Middle Linebacker Competition
With Malcolm Smith healthy and back at weakside linebacker, Chris Galippo is back at middle linebacker and challenging Devon Kennard for the starting spot.
``We're looking at that position very closely,'' Lane Kiffin said. ``We're rotating both (in practice) and we'll see Saturday who is playing best for us.''
Por fin!
None of this weakness was an issue during the EARLY CREAMPUFF Schedule...though it's pretty obvious why Dillon baxter and the rest of the offense looked so good against the "D" in practice. Excluding Hawaii...the other 3 early season CREAM PUFFS are a combined 6 and 20 for the year Minn (1-8), Virginia (4-4), Wa. St (1-8)..
Oh yea..one other GEM, courtesy of The L.A. Slimes (fish wrap)..in the last 14 months trOJies have lost 7 conference games..the same number the team lost in the previous 7 years!
Wait till the reduced scholarships take effect..
This will be your year.
Fiteon Trogan!
How is it remotely possible that Chris Galippo is "challenging" Kennard for the starting spot at middle linebacker, a position he has played since Rey Maualuga left? WTF...
@ ThaiMex: Please post a link to the article of which you refer so that we may check the source. Thank you for your kind words, sir or madam.
Might as well give Chris another shot... Kennard obviously can't remember during the week of practice whom he is supposed to cover or watch out for, judging by how many yARDS UP THE MIDDLE James ran and how open most Oregon Recievers were during last week's game. Let alone his ability to actually cover the recievers. Might as well not have a middle backer there at all for what good it did.
Please don't anyone tell me Kennard was banged up, as an excuse for his poor play. If he had just stayed right where he was lined up as the play started and not moved, just waited where he was... he would have made more plays or at least been close to the player with the ball than he was all game! What does that tell you? It tells me he was either lost or suckered in just about every fake... he was no where to be found when the play was going up the middle. I can't believe Monte Kiffin doesn't see this.
You've got to hand it to Thaimex, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Of course, all of us would rather he took a long walk off a short pier, but that's neither here nor there.
USC has done better when Galippo is in the game. Awesome!