super Bowl and made history?
A: Of course it is. Fight On! Fight On! Fight On! Fight On! Fight On!