March 2011 Archives

"I might be out there in the same position I was (Wednesday), but could be there on the field. There's two options.''

ESPN's DirecTV satellite bus will originate from USC on April 25th. Someone probably forgot to tell the worldwide leader that spring practice will be over by then. I'm sure Lane Kiffin will be happy to stop by if Colin Cowherd is there since Kiffin volunteered to make weekly appearances on his show last year. Or Natalie Gulbis, whom he used to follow on twitter (picture after the jump).

If I'm a USC player with NFL aspirations, I would ask the athletic dept. to move Pro Day to Howard Jones Field. Or at least the passing drills. The FieldTurf is so worn on Cromwell Field that players were slipping making cuts, which hurts their evaluation.

It's that time of the day and both teams are in spring-practice mode.

With 31 of the 32 NFL teams sending personnel to Pro Day, there was not just talk about USC players. There was also talk about how USC played last season.
``Did they account for the quarterback in their defensive game plans?'' one NFL scout said. ``It didn't seem like it in the games I watched.''

USC athletic director Pat Haden said he tried to schedule a home-and-home series in basketball with Notre Dame but the Irish declined.

The Baby Quarterback attended USC practices last week and there are still rumors he might transfer to Mater Dei or Oaks Christian next year.

Lane Kiffin might have someone else call wide receiver Brice Butler but put up a hard-line image this morning when asked about Butler possibly returning to the team.
``I think it's a neat deal being on a $75,000 scholarship at USC,'' he said. ``I'm supposed to call players that don't want to be here?''
Butler said Wednesday that neither he nor Kiffin were make-the-first-move kind of people. So we will see if anyone blinks first.

Lane Kiffin singled out Tony Burnett, who switched from safety to cornerback, as the leader to start opposite Nickell Robey.

The offense probably had its best performance of the spring. One reason was Lane Kiffin called more quick-pass plays to give the defense less time to pressure the quarterbacks. Matt Barkley threw an interception to end practice. Kiffin attributed it to the lack of offensive personnel.
``He's frustrated,'' Kiffin said. ``He forces the ball at times. I know he's frustrated.''
But Barkley said he is better at not forcing passes this spring.
``I'm light years ahead,'' he said. ``In a normal setting, I feel in a zone and comfortable holding the ball.''

Brice Butler talks more about whether he will remain at USC, Pat Haden does not favor playing Notre Dame at night in South Bend and says he wants to attend Lane Kiffin's NCAA hearing in June.

USC quarterback Mitch Mustain talked about his recent arrest and whether it would affect his stock with NFL teams during Pro Day.

Monroe Nash, the sixth man on the 1971 USC men's basketball team that was arguably the best team in school history died on Monday of a heart attack in San Diego. He was 61.
Not many people realize today how good the 1971 team was. It went 24-2 and only lost to national champion UCLA. The Trojans were ranked No. 1 in the nation at mid-year and finished ranked fifth.
Under the system of the time, USC could not go to the NCAA Tournament because only the conference champion was allowed.

Do you think morning practices in the fall will help USC the week it plays Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. in South Bend?

Considering how Lane Kiffin's complained (privately and publically) about the lack of depth at wide receiver, it would seem logical for him to ask Brice Butler to return to the team.

USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith said he will attend the NFL draft ceremonies in New York City.
``It might be a little hard sitting there in New York but I wouldn't want to miss it,'' Smith said.

Here are today's combine marks. Some players like Tyron Smith did what they needed to do to solidify their status. Others, like Jordan Cameron, already put up their marks at the NFL combine and just wanted to show they could catch and run. Ronald Johnson's 40 time was OK but he did better on the pass drills. Allen Bradford did not run a fast 40 but his strength is his size. He weighed 240 pounds today.
I wouldn't put too much into this stuff. As one NFL coach told me, ``these are feel-good drills.''

If the USC-UCLA game at night seems like a bad idea, this one is even worse. USC will go to Notre Dame on Oct. 22 and play at 7:30 p.m. (ET).
It will be Notre Dame's first night game in 21 years.

USC wide receiver Brice Butler said he will visit Delaware and Tennessee-Chattanooga but did not rule out remaining at USC.
``There could be a chance if something happens I could stay,'' Butler said. ``You never know. I'm not closed off to the thought.''
Butler said USC coach Lane Kiffin would need to make the first move to convince him. When told Kiffin is not a first-move kind of guy, Butler said, ``neither of us are. We're second-move guys.''

Here's the 10 players that made the Wooden All-American team. It looks like I picked eight correctly: Jimmer Fredette, BYU; Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame; JaJuan Johnson, Purdue; Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State; Marcus Morris, Kansas; Jacob Pullen, Kansas State; Nolan Smith, Duke; Jared Sullinger, Ohio State; Kemba Walker, Connecticut; and Derrick Williams, Arizona.

Things are running a little behind schedule at Pro Day right now but once they get started we'll post updates in the twitter box.

Quick updates will be posted in the twitter box on the right side of this page.

Last night's basketball banquet reminded me of Tim Floyd's famous banquet speech two years ago, where he stressed commitment and then flew to Tucson the next morning to interview for the Arizona job. And then there was the story Floyd told friends when offered the USC job. His wife answered a phone call from USC athletic director Mike Garrett, who said, ``Can I speak to Jim Lloyd.''

USC wide receiver Markeith Ambles said he's thankful he turned down transferring to schools like Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia to return to the Trojans. And he said he knows he cannot miss classes.

USC basketball player Nikola Vucevic was named the Trojans' MVP at tonight's banquet. Here's the full list of award winners:

I'm glad Lane Kiffin has a twitter account or we would miss these gems: ``Another beautiful morning in Southern California...another great practice early this morning!''

It's the time again for the readers to discuss whatever they want.

This morning's practice featured an appearance by two pit bulls that made their way on to Howard Jones Field. The dogs disrupted a defensive-line drill much to the dismay of defensive line coach Ed Orgeron.

The voting deadline for the Wooden Award was yesterday, so here's my vote for the winner and the 10-person All-American team.

Marc Tyler said he visited Lane Kiffin's office but he was not there, so he still might need to visit Kiffin to be formally lectured about his comments last week regarding his hamstring injury and the lack of stretching. Assistant coach Kennedy Pola did speak to Tyler about the incident.
``He told me if my legs didn't feel right the whole practice I should have let him know because he always takes care of us,'' Tyler said. ``I didn't tell him because I didn't want to come out.''

The three backup quarterbacks are within four snaps of each other, which means no one is being favored yet during practices. Based on completion percentage, here are the current standings: 1. Cody Kessler; 2. Jesse Scroggins; 3. Max Wittek.

Because the field is slicker in the mornings, that could possibly increase the threat of injuries (just like not stretching). So Lane Kiffin said he is looking at placing a cover on the field in the fall to see if it keeps the field dry.

The defense dominated again with the reserve linebackers making big plays. Walk-on Will Andrew's intercepted a pass in every practice while Dallas Kelley also intercepted a pass. I would not interpet that as a sign they will play in the fall, however. Tailback Curtis McNeal's been a strong performer but must achieve a certain grade-point average to be eligible in the fall. Wide receiver De'von Flournoy's got an injured hip while linebacker Dion Bailey underwent x-rays on his forearm, which were negative.

Here's some more details on those marquee basketball games next season with Kansas, North Carolina and Duke.

Former USC baseball coach Mike Gillespie returns to campus this afternoon at 3 p.m. when his UC Irvine Anteaters faces the Trojans at Dedeaux Field. The Anteaters are 14-6 overall.

Will this fire you up to buy a USC football ticket? If you don't want to push the coach, push the visor! Pete Carroll was sure an easier sell.

Even more answers!

Kevin O'Neill is visiting Logan (Community) College in Illinois today watching prospects as he starts searching for potential roster replacements for Nikola Vucevic. USC might also look at taking a foreign post player.

Time for some answers on a Monday afternoon.

USC forward Nikola Vucevic was an honorable mention selection for the Associated Press All-American team.

ESPN3 will televise Washington's Pro Day but not USC's. That's the power of Jake Locker.

USC's basketball schedule includes a game against Kansas at Wichita, Kan., a game against North Carolina in the UNLV Tournament and is close to securing a game at Duke.

USC forward Alex Stepheson was selected to play in the NABC Senior All-Star game this weekend at the Final Four in Houston.

We hear rumblings that the Baby Quarterback (David Sills) might transfer to Mater Dei or Oaks Christian next season.

The ``prestigious'' GoDaddy.com All-American team is out and USC safety T.J. McDonald is a third-team pick. Quarterback Matt Barkley and Robert Woods (as a kick returner) made the honorable mention.

Ricky Oropesa's five RBI and home run led the Trojans while Logan Odom allowed only one run in seven innings and struck out seven. USC is 9-15 overall and 1-2 in the Pac-10.

The Trojans routed the Buffaloes in the quarterfinals of the women's NIT. Ashley Corral made seven 3-pointers and scored 32 points. USC now travels to Illinois State for a semifinal game. That's not quite like going to New York for the men's NIT semifinals.

The Trojans increased their lead and it's the bottom of the eighth inning.

USC leads UCLA, 4-1, in the sixth inning at Dedeaux Field.

We hear former USC wide receiver Keary Colbert wanted to start his NFL comeback by working out on Pro Day in front of coaches and scouts but was prohibited by the league lockout.

Here's a halftime score from last week that seems pretty good today: USC 22, VCU 22.
Kansas would take it after trailing the Rams by 14 at halftime.

Lane Kiffin was unhappy with tailback Marc Tyler's comments that he pulled his hamstring at USC's first practice because he didn't know they were supposed to stretch earlier than normal for a 7:30 a.m. practice.
``Since he pulled his hamstring two hours into practice, it wasn't the stretching before that,'' Kiffin said Saturday.
It's worth noting that Tyler said his legs never felt right the whole practice because he did not stretch.

Pitcher Trevor Bauer threw a one-hitter and struck out 14 in the second game between the Bruins and Trojans this weekend. USC is 8-15 overall.

The first week of spring practice is over and the biggest decision concerns two players who didn't even practice. Why did the coaching staff decide to tell Chris Galippo he would play weakside linebacker and Devon Kennard he would play middle linebacker?
It seemed like Galippo would be a safer choice in the middle and Kennard could be a dominating strongside linebacker.
Is it because USC wants a freshman to come in at the strongside and feels Galippo can adjust to weakside easier than Kennard? Is Galippo's injured back playing a role in the decision? Or is it simply to clear a path for Lamar Dawson, who may or may not be deserving of wearing No. 55.
Strongside linebacker is certainly the easiest of the three linebacker positions to learn for a freshman.

Here's the complete of football walk-ons, including a player from London and Cody Gifford, son of Frank Gifford.

USC baseball is 3-9 against Big West Conference teams this year and 1-6 in one-run games.

Kevin O'Neill will be out of town next week recruiting. But one other way USC might look to add a player is too see if any players who signed letters-of-intent last fall are seeking releases following a coaching change. In other words, schools like Tennessee or Oklahoma.

Here's more on the future of USC basketball without Nikola Vucevic, including a possible transfer target to take one of the two remaining scholarships.

``Obviously we can't be better without him than we would be with him. But it's my job to replace Nic. I need to make sure we are better and I think we can have a better team.''

Nikola Vucevic's agent, Rade Filipovich, has known Vucevic's father for about 30 years. He also represents Andris Biedrins of the Golden State Warriors, former UCLA guard Darren Collison and one-time USC commit Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks. And he works for Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management, which originally represented O.J. Mayo and ESPN reported gave Rodney Guillory about $200,000.

If USC played a game tomorrow, here's the starting lineup:

Center: DeWayne Dedmon
Power forward: Aaron Fuller
Small forward: Byron Wesley
Guard: Jio Fontan
Guard: Maurice Jones

I would add that I expect incoming guard Alexis Moore to be no worse than a co-starter once he gets up to speed and that shooting guard Greg Allen will also be in the rotation because of his shooting ability.

We will have updates from Nikola Vucevic's press conference in the twitter feed on the right side of our home page.

Pro Football Weekly drops offensive tackle Tyron Smith to the 26th pick in the first round.

Expect Nikola Vucevic to announce today that he is going pro. Whether he hires an agent will be the key. Kevin O'Neill's encouraged a quick decision by Vucevic so he can try and sign another player if Vucevic leaves.

USC forward Nikola Vucevic will hold a press conference today at 3 p.m. to announce his future plans.

Bryce Scott, a point guard from Oak Ridge High School in El Dorado Hills, Calif., visited the campus yesterday.

USC freshmen quarterbacks Max Wittek and Cody Kessler are getting their first taste of college football. Wittek said he's never asked Matt Barkley if he would turn pro early, by the way.

We could focus on how Arizona's Derrick Williams, Lamont Jones and Solomon Hill combined for 61 points and 21 rebounds tonight in the Wildcats' victory over Duke.
But the better question, from a USC perspective, is why former athletic director Mike Garrett released Williams and Jones from the letters of intent? Remember, Tim Floyd already left (was forced out) and Garrett basically ran basketball at that point. He never tried to convince them to stay.
From the moment Floyd departed, it seemed Garrett wanted to nuke his memory from the program, including his recruiting class. Even the self-imposed probation last year seemed to be a way of pointing a finger at Floyd. Their relationship was so bad at the end, I wouldn't rule any action out for being based on vindictiveness.

Freshman quarterback Max Wittek said he never asked Matt Barkley if he would turn pro early, even though both attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana.
``I never did,'' Wittek said.

If Lane Kiffin needs a reason to beware his morning practice sessions, here's an example: Marc Tyler said he pulled his hamstring Tuesday because he did not properly stretch his legs.
``I didn't know we weren't going to stretch like we usually do,'' he said. ``I guess they want us to come here earlier and stretch before. I didn't know they changed it.''
It's highly unlikely things like stretching will be done as rigorously when they are required to come to Heritage Hall at 5 a.m. compared to, oh, 2 p.m. But it's a risk Kiffin apparently will take.

USC's basketball team will go to Brazil in August for a 12-day, five-game tour.

The spring game at the Coliseum will be open to the public because USC asked the NCAA for permission to allow the public and was granted an exception.

Last month we mentioned that Matt Barkley's brother, Sam, accepted a partial scholarship to Stanford to run the hurdles. But Sam Barkley's decided instead to walk-on at USC next year and be a member of the Trojans' track team.

There will no doubt be some glowing reports during spring practice about some offensive performances. But consider that right now the starting middle linebacker is a walk-on (Will Andrew) and the Trojans also have a 5-10 linebacker (Dallas Kelley) getting plenty of reps. The depth at many positions is down and walk-ons are everywhere. So this spring will be another depleted experience.

OK, it's time to ask questions as spring football started and basketball ended. One question per person please.

It looks walk-on Cody Gifford will probably make the team as a wide receiver. He is the son of USC icon Frank Gifford but might be better known as the constantly referenced son by Kathie Lee Gifford when she co-hosted ``Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.''
Cody Gifford is a redshirt junior.

Matt Barkley threw two interceptions this morning while Cody Kessler threw one. Max Wittek is the only QB to not throw an interception in spring practice.

Lane Kiffin said today he is going to try to hold morning practices during the actual football season.

Freshman tailback D.J. Morgan's knee is nearly 100 percent and he will be a key performer in spring, especially if Marc Tyler's hamstring is an issue.

The Trojans outscored the Cougars, 37-19, in the second half for the victory in Provo, Utah, in the women's NIT.

One change for spring practice is that walk-on Peter Yobo, who is also on the track team, moved from defensive end to offensive tackle. Not that unusual except for the fact Yobo is listed as weighing 235 pounds. That's what happens when you have six scholarship linemen available.

Reggie Bush is not allowed to visit USC practices but he was at Jackie Robinson Field next to Dorsey High School in Los Angeles yesterday to workout with kids who hope to be in a national adidas commercial.

In this segment, I mention how I've heard Pat Haden never considered firing Kevin O'Neill during his suspension last week.

More on Delvon Simmons in this segment.

An array of questions in this segment from basketball to baseball to football.

What bothers Lane Kiffin more today?

A:) Being accused of stealing Chip Kelly's idea of morning practices.
B:) Dealing with the NCAA list of allegations from his tenure of Tennessee.
C:) Opening spring practice without 19 players.
D:) Losing to Washington and Notre Dame last season.

Here's a list of spring dates for all the Pac-12 teams:

One things doctors want to rule out with recent tests on Armond Armstead is a possible heart condition.

Kevin O'Neill believes his star player will make his name available when it's all said and done but won't hire an agent.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley said he needs to improve two areas this spring: His footwork and mechanics.

Linebacker Chris Galippo on resting his troublesome back this week:
``I'm more concerned with playing Saturdays in the fall than in the spring.''

Spring practice will not answer this question but it seems like one of the bigger questions for next season is whether USC is equipped (physically and in the press box) to stop a good spread offense?

USC coach Kevin O'Neill will be a guest tonight on the ``State Farm Coaches Tournament Show,'' on FSN. Perhaps they needed an expert voice on losing to VCU.

It's that time to let the readers discuss what they want in their confined space.

USC forward Nikola Vucevic will meet with Coach Kevin O'Neill today but is not expected to make any decisions on his future for a few weeks.

Defensive lineman Delvon Simmons, who signed with North Carolina, should get his release by next Tuesday and then will decide whether to attend USC or Texas Tech. Simmons is not scheduled to visit the Trojans this week.

Defensive tackle Armond Armstead said he is still waiting for test results and will not know until a doctor's appointment on April 1 what is wrong with him. Armstead said he currently feels OK but experienced chest pains among other symptoms that led to his hospitalization.
``I had been sick for a couple weeks,'' he said. ``I feel fine now.''

USC missed 19 players today because of injuries and suited up six scholarship linemen. As expected, Khaled Holmes missed practice because of neck stingers.

USC concluded its first spring practice on Cromwell Field because yesterday's rains made Howard Jones Field too slippery. There were quite a few tipped passes and some interceptions but Lane Kiffin said that is to be expected when you cannot practice in pads because the defensive lineman don't need to worry about cut blocks.
Tailback Marc Tyler pulled his hamstring and looked like he might be out awhile. Linebacker Chris Galippo is out this week with back spasms, likely related to problems that required two operations. The news is that Galippo will play weakside linebacker next season, which means Devon Kennard stays at middle linebacker.
That could be a controversial move in the fall after last season's problems.
The freshmen quarterbacks pretty much looked like freshmen quarterbacks. Cody Kessler made a couple nice passes and also threw an interception to new linebacker Dallas Kelley. Matt Barkley also threw an interception.

USC coach Lane Kiffin is dealing with injuries and making a subtle change to the defense as spring practice opens.

Former USC basketball Romeo Miller debuted on Dancing With The Stars last night and scored 19 out of 30 points.

USC says defensive end Armond Armstead is not expected to practice yet, at least in the early part of spring drills. USC has not said what test results revealed when Armstead was hospitalized with an undiagnosed virus a few weeks ago.

Lane Kiffin said USC will include tackling in some drills during spring practice after banning it during most practices last season.
``We're going to do some tackling,'' he said. ``It's too critical to some after the issues last fall.''

In this segment, a question about attending football practices.

A few friends complained today that they thought it was odd USC president Max Nikias emailed all the alumni a copy of an ESPN article that suggested athletic director Pat Haden become president. Of the NCAA, not the USA.

Here's the header:
From: USC Alumni Association
Date: Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 11:41 AM
Subject: President Nikias Thought You'd be Interested in Reading This...
To: USC Alumni

Now I like Nikias. And I like Haden. But I don't think Nikias should endorse this idea. Especially if he needs someone to hire a new football coach in the next two years. Better keep Haden around for that.

``Uncertainty is a sign of humility, and humility is just the ability or the willingness to learn.''
Who said it?
A:) Pete Carroll
B:) Charlie Sheen

Here's a quote on spring practice today from Lane Kiffin that USC supplied the media.
"We're very excited to be involved in the first year of Pac-12 play and to be part of the most competitive conference in college football," said Kiffin. "Nobody can take a Saturday off in this league and now that we've welcomed Utah and Colorado to the Pac-12, that's even more evident."
Does that mean he will have an excuse when he loses some Pac-12 games next season?

After a break because of the NCAA Tournament, time to answer some questions.

Last year Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott wanted to get the USC-Oregon game at the Coliseum switched to a Thursday night but was advised by USC it was a bad idea because of the fact there are so few parking spaces available on a weekday compared to a Saturday.
So we asked Scott if the idea of weekday games at the Coliseum is a dead idea?
``There are unique issues for schools like USC when playing during the week,'' Scott said. I don't know if we will ever play there on a weekday but I would not want to rule out anything.''
USC opposes weekday home games but is willing to play them on the road, such as next season's Bay Area ``weekender,'' which takes place on a Thursday night.
``USC's been great about it and shown a willingness to play during the week when we've asked them,'' Scott said.

Former USC basketball player Damaine Powell might be a hot coaching candidate this spring. He just led Cal State Dominguez Hills to a 23-5 record, most wins in school history and won the conference tournaent for the first time in school history,

Robert Woods is going to change wide receiver positions for next season, starting tomorrow at spring practices. Woods will run more deep routes now, taking over some of Ronald Johnson's role last season.

I haven't seen anything more ridiculous recently than the pompous title Stanford affords women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer. No, she is not the women's basketball coach in Stanford publications. VanDerveer is the ``Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women's Basketball.'' That should add a few more UConn fans to the following.

``Part of the way we play is I try not to hold them back. I try to just let them go. Sometimes the assistants get on me, and they say, you need to pull them -- you know, you need to make sure we're getting a better shot or we're shooting too quick, and that's just not how I roll, I guess. If they got an open shot and they're a good shooter, go ahead. Fling it in there. And it's worked out for us.''
-- VCU coach Shaka Smart after upsetting Purdue and advancing to the Sweet 16

USC's women's basketball team went to Reno and defeated Nevada, 78-59, today in the women's NIT. Jacki Gemelos and Ashley Corral each scored 20 points.

``The best way to advance something is to live it out.''
Who said it?
A:) Pete Carroll
B:) Charlie Sheen

USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith is holding steady as a top 13 pick in these mock drafts.

The USC women's swimming team finished third at the NCAA championships. Junior Katinka Hosszu was named swimmer of the meet after winning three events.

Here are some spring games that will be televised:
April 3 -- Texas (ESPN)
April 4 -- LSU (ESPN)
April 16 -- Arkansas (ESPN)
April 16 -- Alabama (ESPNU)
April 16 -- Florida State (ESPN3.com)
April 16 -- Notre Dame (Versus)

USC commit Katin Reinhardt and his Mater Dei teammates lead Corona Centennial 65-53 with less than four minutes. Reinhardt struggled in the first half with only one field goal but made a big drive to give the Monarchs a nine-point lead that grew to 12.
UPDATED: Mater Dei wins 76-64.

The Trojans trailed 10-2 and each team scored six runs in the seventh inning as USC's four-game winning streak is snapped. The teams play again tonight.
UPDATED: USC lost the nightcap, 7-2.

Looks like both schools are out of the NCAA Tournament. On to spring football.

Looks like USC helped VCU coach Shaka Smart get a better job for next season.

The red-hot USC baseball team, winners of four straight, faces Pete Carroll's alma mater, Pacific, in a doubleheader today at 2 p.m. at Dedeaux Field. Frank Cruz's Trojans are 8-10 overall.
There is also the Trojan Invitational, the first home track meet of the season, which already started and runs until 4 p.m.

Marquette's victory tonight means only one team with 14 losses won in the NCAA Tournament. Everyone else, including USC, lost.

Maybe USC's loss to VCU wasn't so embarrassing after all. The Rams are leading Georgetown by 23 points with five minutes left. Then again, USC might be beating Georgetown too if it did not lay an egg against VCU.

The USC-Virginia Commonwealth game drew about 1.3 million viewers at truTV. It was similar to the ratings for the previous night's Clemson-Alabama Birmingham game at the same time. The USC game drew about 300,000 more viewers than the preceeding game between Texas-San Antonio and Alabama State.

Mater Dei guard Katin Reinhardt, a USC commit for 2012, plays his first game at the Galen Center tomorrow night at 8 against Corona Centennial in the Southern California Regional Division I playoff final.

Caesar is hosting a coaching clinic on April 1 from 6-10 p.m. at the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. RSVP at WinForever@WinForever.com or call 213-763-2173.

USC assistant coach Bob Cantu's emerged as a candidate for the newly opened job at Fresno State. The timing could be right: He's been at USC for 10 seasons and part of six teams that went to the NCAA Tournament with nine players going to the NBA. He was the lead recruiter on DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson and Nikola Vucevic among others. In 2008, he was named one of the top 20 assistant coaches in the country by FoxSports.com.

All four teams with 14 losses that played in the NCAA Tournament (USC, Tennessee, Penn State, Michigan State) lost their first game. The fifth team, Marquette, plays later today.

Here's a look at the challenges ahead for USC basketball next season.

USC forward Nikola Vucevic, who is considering turning pro early, averaged 11.3 points in his final three games of the season.

Pick your own topic.

Defensive tackle Delvon Simmons could end up at USC after being released from his letter of intent by North Carolina.

I keep reading where Washington quarterback Jake Locker is one of four finalists for the cover of the EA Sports NCAA Football 12 cover. Didn't you actually have to do something to be a candidate for the cover?

``I so desperately wanted to be Mr. Somebody. Instead, I was the little brother, included to a point.''
Who said it?
A:) Pete Carroll
B:) Charlie Sheen

Yesterday's announcement of the new Pac-12 logo seemed like an odd time from publicity-conscious Larry Scott, given that everyone is focused on the NCAA Tournament right now. But Scott had little choice because the 12 schools wanted the new logo now to get it ready for uniforms, tickets, football fields, etc.

USC athletic director Pat Haden said Kevin O'Neill will return next season but he will speak to the coach about whether there is an issue with alcohol.

Here is my game story from Dayton on USC's disappointing loss to Virginia Commonwealth in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament.

We've been busy in Dayton that we almost forgot the news that Steve Dillon finally signed his letter of intent today. Or was allowed to sign it following some academic delays.

There is no shame in getting knocked out of the NCAA Tournament tonight. For example, Washington State and Cal would rather be here in Dayton than the NIT. Or ask angry Tim Floyd at UTEP.
But the way USC lost is going to be an awful most-recent memory for the offseason. Kind of like if Lane Kiffin lost to Notre Dame in his final game last season.
USC's played scrappy basketball this season but came out and laid an egg tonight on sorta national television (truTV). That's regrettable for a program that made big strides the last five weeks.
If Nikola Vucevic goes pro, he needs to look at this tape and how easily he gets taken out of a game when double-teamed and how physical play can alter his game. Looking ahead, USC will certainly be deeper next season, with guard-forward Aaron Fuller eligible and some impressive freshmen (Alexis Moore, Byron Wesley) plus an underrated JC prospect (Greg Allen) that should get minutes.
One thing this program needs, however, this offseason: No drama.

VCU coach Shaka Smart made sure to mention ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, who criticized the Rams making the NCAA Tournament.
``You think Jay Bilas watched that game?'' Smart said.

``They haven't been on this stage. They haven't been out there. It's like anything else, when you do it the first time, there might be some bumps in the road.''

``They took me out of the game. A guy was on me the whole time. They didn't let me get in a comfort zone.''

Who showed up tonight? Not many.

For all the stress and emotion that involved getting an NCAA bid, USC's playing like a team that did not really want to be in Dayton tonight.

An interpid USC fan took this photo from the last row at Dayton Arena during tonight's game.

VCU shot just 27 percent while the Trojans shot 44 percent. The score is tied, in part, because it outrebouded USC, 17-15, and forced the Trojans into 8 turnovers. USC also had only two assists in the first half.

With 9:10 left the Trojans are ahead and VCU is shooting only 19 percent from the field.

A nice crowd is here in Dayton for the game. I'm going to recommend to Larry Scott that he move the Pac-12 Tournament here to alleviate attendance issues.

There's still time to pick the score of tonight's game and the chance to win a Kevin O'Neill bobblehead. Just pick a score in yesterday's post and include a valid email.

Where else can you walk out the hotel and watch a softball game between Dayton and Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis. And Dayton Arena is across the street.

Here's a music video produced by the Pac-10 that unveiled the new Pac-12 logo.

USC coach Kevin O'Neill said in Dayton that he does not have a drinking problem.

USC's overcome a lot of adversity this season as it heads into tonight's game against Virginia Commonwealth.

Here's my All-American teams, player of the year and coach of the year that I voted for in the Associated Press postseason awards.

Did you know the University of Dayton Arena has two bars? Fill in your own punch line.
Here's some other things we've learned: It's the home of Orville Wright, credited with his brother Wilbur of inventing and building the first successful airplane. Football, ice cream cones and digital clocks are also claimed among the city's inventions. Oh, and the city's streets are swept every day.

ESPN2 announced during the UTEP-New Mexico game that former USC coaches Tim Floyd and Phil Johnson got into a verbal altercation with Lobos coach Steve Alford during a morning shootaround. Apparently there was some confusion over when UTEP's shootaround ended and Floyd/Johnson did not like it when Alford showed up.
For those keeping score on verbal altercations: Current USC coach 1, former USC coach 1.
UPDATED: Alford refused to shake Johnson's hand after the game.

``It ain't nothing like L.A. I'll tell you that,'' USC guard Donte Smith on being in Dayton.

``You can actually perform with a `quited mind.' ''
Who said it?
A:) Pete Carroll
B:) Charlie Sheen

USC had a power failure at its team hotel last night but it did not have much affect on the Trojans, unless you count an alarm clock not going off in the morning.

USC is playing in Dayton in the ``First Four'' games of the NCAA. So is Arkansas-Little Rock, which also goes by the Trojans.

Here's another picture of USC just before it broke practice and headed back to the team hotel.
``They'll go back and play video games, then they will eat dinner, then they will play more video games,'' USC coach Kevin O'Neill said.

We mentioned yesterday that senior associate athletic Carol Dougherty is on her way out of the athetlc dept. in an awkward departure. Sounds like Mark Jackson will take over her duties, at least in the interim.

Here's USC guard Jio Fontan on being in the NCAA play-in games.
``Whether we were in the first four in or the last four out or whatever the case may be, we just want to to play VCU, go out there and approach the game with the same mentality and try to win and not really pay much attention to where they have us in the standings or how far they have us in the tournament.''

Here's a look at USC's practice inside Dayton Arena this afternoon.
``They were the most excited team I've been around to make the tournament,'' USC coach Kevin O'Neill said.

OK, let's get an early start on who wins the USC-VCU game tomorrow night. The person with the closest score to the actual result wins a Kevin O'Neill bobblehead. Valid email address required with your pick.

It's a grey, somewhat wet day in Dayton. USC hits the arena floor around 11:20 a.m. (PDT) for its public practice.

Here's Dayton Arena, where USC plays Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday night.

Who's going to Dayton?

``Panicking is for amateurs.''
Who said it?
A: Pete Carroll
B. Charlie Sheen

Since USC coach Kevin O'Neill doesn't really practice much anymore this week's schedule might not be so bad for the Trojans. They won't do much today, won't really hold a practice on Tuesday and won't practice Thursday when they would fly to Chicago if they beat Virginia Commonwealth.

Both teams are in the NCAA Tournament. Who goes farther?

We hear senior associate athletic director Carol Dougherty is leaving the athletic dept. perhaps as soon as the next two weeks in what looks like an awkward departure based on conversations inside Heritage Hall.

Lane Kiffin also said that offensive lineman Khaled Holmes might miss spring practice because of neck stingers.

Here is my ballot for the Associated Press Top 25 basketball poll. USC played the Nos. 1, 13, 16 and 23 ranked teams.

USC coach Lane Kiffin said defensive end Wes Horton might not participate in spring practice because of an ankle injury.

Here's what NCAA selection committee chair Gene Smith said about the controversial selection of VCU.
``Virginia Commonwealth is a tough team. They play solid. Great ballclub. If you watch them play, one of those teams that a lot of people don't want to play.''

Virginia Commonwealth coach Shaka Smart, 33, is one of the 10 youngest coaches in the nation but has won 50 games in the past two years. The Rams do have a local player. Freshman center D.J. Haley is from Palmdale.

``I actually have had an outpouring of support from our fans, which I was really surprised about and felt really good about,'' USC coach Kevin O'Neill said. ``Our fans have to be happy that we're in the NCAA Tournament. I think if we win the national title we'll get them back. That would help if we could do that. We just have to keep playing quality basketball and producing quality kids, getting them graduated and that's what we intend to do.''

USC's game against Virginia Commonwealth on Wednesday will be televised on truTV around 6:10 p.m. (PDT). The announcers will be Gus Johnson and LenElmore.
What is truTV? It sounds worse than Versus.

``Our goal is to win the naitonal title. We're in position now where 300 teams have been eliminated down to 68. Whovever got us in field we thank them very much. I believe our team can play with anyone.''

IF USC beats Virginia Commonwealth for the No. 11 seed, it would face Georgetown.

USC plays a play-in game versus Virginia Commonwealth Wednesday in Dayton. Then it's on to Chicago if it wins.

Joe Lunardi of ESPN says USC makes the NCAA Tournament. Jerry Palm of CBS Sports says USC does not make it. Someone will be wrong in a couple hours.

Pat Haden's statement this morning made it clear Kevin O'Neill would return as head coach next season. But it also seemed to make it clear that O'Neill will be on a short leash and probably a zero-tolerance policy. That means no more incidents like last Thursday.

USC athletic director Pat Haden reinstated Kevin O'Neill this morning. He also mentioned ``a fine,'' in addition to further discipline as part of the punishment for his verbal altercation with an Arizona fan. This does clear up the issue of whether O'Neill would be fired.
Here's statements from Haden and O'Neill.

USC caught a break Saturday night when Utah State defeated Boise State, which prevented an at-large berth getting taken away. Now USC will root for Richmond today to defeat Dayton in the Atlantic 10 championship game because Richmond is in the NCAA Tournament regardless.
Ironically, it means Kevin O'Neill will need to cheer against a former assistant coach. Dayton coach Brian Gregory worked for O'Neill at Northwestern.

USC athletic director Pat Haden declined to comment Saturday on the future of Trojans basketball coach Kevin O'Neill following his suspension for a verbal confrontation with an Arizona fan.
``I don't have anything to say tonight,'' Haden said. ``It's not the time to answer questions.''
O'Neill is not expected to be fired but speculation on his future was intense Saturday at the Pacific-10 Conference Tournament in Staples Center, which made Haden in demand.

ESPN's NCAA bracket expert, Joe Lunardi, lists USC as one of his final four teams to make the NCAA Tournament.

USC assistant coach Bob Cantu said he ran two plays last night from former coaches Henry Bibby and Tim Floyd.
``One that I had run with Tim and one that I had run with Henry,'' Cantu said. ``I felt if we ran something different, they wouldn't expect it.''

Did Tim Floyd indirectly help USC by blowing this morning's game against Memphis? UTEP might be out of the NCAA Tournament now, which opens a potential spot for USC. No matter what, El Paso will be depleted of all nicotine gum by Floyd following UTEP's loss.

USC will now wait for Sunday's pairings to see if it makes the NCAA Tournament. A few results did not help today: Michigan State beating Purdue. Penn State beat Wisconsin. Virginia Tech beat Florida.
``We've beaten Texas who people were talking about as the No. 1 seed a couple weeks ago,'' USC assistant coach Bob Cantu said. ``Arizona and UCLA, Tennessee on the road. Other people I can't remember right now.
``My point is that we have some great wins. Everybody's saying we've got bad losses. I personally think that great wins mean more than the bad losses do when you look at the big picture.''
``I think we had a good showing tonight, and anybody that was watching the game tonight would have to call this a good loss. If you're on the committee and we were on the border, you'd have to say well, this team played well without their head coach. We feel they can compete in an NCAA Tournament.''

USC players were noticeably unhappy with the officiating at tonight's loss to Arizona but did not want to directly criticize them.
``You all saw the game,'' guard Donte Smith said. ``It was just crazy.''
Said guard Jio Fontan: ``To quote Donte Smith, you all saw the game.''

``It was shocking. I didn't expect to hear it. It caught everyone off guard. It was different. We're used to (Kevin O'Neill). (Bob) Cantu did a great job.''

Here's USC forward Nikola Vucevic talking about the absence of Coach Kevin O'Neill for tonight's game.

Do today's events raise the value of those Kevin O'Neill bobbleheads? Should the bobblehead have coached tonight's game?

USC is shooting 55 percent but took only 22 shots while Arizona took 29. The Wildcats are 4-5 at the free-throw line while USC is 1-5. That's one reason the Trojans trail, 33-28.

I just informed Bob Cantu he would be the hero if he won tonight and could say he didn't get enough time to prepare if USC loses tonight against Arizona.

``It is an unfortunate circumstance but we are in complete agreement with Athletics Director Pat Haden's decision. It's our highest obligation and responsibility to set a good example for our student-athltes as we prepare them for productive lives beyond college athletics. We commend USC for its actions.''
-- Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott on Kevin O'Neill's suspension

Here's the statements from Pat Haden and Kevin O'Neill regarding his suspension for the rest of the Pac-10 Tournament.
This comes as a surprise to the basketball program, which did not think he would be suspended.

``When you know you are going to win, you don't doubt.''
Who said?
A:) Pete Carroll
B:) Charlie Sheen

Former USC coach Gib Arnold will take his Hawaii team to the prestigious collegeinsider.com tournament, where he faces Portland on Tuesday.

Former USC basketball player David Bluthenthal is now known as David Blu.

USC football coach Lane Kiffin met Kevin O'Neill across from Staples Center yesterday at Wolfgang Puck's Bar and Grill along with some administrators after the Trojans' victory over California. Now last night's incident would really have been interesting if Kiffin were around, but the altercation happened after Kiffin and O'Neill parted ways.

According to sources within USC's athletic dept., Trojans coach Kevin O'Neill will release a statement later today saying he made a ``poor decision.'' The sources said O'Neill got into a verbal altercation with an Arizona fan he knew for 25 years last night at the J.W. Marriott hotel.
His wife, Roberta, then argued with a security guard at the hotel. The pair then got into a cab and went back to their downtown penthouse. Sources said the incident lasted about 30 seconds.
USC athletic director Pat Haden's had two conversations with O'Neill regarding the incident and O'Neill will coach tonight's game against Arizona.

USC released a statement tonight about an alleged verbal confrontation at the J.W. Marriott hotel between Coach Kevin O'Neill, his wife and an Arizona fan.
``We have received some information tonight about an incident involving coach Kevin O'Neill, his wife and a fan from another school that occurred following our men's basketball game today,'' athletic director Pat Haden said in a statement. ``We are looking into this and gathering facts. We will determine what appropriate action is necessary.''

It's your chance to talk about what you want.

The announced combined attendance for the USC-Cal and Arizona-Oregon State games was 10,782. I will have to ask Larry Scott about that figure.

The Women of Troy lose at the Galen Center and will not be playing at Staples Center tomorrow before the men's game.

``I own him.''

A:) Pete Carroll on former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis
B:) Charlie Sheen on Two-And-A-Half Men producer Chuck Lorre

Arizona forward Derrick Williams scored 16 points in the first half against Oregon State. That reminds me that when he committed to USC, former Trojans coach Tim Floyd made him wait six weeks to announce his commitment to see if anyone he thought was better would commit first.
And Floyd repeatedly asked what Williams' name was even after six or seven visits to the Galen Center after Williams wanted to come to USC.

``Well, we played with a sense of desperation, I thought. And nothing's more desperate than to be 10 minutes into a game and have three points. The one message we always try to send to our guys and they send to each other is that we are going to guard you. And if we guard the offense will eventually happen and go well for us.''

USC defeats Cal and now waits to see who it plays tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at Staples Center. The Trojans face the Arizona-Oregon State winner.

Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott said there will be ``changes in policies,'' regarding timekeepers and replay officials at football games next season. Remember the famous incident where the Stanford timekeeper, hired by the school, did not start the clock properly when USC had the ball in the Trojans' loss to the Cardinal last season.

Kevin O'Neill told Nikola Vucevic, ``you're saving yourself, right,'' as Vucevic has played sparingly in the first half and missed all three shots inthe first half with 1:40 left.

These early games take time to adjust to apparently. USC is shooting 27 percent in the first half. Cal is shooting 33 percent.

USC has not scored in nearly five minutes to start the game against Cal at Staples Center as the Bears lead, 4-0.

USC has not received test results for Armond Armstead's mystery virus yet.

USC offensive lineman Abe Markowitz will miss spring practice because of more problems with his broken foot injury that caused him to miss last season.

USC safety Dion Bailey will move to linebacker in spring drills with an eye towards a permanent move in the fall. Bailey is being moved to make USC quicker at linebacker because the Trojans faced so many teams with three-or-four wide receivers last season.

Not a lot of fans at Staples Center tonight for the Pac-10 Tournament. Is anyone surprised? How many will show up at noon tomorrow for the USC-Cal game?

Petros Papadakis did a feature on the Petros and Money Show regarding our Caesar or Charlie Sheen contests. Here's where the hosts played the game, which is on the PMS Hour 2 link at the at the 6:45 mark.

A question here about Lane Kiffin and those sanctions.

OK, I have secured a much-prized Kevin O'Neill bobblehead that I will give to the lucky reader who picks the correct score of the USC-Cal game tomorrow. Please include valid email address with your pick.

``See you all on the battlefield soon.''
Who said it?
A:) Pete Carroll
B:) Charlie Sheen

In this segment, a good question regarding former athletic director Mike Garrett.

As I finish the Open Forum, here's this week's chance to ask questions. One per person please.

USC sent an package of information to the NCAA selection committee Monday that provides the Trojans' case for being one of the 68 teams to make the NCAA Tournament.

Back to those answers!

Here's confirmation of the well-known belief that Stanford is a difficult place to get accepted and a pretty easy place to attend once you get in.

It's the return of USC Report with a very special guest, USC basketball coach Kevin O'Neill.

USC interim baseball coach Frank Cruz inherited a tough schedule in a rebuilding year. And USC's lost seven straight games for the first time since 2006 entering today's game with UC Santa Barbara.

USC defensive lineman Armond Armstead was released from the hospital today after undergoing tests for an unidentified virus.
Here's some quotes from Lane Kiffin and Armstead:

``Relentless pursuit to find a competitive edge.''
Who said it?
A:) Pete Carroll
B:) Charlie Sheen

A tailback question highlights this segment.

And it's time to answer more questions.

We provide the forum. You decide the topic.

Will USC lose its near-homecourt advantage at Staples Center for the Pac-10 Tournament on Thursday because the noon game is traditionally about as lively as a morgue?
When the Trojans play evening games, they traditionally draw a pretty good crowd. But how does a lunch tipoff affect playing down the street from campus?

It might defy logic at the moment, but a source with knowledge of the NCAA selection committee claims USC is currently in the tournament bracket.

USC wanted to try and give defensive end James Boyd a medical redshirt prior to his decision to quit the team last week and transfer to another school. But there were also issues with strength coaches and a verbal confrontation with a USC teammate this winter.

A break for USC (and Virginia Tech, Boston College, Missouri State) as Old Dominion knocks off Virginia Commonwealth in the Colonial Athletic Assn. championship game.

USC defensive lineman Armond Armstead was hospitalized last week with an unidentified virus, according to sources. Armstead displayed symptoms such as vomiting although he did not actually vomit. He underwent tests at USC University to identify the virus.

Perhaps the Pac-10 Conference is no longer the Versus Conference.
Versus will re-air three classic Notre Dame games originally aired on NBC on St. Patrick's Day. The network will also televise the Fighting Irish's spring game on April 16 at 11 a.m. (PT).

This atrocity is actually on sale at the USC bookstore today.

Former USC wide receiver Hal Bedsole (1961-63) and safety Mark Carrier (1987-89) are the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame.

``How can you possibly do something forever?''

Who said it?

A:) Charlie Sheen
B:) Pete Carroll

USC guard Marcus Simmons is the Pac-10's defensive player of the year.while Nikola Vucevic makes the first team. Maurice Jones made the freshmen team. For full team, click here.

Here is this week's ballot for the Associated Press basketball poll. USC played my Nos. 1, 10, 15 and 23-ranked teams.

USC defensive end James Boyd cleaned out his locker last week and is expected to transfer to another school. There was some question whether he would be on the roster this season if he remained at USC and sources said there were issues with strength coaches in offseason workouts.
He tried playing quarterback last spring but then moved back to defensive end.

Virginia Commonwealth is not doing USC any favors right now. The Rams knocked out George Mason (26-6) today in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Assn. semifinals, which did not help USC because Mason will probably get an at-large spot in the NCAA Tournament.
And VCU could hurt the Trojans even more tomorrow if it upsets Old Dominion (26-6) in the conference championship game. Virginia Tech, Boston College and Missouri State fans are probably upset at VCU right now too.

The women's basketball team, which finished fifth in the Pac-10, plays Washington State on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Galen Center in the first round of the Pac-10 women's tournament.

Last night we presented USC's case for an NCAA bid. Here's the reasons against:

RPI ranking: 80
Strength of schedule: 47
Losses to Bradley (RPI 233), TCU (RPI 209) and Oregon State (RPI 224).

``We're doing it better than it's ever been done before.''

OK, who said it? Pete Carroll or Charlie Sheen?
Answer on next page.

USC is 18-13 following tonight's victory over Washington. Most analysts believe USC needs to win the Pac-10 Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament, especially with losses to Rider, Bradley and TCU.
But if you are an optimist, here's a case:
Five wins over top 50 teams
Seven wins over top 100 teams
2-2 record vs. AP Top 25 teams
Won 6 of past 8 games
Played first part of season without guard Jio Fontan and with Alex Stepheson nursing broken hand.
OK, that was the optimist part.

USC-bound point guard Alexis Moore scored 16 points as Long Beach Poly defeated Corona Centennial 68-52 in the Division I-AA title game.

USC is going to play California in the quarterfinals of the Pac-10 Tournament on Thursday. Whether or not the Trojans beat Washington tonight, they will finish either fourth or fifth, so the USC-Cal game is locked in.

The NCAA request for Oregon to provide documents related to the school's purchase of recruiting services might turn out to be nothing. But does anyone else think the Ducks just might seek legal action if they are sanctioned? As long as Phil Knight wants to, that is.

The similarities between Pete Carroll and Charlie Sheen are increasing.
Here's a great passage from the Daily Mail: ``According to Radaronline, Sheen has what is called a 'tweetmaster' otherwise known as @BobMaron, the who writes in the words that the actor would like to convey.
Apparently Sheen calls the man via his telephone and he then immediately types the content into his account.''

That's exactly how Carroll does his twitter account!

Forbes.com shows how little profit the Pac-10 makes, especially compared to the SEC or Big Ten based on 2009-10 figures. They also show USC ranks fourth in revenue ($29,080,117.00) and first in spending ($20,820,468.00). USC also ranks fifth in profit and I've included that chart after the jump.

Here's a statement from Lane Kiffin on defensive tackle Armond Armstead, who was admitted to the hospital with an unspecified condition.
``Armond Armstead was admitted to USC University Hospital yesterday to undergo tests for a medical condition. His situation is being evaluated and tests are continuing. USC's outstanding team of doctors is providing him with excellent medical care.
"I saw Armond and his family this morning. He is in great spirits and in stable condition. He is looking forward to getting back with his teammates soon.
``He and his family asked that no further information be released at this point.''

``To see a giant marquee name come through on your caller ID, it's like, winning.''

Who said it? Pete Carroll or Charlie Sheen.
Answer after the jump.

Washington State forward Klay Thompson was suspended for Saturday's game against UCLA after being cited Thursday night for marijuana possession after scoring 22 points in the Cougars' victory over USC.
This affects USC because the Cougars will now be underdogs against the Bruins and if USC ties with Washington State at 9-9 in the conference, it wins a tiebreaker for the Pac-10 Tournament if Arizona finishes first.

Oregon's athletic department issued a statement tonight: ``This is something we remain confident that is within the acceptable guidelines allowed by the NCAA and occurred with the knowledge of the department's compliance office.''

Here's a Yahoo story on Oregon reportedly paying two men with ties to recruits who signed letters of intent, including De'Anthony Thomas.

I was told by someone at USC today that latest commit Jabari Ruffin currently projects as a weakside linebacker but could easily grow into being a strongside linebacker by the time he enrolls at USC in 16 months.

``'I'm not bi-polar, I'm bi-winning. I win here and I win there.''

Who said this? Pete Carroll or Charlie Sheen?
Answer after the jump:

Are any NFL scouts confusing USC tight end Jordan Cameron and Cal defensive lineman Cameron Jordan in their reports to teams? At least two media outlets confused the pair during the NFL combines, so it's not that farfetched.

If you believe USC needs a sweep against the Washington schools this weekend to keep its NCAA hopes alive, here's two reasons: TCU, which beat USC, went 1-15 in the Mountain West. Bradley, which also beat USC, went 4-14 in the Missouri Valley.

Here's a missed free throw you won't see often from the UConn-West Virginia game.

USC baseball players Joe De Pinto and Ricky Oropesa each have eight-game hitting streaks to open the season. De Pinto is hitting .500 and leads the Trojans with nine RBI.

The Arizona Republic reports that during the Arizona Cardinals' final exhibition game, former quarterback Matt Leinart approached a teammate on the sidelines who was wired to capture the sounds of the game, whiich Leinart did not know.
The teammate asked Leinart about his future and Leinart reportedly ripped the organization and the head coach.

Downey junior linebacker Jabari Ruffin (6-4, 230) committed to USC, according to Rivals.com.

USC coach Kevin O'Neill offers an upbeat perspective on the Trojans' NCAA chances.

USC target Gabe York, a junior guard, scored 22 points as Orange Lutheran won the Division 4-AA basketball title over Windward tonight.

Here's the top 25 chart from today's SI/CBS special report on college football and crime. It shows USC with seven players with police records (same as Oregon). USC was tied for 11th. Pittsburgh was No. 1 with 22 while Boise State was fourth with 16.

How does the idea of doubleheaders at the Galen Center sound next year with UCLA looking for a home?

Here's a question on that last football coaching search.

I'm a little perturbed to hear that there was a large number of Kevin O'Neill bobbleheads that were not given to the public during last week's USC-Arizona game. It would have been better to just give them out at the door or have enough for all 6,000 fans that attended the game instead of rationing them through a raffle.

With last week's forum almost wrapped up, time to start another one. One question per person please.

And in this segment, a question about the Caesar era.

Here's a quick glance at the three future USC basketball players who played Tuesday night in the CIF Division I-AA semifinals:

Alexis Moore: Good size for a point guard, makes good decisions, should be able to play quite a bit next season. A nice pickup for USC.
Byron Wesley: Physical presence who will play bigger than his size (6-5). Should get a lot of rebounds.
Katin Reinhardt: Will be a big help against zone defenses but not for two years. USC could use him now.

We will posting updates on how USC's recruits will be doing tonight on our twitter page (http://twitter.com/InsideUSC) at the Division I-AA basketball playoffs from Anaheim. Or you can follow the updates here on the right side of the page in our twitter box.

Coaching dominates this segment.

Who knows where today's forum will lead.

A question about two players who originally committed to Stanford and Tennessee in this segment.

A recruiting and NCAA question highlight this segment.

USC cornerback Shareece Wright ran a 4.47 and 4.46 in the 40-yard dash this morning at the NFL combines. The cutoff for the top 10 of all defensive backs was 4.43.

Three USC basketball recruits will be in action tonight at the Anaheim Convention Center in the CIF Division I-AA semifinals. Centennial (26-3) faces junior guard Katin Reinhardt of Mater Dei (27-2) at 6:30 p.m. while point guard Alexis Moore of Long Beach Poly (27-1) faces guard Byron Wesley of Etiwanda (28-2) at 8:30.
It would have been four recruits at one time because Centennial's Gelaun Wheelwright was one of the first players to commit to USC after Kevin O'Neill was hired.
So what happened? Wheelwright's grades were an issue but then USC also cooled on his basketball skills. Wheelwright signed with Weber State.

Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said that former USC linebacker Rey Maualuga, destined to start next season, was ``extremely average,'' last year.