July 2011 Archives

Larry Scott again said this week he wants every Pac-12 school to host a Thursday night game.
``Everyone will have to participate and will have to host. It's got to be something everyone partakes in,'' Scott said.
USC's already told Scott that its 7,000 parking spaces on campus are 90 percent full on weekdays, which leaves 5,000 spaces at the Coliseum. So who is going to blink first? Will USC just grin-and-bear it when Scott comes arm twisting for 2012?

``I love Lofa as a football player, and like him on our football team. And I told him that. I was really clear about that. He has done a tremendous job, and he's still a terrific football. But under the circumstances right now, it was just the right thing to do, to let him go ahead and hit it and see what happens and see where he goes from there.''

Another NCAA question in this segment.

Lofa Tatupu declined a pay cut and will be released by the Seahawks according to ESPN.

Looks like former USC linebacker Lofa Tatupu is being asked to reduce his salary or perhaps risk being released.

Time to answer a few more questions.

Time for a question about who runs the program if Lane Kiffin isn't able to for a few games.

More answers on a Friday afternoon.

After a litte break, time to resume some answers.

With training camp starting next week, I think freshman wide receiver George Farmer will either start or be viewed as the inevitable starter by the end of camp.

A trusted reader sends his comparison of the handling of the USC and Ohio State cases with the NCAA.

``Head coach lies to NCAA. Knowingly plays ineligible players for an entire season. Keeps up the lie to get them to play in a bowl game. But not lack of control.''

``Assistant coach may have known about situation. BOOM! Send back one crystal football.''

Zach Banner, a highly regarded offensive tackle from Lakewood, Wash., is expected to make an unofficial visit to USC this weekend.

Former USC swimmer Rebecca Soni led from start to finish this morning and won the 200-meter breaststroke at the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China. It was her second gold medal of the meet.

Who looked good at USC's first basketball practice? Guards Maurice Jones and Jio Fontan. Forward Dewayne Dedmon and center James Blasczyk, who is cleared after being sidelined with foot injury.

Cal AD Sandy Barbour told ESPN the school is speaking to Candlestick Park and Oakland Coliseum as the site of the USC-Cal game in case AT&T Park is unavailable if the Giants mke the NLCS. That would mean more seats for USC fans who want to go on the Bay Area trip.

USC holds its first basketball practice tonight in preparation for its August trip to Brazil. Forward Dewayne Dedmon, forward Aaron Fuller and guard/forward Byron Wesley have been impressive this summer at Trade Tech and this trip will definitely help the team get used to life without Nikola Vucevic and that killer schedule this season.

The Pac-12 Network will show football and men's basketball games. So how many will watch the Pac-12 Southern California channel when it shows USC vs. Iona in women's lacrosse?

Former USC swimmer Rebecca Soni is on pace to win another gold medal at the World Swimming Championships and finishing first in the semifinals of the 200-meter breaststroke. Soni was more than two seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
Interestingly, Trojan Swim Club member Yuliya Efimova had the second-fastest time. Too bad she didn't go to USC.

Did the Pac-8 hire announcers from Arizona in when it expanded to 10 teams in 1979? Just wondering after Larry Scott's bouquet to Utah/Colorado with the new announcing team of Craig Bolerjack (voice of Jazz) and Joel Klatt (former Colorado QB).

Looks like Reggie Bush is getting traded to Miami. Maybe returning the Heisman Trophy can be part of the deal.
UPDATED: Bush signed a 2-year deal with the Dolphins worth a total of $9.75 million.

You can read reaction to Larry Scott's announcement here and here.
There are four cable operators (Bright House, Cox, Time Warner, Comcast) that reach 45 million homes included in the deal. If you have DirecTV or Dish Network, that part of the deal is coming.
Here's the money quote from Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour:
``Although there is potential for financial upside, the long-term financial benefit to Pac-12 institutions is unknown at this time and will be based on future distribution and advertising opportunities.
``In the near term, the conference campuses are not expected to receive any new revenue from the networks.''

In typical rock-star fashion, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott will announce at 2 p.m. details on a Pac-12 Network from New York City. You can watch it here.

Lane Kiffin and I enjoyed plenty of good-natured banter during Pac-12 media day. At one point, Kiffin went on a soliloquy about my report cards and said I gave good grades to every position for last year's rout of Cal but gave coaching a poor grade. Actually I gave coaching a C+ just like special teams and the defensive backs but hey, at least he reads the report cards!
I might give him an A for that. Especially since a USC spokesman told me for years the report cards were a bad idea . . . until everyone else started doing them.
Anyways, Kiffin was then asked by a reporter if it were possible to win a national championship with only 75 scholarships?
``It is if coaching gets an A,'' I told Kiffin.

Seatte Seahawks coach Pete Carroll might hire former USC safety Tim McDonald on his staff according to a report from KFSN-TV in Fresno.

No surprise that Lane Kiffin could not believe the media picked USC to finish first in the Pac-12 South Division. USC received 24 first-place votes while Arizona State received 13.
``Did Arizona State move to the North (Division) or something?'' Kiffin said. ``That completely surprises me. Especially with the player they have on defense returning, I don't know how they weren't picked ahead of us.''

Lane Kiffin admitted he never expected tailback De'Anthony Thomas to decommit from USC and sign with Oregon.
``It was such a shock,'' he said. ``Every time we saw him he wore USC gear. I never felt he was wavering. I told our staff last week if you asked me before signing date who I felt was strongest about signing from 1-31, I would rank (Thomas) No. 1.''

If there is one thing to understand about Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, it is that he likes change for the sake of change.
Not improvement, just change.
The conference will announce today that Craig Bolerjack and Joel Klatt are the new football broadcast team and the broadcasts will somehow be revolutionary. Bolerjack lives in Utah and is the voice of the Jazz. Klatt is a former Colorado quarterback.
So he wanted to suck up to the new members of the conference. No problem. But this is the best he could do on the heels of that mammoth TV deal? Can't wait to see who he hires for that new Pac-12 Network.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck showed up at media day sporting a beard. USC quarterback Matt Barkley was asked what he thought of the look?
``I'm going to show up with a mustache next year,'' Barkley said.
Does that mean Barkley will return for his senior season?
``I might send (safety) T.J. McDonald,'' Barkley said.
Does that mean McDonald, also a pro prospect, will return for his senior season?
``I don't know guys, c'mon,'' Barkley said.

Freshman tailback Javorious Allen is attempting to meet NCAA Clearinghouse requirements and not attending summer school at USC.

Here's an exchange between Matt Barkley and Lane Kiffin:

BARKLEY: Well, he's in the same place for two years in a row now, which is good (laughing).
KIFFIN: Nice.
BARKLEY: I'm happy. That's good. The same coach for two years in a row now, we're progressing.

With DeVante Wilson lost for the season, two USC players will be out with torn ACL injuries. Patrick Hall tore his ACL earlier this summer.

Lane Kiffin said tailback Curtis McNeal is still in summer school and needs to get a certain grade to be eligible this season.

I asked ane Kiffin started off his press conference by saying USC had nine players drafted last year. I asked him afterward how he went 8-5 with all those draft picks?
"It's about recruiting," he answered.

Larry Scott will have media fawning over him today but the room for media press conferences is the smallest and worst ever for the largest conference ever.
In TV news, a Pac-12 official said Craig Bolerjack and Joel Klatt are the new TV team. Petros Papadakis will be a sideline reporter.

Oregon coach Chip Kelly declined comment this morning regarding questions on the NCAA investigation involving Willie Lyles.

USC was picked by the media to win the Pac-12 South Division even though the Trojans are ineligible for the postseason. Here's the full results, which include Oregon winning the Pac-12 title game.

A lot of questions are being asked about the 75-scholarship limit and how it will affect recruiting. It is worth noting that if USC were to reach 75 scholarships and still be under the 15-scholarship limit, one thing could happen if someone didn't transfer or become academically ineligible.
Lane Kiffin could simply tell a player on scholarship that it was not being renewed. Not a savory solution but it would reclaim a scholarship.

Alonzo ``Skip'' Thomas, a USC cornerback in 1971, died Sunday of a heart attack. He was 61. Thomas played six years (1972-78) with the Oakland Raiders and earned the nickname Dr. Death. He won a Super Bowl in 1977 with the Raiders and intercepted 17 passes in his career.

In this segment, a question about the wide receivers.h

More questions and more answers.

Gotta get after those questions and answers.

USC QB Matt Barkley is ranked No. 32 in Rivals.com's list of the top 100 college football players.

Does it seem odd the NCAA found lack of institutional control at USC when it never offered evidence Pete Carroll committed any violations (or any administrator) but is ready to let Ohio State off the hook despite the fact its football coach knew violations occurred and lied about it?
There are people at USC who looked the other way but no one came close to getting nailed like Jim Tressel. And yet USC will be punished much more severely than Ohio State.
This goes back to something I wrote last week: The ability of OSU president Gordon Gee to schmooze and network is something that cannot be underestimated especially compared to USC's clumsy president and athletic director at the time of the penalties.

Here's a past quote from the late USC baseball coach, Rod Dedeaux, on his former player, Pat Gillick, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame today.
``The kid remembered everything I told him. And he would practice, practice, practice,'' Dedeaux said. ``The other thing was his toughness. I'll never forget a game against a Marine Corps team in San Diego. The atmosphere in that stadium was total hostility (and Gillick pitched well).''

Here's a job whose stock increased significantly Friday: Interim Ohio State coach.

We continue to hear that USC is not pursuing wide receiver Jaydon Mickens of Dorsey High in Los Angeles although he is still officially listed as a verbal commitment.

You can watch former USC baseball player Pat Gillick's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame here at 10:30 a.m. (PDT).

``This has to be pretty good news for Ohio State and its bow-tied President Gordon Gee.''
-- Gary Roberts, dean of the Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis in an interview with the Columbus Dispatch

Former USC baseball player Pat Gillick, who was a pitcher for two years, will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. Gillick was a general manager for the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies.
Strangely, USC's been fairly silent over Gillick's induction.

Looks like the NCAA will not hit Ohio State with a postseason or TV ban for its violations. I would imagine USC fans will be quite livid with this decision.

In this post, a question about how the Pac-12 already had Nothern and Southern Divisions in baseball when it was the Pac-10.

As this tweet shows, Pete Carroll was pumped to see his MLS team, the Seattle Sounders, play Manchester United. He probably thinks the Sounders only lost by a touchdown from the 7-0 score.

The media overwhelmingly picked Alabama to win the SEC over LSU. Here's the conference predictions.

Former USC assistant coach Gib Arnold, now head coach at Hawaii, is under some type of investigation but details are sketchy in this report.

USC coach Lane Kiffin and quarterback Matt Barkley will speak to the media at 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday during Pac-12 media day.

And now time to get stuck into this week's forum.

Wrapped up last week's forum!

Someone else is going to be doing those inconvenient Saturday night telecasts for the Pac-12 because Barry Tompkins is now working for the WAC Sports Network.

With Marc Tyler officially out for the season-opener against Minnesota, it is finally time for Dillon Baxter to seize an opportunity and Lane Kiffin to give Baxter that opportunity. There will be plenty of talk in training camp from Kiffin about D.J. Morgan, Curtis McNeal and the incoming freshmen.
But this is the time to find out if Baxter will reach his potential, especially against an opponent like Minnesota. Baxter was a non-entity in spring until the final scrimmage. So he either needs to use that as a springboard or move on if he doesn't emerge.

Reggie Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, filed for divorce from his stepdad, Lamar Griffin. Maybe USC wouldn't be on probation if it happened 10 years earlier.

The Trojan Swim Club sent 20 swimmers to the World Championships in Shanghai, China.
Of the 20, only three went to USC (Olympic medalists Rebecca Soni and Ous Mellouli along with recently graduated Richard Charlesworth of England).
Other big names of the swim club are Kosuke Kitajima of Japan (Olympic gold medalist);
Otylia Jedrzejczak, (Poland, olympic gold medalist), Yuliya Efimova (Russia, world championships gold medalist), Ricky Berens, (US Olympic gold medalist in relay) and Markus Rogan (Austria Olympic silver medalist).
Now my question: Wouldn't it be nice if some of these swimmers actually attended USC? Hello? One of the swim club members, Jessica Hardy, went to Cal.
The actual USC swimmers going who are part of the Trojan Swim Club are Katinka Hosszu (Hungary), Vladimir Morozov (Russia), Haley Anderson (USA) and Stina Gardell (Sweden).

With Marc Tyler in the news, time to start this week's forum. One question per person please.

Shabazz Muhammad is one of the first 12 players selected for the Elite 24 all-star game on Aug. 27 on ESPNU. He is the son of former USC basketball player Ron Holmes. Here's the full list of 12 players:

Will USC's student conduct office treat tailback Marc Tyler more harshly following his TMZ comments?

The USC basketball team starts practicing July 28 as it prepares for its August preseason trip to Brazil. The Trojans will be in Brazil from Aug. 12-21.

USC is picked to win the Pac-12 South by college football analyst Phil Steele. Perhaps an impressive feat considering he ranks USC ninth in the conference in his coaching rating.

USC freshman tight end Junior Pomee attended the start of summer school but de-enrolled from classes until he is certified by the NCAA Clearinghouse. He has until mid-August to be cleared.

Speaking of baseball, USC coach Frank Cruz picked up two big pitching commitments.

Time for a baseball question.

USC tailback Marc Tyler was suspended for the season-opener by Coach Lane Kiffin following his comments last week on TMZ.com.
Here are Kiffin's comments:
``I was very disappointed when I learned of Marc Tyler's inappropriate comments that were captured by the media last week. That is not the way that we expect our players to represent USC and our team.
``I have consulted with athletic director Pat Haden and I am suspending Marc for our upcoming season opener and potentially further, and in the meantime I am also suspending him from all team activities.
``Although Marc may find this punishment severe, it is imperative we continue to have a high standard for player behavior. Marc needs to work hard to show us that he can meet the standards of being a USC football player.''

Here are comments from Tyler and athletic director Pat Haden.

Back to those answers!

A college coach attending games at Trade Tech said USC forward Dewayne Dedmon is already better than former USC forward Alex Stepheson.

We need to answer every forum question today!

USC quarterback Matt Barkley is among 40 players named to the Walter Camp Award watch list. Here's the full list of names:

Mitch Mustain and Whitney Lewis made a Rivals.com 10-year list that no recruit really wanted to be part of.

Former USC fullback Sam Cunningham receives his blazer at the College Football Hall Of Fame Enshirement Festival.

Time for answers on Oregon and USC's first three games on Carmegeddon!

USC tailback Marc Tyler probably has the best sense of humor on the team but these comments on TMZ will not go over well regarding Kim Kardashian and USC players getting paid. Or help his upcoming student conduct case.

It's a good time to check the coaches' hot seat and see that three Pac-12 coaches are currently on it but not Lane Kiffin . . . yet.

Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush were together last night. But try to see if you can recognize a celebrity at this former USC athlete's charity event full of D-listers.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley made the watch list for the Davey O'Brien Award. Here's the full list:

I'd never heard of the spy show, ``Covert Affairs,'' but I was near a TV where it was on tonight and a character blurted out, ``I swam varsity at USC.'' That caught my attention.
She looked a little too old to swim for Dave Salo, so maybe she also wondered about that five-year deal he just got.

More answers!

Brian Cushing's agent is upset that Steelers linebacker James Harrison said his client was ``juiced out of his mind,'' in Men's Journal.

Rolling through answers today with a rivalry question.

In this segment, questions about recruiting and upsets.

In this report from the San Jose Mercury News, the NCAA's requested some information from Cal about Willie Lyles.

Remember to follow us on twitter.com/InsideUSC.

The SEC doesn't mess around. The coaches select a pre-season team. With three teams!
Alabama had seven players on the first team. Georgia six. Arkansas had 14 overall players selected.

When some USC basketball players played at Trade Tech near campus in Los Angeles on Saturday, their team was coached by former player Chris Penrose.
But the big stir Saturday was that Andrew Bynum (Lakers) and Russell Westbrook (Thunder) attended.

Remember, there is still time to enter our contest and win those fancy ear plugs from Ear Peace.

USC released its basketball schedule about a month earlier than usual today and 22 of the Trojans' 31 opponents finished .500 or better last season. Here's the full schedule.

Rivals.com is full of top 10 lists for recruiting this week. And here's one for most disappointing classes, where Lane Kiffin finished No. 1.

USC tailback Marc Tyler said he has not been contacted by the Office of Student Judicial Affairs with a hearing date for two off-field incidents in April when he was accused of spitting on a female student while intoxicated and allegedly inappropriately touched another female student at a bar.

USC announced today that swimming coach Dave Salo received a five-year contract extension. Five years??? The women finished third and the men seventh this season.
But consider that UCLA does not even field a men's swim team and there really isn't any competition until you reach Stanford and Cal. I'd say the men's team underachieves on an annual basis. The women enjoyed having star swimmer Katinka Hosszu.
But let's wrap this up by saying the obvious: It's swimming.

USC defensive end Nick Perry and offensive tackle Matt Kalil made the watch list for the Lombardi Award.

Back to the answers!

The College Football Hall of Fame might have the longest celebration ever before inducting its members. This weekend, former USC running back Sam Cunningham will formally be inducted. You might remember that last fall he was introduced before a USC game as part of the honors, which was about nine months ago.

In this segment, questions on Frank Gifford, Chip Kelly and Brian Kelly.

Who says the Coliseum needs renovations? Otherwise Nike would not be able to take promotional pictures like this of USA soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo in USC's football stadium.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said two years ago that Matt Barkley would be the top pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. But now Kiper doesn't even have Barkley the top QB in the Pac-12.

It seems like there are basketball camps going on everywhere in July and another one where USC coaches were spotted Monday was at Cabrillo High School in Long Beach. Who was the top player there? Forward Zena Edosomwan (6-8, 215) of Harvard-Westlake, who will be a senior next season.

After stops in Indianapolis and Atlanta last week, USC coach Kevin O'Neill is at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson watching basketball prospects.

Today's Rivals.com recruiting rankings should provide plenty of fodder. Please watch your language.

Former USC baseball player Gabe Alvarez is going to be a full-time assistant coach next season for the Trojans' baseball team. Alvarez will be joined by new pitching coach Dan Hubbs, which means baseball must still add a volunteer coach.
Alvarez was an assistant last season but should assume a larger role following the departure of Doyal Wilson.

USC ranks No. 1 in the nation in recruiting in the 10 years of Rivals.com's existence. Here's the full list.

A couple weeks ago, I asked the readers for ideas for a contest. About 80 percent were not even ideas, of course, which is typical of the Internet. But there were a couple good ideas. So you can pick: In 25 words or less, you can write, ``Why I love USC,'' or why you don't like USC. Or you can write your favorite USC game memory, also in 25 words or less.
The winner will receive a pair of high-fidelity hearing protection ear plugs from Ear Peace, which are supposed to improve listening for stadium sports events. A valid email must accompany winning entry.

One-time USC target Gabe York committed of Orange Lutheran committed to Arizona over the weekend.

This might look like a commercial from Saturday Night Live but it is really the latest money-making scheme from Henry Bibby. And it includes some player endorsements (his son and son-in-law) plus an ``All-American,'' who was actually a Division III honorable mention All-American.

The questions and answers continue.

A reader points out that people already figured out where Ohio State stands in the list of all-time victories following its decision to vacate last season's wins.

USC coach Kevin O'Neill was in Atlanta watching Shabazz Muhammad among other recruits. Meanwhile assistant coach Bob Cantu was spotted at Trade Tech where a host of USC players Dewayne Dedmon, Ari Stewart, Byron Wesley and Alexis Moore were among those playing. New center James Blasczyk has not been cleared by trainers to play because of a stress fracture.

USC commit Jaydon Mickens is attending a Nike camp in Oregon and did not sound committed in an interview with Rivals.com.
``I'm solidly committed but open and still looking around, seeing what the best schools out there are for me,'' Mickens said.

Does Ohio State think its wrist slap and making Jim Tressel its sacrificial lamb will get it off the hook from NCAA sanctions? Doubtful.

USC safety T.J. McDonald made the watch list for the Nagurski Award. Full list after the jump:

USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil and center Khaled Holmes made the watch list for the Outland Trophy. Full list after the jump:

Former USC tight end Dominique Byrd (left) and ex-Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen were among about 30 players who held a workout during the NFL lockout this week at Charter Oak High School in Covina. Former USC safety Darnell Bing also attended.

Former USC assistant coach Silvey Dominguez was recently hired as an assistant at Air Force.

If USC is willing to take former Nebraska quarterback Cody Green it means the Trojans would have four quarterbacks on scholarship next season if Matt Barkley turns pro. What it really means is that the first year of scholarship reductions (75 total allowed) cannot be too draconian if Lane Kiffin thinks he can burn four on quarterbacks. Or four on tight ends.

Time for questions. One per person please.

USC wide receiver Robert Woods made the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award.

Former Nebraska QB Cody Green said he is considering USC as a school to transfer to for the upcoming season.

We mentioned that Kevin O'Neill is at the Adidas Invitational in Indianapolis watching high school recruits. Who else is there? Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Brad Stevens (Butler), Tom Crean (Indiana), Bruce Weber (Illinois), Matt Painter (Purdue), Thad Matta (Ohio State) and Jamie Dixon (Pitt) among others.
Shabazz Muhammad, the son of former USC basketball player Ron Holmes, scored 39 points in a game Wednesday.

How long before the Oregon recruiting scandal spreads past the Willie Lyles situation?

A reader points out that Ollie's Bargain Outlet is offering a big sale on ``Reggie Bush endorsed'' joint and muscle supports. No mention here if Lloyd Lake or Michael Michaels also endorse them.

Here's the roster for the ESPN Rise Games football challenge, which is July 23-24. USC commits Jaydon Mickens, Jabari Ruffin and Scott Starr are among the participants.

USC tight end Rhett Ellison made the watch list for the Mackey Award.

USC coach Kevin O'Neill is in Indianaplois for the Adidas Invitational, which features some of the best AAU teams in the country.
Among the players in attendance are Shabazz Muhammad, a 6-5 forward from Las Vegas, 6-11 Andre Drummond from Connecticut, 7-foot center Kaleb Tarczewski of Massachusetts and 6-9 Cameron Ridley, who is committed to Texas. The other players are uncommitted.

Brent Musberger has a role in the recently released film Cars 2. Hopefully he did not give away the plot the way USC officials complained he gave away team hand signals during the 2006 Nebraska game.
Pete Carroll actually said he didn't care about Musberger's comments afterward but it gave USC a chance to act tough with Musberger, who probably didn't care either.

Is Oregon coach Chip Kelly in danger of losing his job? He certainly seem directly involved in the recruiting scandal with Willie Lyles. And there seems to be a lot more institutional involvement than at USC.

And you think Pac-10 officials were bad? Check out the failure of the refs to see a handball in the Women's World Cup in Germany in a match between Australia and Equatorial Guinea.

Keep digging into those questions.

Did you Nike made two pairs of Air Jordans especially for Oregon tailback Lache Seastrunk when he was a recruit? Who else will Nike do that for? That's one of the details in this interesting story on the controversial Willie Lyles.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley and wide receiver Robert Woods made the watch list for Maxwell Award. Safety T.J. McDonald made the watch list for the Bednarik Award.

Six years ago Clay Matthews was an unknown USC football player while the big news was Matt Leinart attending the ESPYs. Now Matthews is featured in the promo for ESPN's awards show. As for Leinart, he did attend Nick Lachey's bachelor party.

Matt Leinart attended Nick Lachey's bachelor party in Las Vegas over the weekend. But that looks like former USC QB Brandon Hance in the upper right corner.

It's the Fourth of July, so let's remember the wonderful clock that used to sit atop the Coliseum scoreboard circa 1955. Since the Coliseum is broke, this might be the scoreboard for next season anyways.

Hey, time to answer some of those questions even on a holiday!

Reggie Bush polled his fans on where he should go for the Fourth of July: ``NYC (Hamptons), Miami (South Beach), or just stay home in LA.''
I can think of another place USC fans would like him to go.

Here's a succint punch at the current situation involving Oregon.

Guard Gabe York of Orange Lutheran has been a familiar figure at USC since Kevin O'Neill was hired by making an unofficial visit and attending basketball games. But we hear that York is no longer considering USC.

You can add Washington to the list of schools that former USC commit Jordan Payton is considering. Arizona State, Cal and Washington are the frontrunners. Whether Notre Dame or Oklahoma are legitimately interested is debatable.

USC baseball coach Frank Cruz hired Cal assistant Dan Hubbs as the Trojans' pitching coach replacing Tom House.

Just as we predicted the past few months, Oaks Christian wide receiver Jordan Payton will not attend USC. Payton said Friday he is no longer committed to the Trojans.
But USC's coaches cooled on him months ago and he did not attend the Rising Stars camp last week. Payton will now consider Arizona State, Cal, Oklahoma, Michigan and Notre Dame.

USC finished 14th in the final Directors' Cup with 990.25 points, which means the Trojans were edged by UCLA, which finished 11th with 1020.75 points. Stanford finished first with 1550.25 points while Cal was third with 1219.50.

The plot thickens with Oregon's possible NCAA violations.

If you want more proof that Nike is bent on changing every college football uniform (including USC), the latest victim is Kentucky. See more here.

The governors in Colorado and Utah declared today Pac-12 Day. What would it take for a governor in a state the size of California to declare Pac-12 Day? A lot more than a cable network and a conference championship football game.