December 2011 Archives

Before the bowl season started I predicted Utah and Oregon were the two best bets for Pac-12 success. And so far, the conference is not producing any surprises.

In case you were distracted (or did not get radio reception), the Trojans lost to the Cardinal today.
``They had a very hard nonconference schedule,'' Stanford's Aaron Bright said of USC. ``The hardest in the Pac-12.''

Here's an aspect of that Big Ten-Pac-12 alliance to ponder: When USC plays Purdue or Indiana, it will mean 2 of it 3 nonconference games will be against teams from the Hoosier State (including Notre Dame). Not exactly national scheduling.

New UCLA coach Jim Mora spoke to reporters before the Bruins game with Illinois and consistently referred to USC as ``Southern Cal.''
Asked about USC, Mora said, ``My concern is not Southern Cal. It's UCLA.''
Mora's name for USC might be understandable if he did not attend Washington.
But if it's Southern Cal, then I will not need to refer to him as Jim L. Mora.

Today's UCLA-Illinois is an exciting preview of the Big Ten-Pac-12 alliance that Larry Scott created this week.

It's not every day the Pac-12's officiating consultant calls Jon Gruden a blowhard, but that is what Mike Pereira did in this column.

USC plays Stanford at 3:30 p.m. today on the Paper Cup and Kite String Network (1090-AM). However, the game will also be televised by Fox Sports West.

Since there seem to be a lot of fans of both schools here, pick a score for the big Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

It is possible to alter a uniform for a game in a tasteful manner. Wisconsin unveiled its Rose Bowl uniforms, which features a rose design inside the W on the helmet and its red numbers.

USC is ranked third in a couple early 2012 polls. But since the Trojans do not play in the SEC and do play in the 0 for 3 in bowls Pax-12, shouldn't USC be a top two team?

I set the over/under for Pac-12 bowl victories at 2 so now that we are three games in, should it change? What do you think the Pac-12 will go? 4-3? 3-4 2-5? 1-6? 0-7?
I still think Oregon and Utah are the best bets.

Recruiting remains the main topic in this segment of reader questions.

In today's episode of Pac-12 futility, Washington held Baylor to 67 points in the Alamo Bowl that made defensive coordinator Nick Holt an unpopular figure for Huskies fans. Aside from dropping the Pac-12 to 0-3, the loss served another purpose. It prevented a deluge of breathless claims this game served as a springboard for the conference toward next season. Larry Scott can't wait for the Sun and Kraft Fight Hunger bowls.

There was an odd ending to USC's 63-59 loss to Cal tonight. USC forward Dewayne Dedmon blocked a shot and Cal's Allen Crabbe grabbed the ball and launched a desperation three-pointer with one second left on the shot clock and seven seconds left in the game.
Referee Dick Cartmell called USC's Eric Strangis for a foul on Crabbe even though there was appeared to be little or no contact on the shot. Crabbe then made three free throws to seal the victory.

USC obviously needed to find another radio station with the Lakers game on 710-AM but the selection of 1090-AM was a disaster for anyone who actually wanted to listen to the Cal game tonight. I got horrible reception driving through different parts of Southern California. Someone needs to find additional reception for the next game.

In this segment, a question on recruit Devante Wilson.

Back to those questions!!

Where will defensive back Kevon Seymour end up? He is supposed to announce Jan. 7 during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

A recruiting question highlights this segment of reader questions.

In this segment of reader questions, the importance of facilities is a topic along with offensive line recruiting.

Cal completed a ho-hum 7-6 season with its loss to Texas in the Holiday Bowl last night. And despite the mediocrity there is no pressure on Bears coach Jeff Tedford. That illustrates our long-held theory: Cal is Cal. On the other hand, Tedford did beat USC . . . in 2003.

Here's my quick look at the USC basketball team on the eve of Pac-12 play.
Starting lineup: G Alexis Moore (5.8 ppg, 1.6 apg), G Maurice Jones (14.9 ppg, 3.8 apg), G Byron Wesley (6.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg), F Dewayne Dedmon (7.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg), F Aaron Fuller(11.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg).
Best victories: South Carolina, TCU.
Worst losses: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Team's strengths: USC's defense can keep it in any game and point guard Maurice Jones is a reliable presence with the ball. There is a lot of potential with first-year players Moore, Wesley and Dedmon in key roles.
Team's weaknesses: It often is a challenge for the Trojans to muster 50 points and Jones is about the only consistent scorer on the team. Only two of the 10 players to see action this minute stepped on the court last year.
Injury report: G Jio Fontan (knee), F Curtis Washington (labrum).

The conferences new alliance announced today seems a bit tired to me. Mainly because I don't really see many dynamic matchups. Other than playing Michigan in Ann Arbor, USC's pretty much already toured the Big Ten.
And who wants an Oregon-Wisconsin regular-season game and then rematch in the Rose Bowl? Or USC- Penn State? Or anyone versus Ohio State? Yuck.
An alliance with the Big 12 might have been more fun (USC vs. Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State). But it would not make the same amount of money. And that is king in Larry Scott's world.

Is Norm Chow going to end up stealing one of UCLA's Hawaiian recruits? Would he ever challenge USC for a recruit? Which school remembers him more fondly?

Time to ask questions again. One per person please.

Lane Kiffin is probably not happy that Nike's given another ``cutting edge'' uniform to a rival.

It's not too early for a 2013 version that includes four USC players in the first round (Matt Barkley, Robert Woods, Khaled Holmes, T.J. McDonald).

USC opens Pac-12 play on Thursday against Cal. Here's my preview where I mention USC's problems are more than just Jio Fontan's injury.

Ohio State quarterback Taylor Graham is transferring to Hawaii, the first addition for new coach Norm Chow.

USC's basketball game at California on Thursday will be broadcast on the 1090-AM, which is oddly named Double X. Apparently the Wax String-and-Paper Cup Network was unavailable.

Time to get back to the readers' forum.

I expected a fairly dreadful showing from the Pac-12 when I originally said Oregon and Utah were the best hope for victories. I'm now leaning toward a UCLA victory over Illinois thanks to the fact the Illini are without their best tailback. But I still think 2 is the over/under for Pac-12 postseason wins.

Center Hiva Lutui, who committed to UCLA, will visit USC on Jan. 20.

USC is going to bring in at least four wide receivers to visit on the weekend of Jan. 13: Darreus Rogers, Stefon Diggs, Nelson Agholor and D.J. Foster. Rogers is already committed but will visit Oregon on Jan. 20.

Can anyone remember a worse year for the Pac-12 (Pac-10) than this year? The conference will probably get two NCAA bids or three at the most. This would seem to help USC in a parity driven conference tournament but the Trojans need more depth for a tournament run.

Is Norm Chow going to try and steal a UCLA commitment? Here is what tailback Steven Lakalaka told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
``I would give it a thought. I'm still committed, but open-minded with my family," Lakalaka said. "I guess it does make a difference because he's a great coach.''

Perhaps the most important aspect of T.J. McDonald's return is that Deon Bailey can now remain at linebacker.

The crosstown rivalry is a topic in this segment of reader questions.

A reader offers a look at freshmen wide receivers Marqise Lee (USC) and Sammy Watkins (Clemson).

Here is this week's ballot for the Associated Press basketball poll.

Here's a good story on former USC coach Tim Floyd and former USC assistant Gib Arnold in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Interesting because Arnold was not exactly Floyd's ``lead recruiter'' at USC and said, ``I coached for him more than any other coach.''
If you ever witnessed a USC practice, Floyd never let his assistants do much coaching other than trusted right-hand man, Phil Johnson.

Time to answer some questions on Christmas Day!

In our Christmas traditon, here is my all-time favorite USC picture.
Hollywood screen legend Greta Garbo was sent to USC in 1926 to pose for some publicity photos with the track team. Garbo initially refused until MGM deducted $25 from her salary, which convinced her to head to campus and don a USC track singlet.

If you want to see where Santa Claus is tonight, here's the popular Norad Santa tracker.

Tough day for the Caesarhawks but time to answer another reader question.

Caesarhawks tied with 49ers, 10-10, as we answer more questions.

Time to answer more reader questions.

That would be today's game between the Caesarhawks and 49ers with Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh in Round 2 of this season. The 49ers won the opener, 33-17.

Looking around town, the Lakers are in decline. The Dodgers are in limbo. The Clippers are interesting. UCLA's rebuilding. So is USC in a good position to become the most popular team in Los Angeles?
The pieces are nearly in place. Unlike a few years ago USC lacks a charismatic coach. But Matt Barkley's got enough positive energy for two people. With a preseason top 5-ranking ahead, the Trojans figure to be back in the minds of most local sports fans again.

A shirt heralding the Norm Chow era at Hawaii is already circulating.

Here is the list of the 20 most valuable college football programs according to Forbes.com

1. Texas, $129 million (up 8% from 2009)
2. Notre Dame, $112 million (up 4%)
3. Penn State, $100 million (up 1%)
4. LSU, $96 million (up 12%)
5. Michigan, $94 million (up 15%)
6. Alabama, $93 million (up 1%)
7. Georgia, $90 million ( up 7%)
8. Arkansas, $89 million (up 59%)
9. Auburn, $88 million (up 27%)
10. Oklahoma, $87 million (up 5%)
11. Florida, $86 million (down 1%)
12. Tennessee, $82 million (up 6%)
13. Ohio State, $78 million (down 8%)
14. Nebraska, $77 million (down 18%)
15. Wisconsin, $67 million (up 40 percent)
16. South Carolina, $64 million (down 20%)
17. Texas A&M, $63 million (up 19%)
18. USC, $62 million (down 9%)
19. Michigan State, $59 million (3%)
20. Iowa, $48 million (unranked)

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``The only thing I have going for me is I don't do anything else. When I'm not here, I'm with the kids. I don't play golf, I don't fish . . . I don't have any hobbies at all. So that's the only thing going for me.''
USC coach Lane Kiffin in an interview with the Sporting News

Time to debate. Maybe today's article in the Wall Street Journal on uniforms should be a talking point.

Here is my story on Matt Barkley's decision to return for his senior season.

We hear USC wide receiver Brice Butler and former tailback Dillon Baxter might transfer to San Diego State. Baxter is also looking at UNLV.

Here's USC coach Kevin O'Neill after tonight's loss to Kansas: You're not going to win many games with 13 turnovers in the first half. We looked slow. We looked bad. And we didn't shoot well.
``The turnovers killed us more than anything. If I'm frustrated, the players are frustrated too. They don't have any real leaders.''

``Our defense was just bad. Just terrible. It just wasn't there.''

Here's a photo from today's press conference that answers the question: what makes Lane Kiffin smile?

Matt Barkley's always been a humble guy despite his position at USC. And that is what made today's bloated press conference totally out of order for him (or anyone else).
The USC band, song girls and cheering fans were an over-the-top presentation for someone who likes to emphasize his team first. And then there were the Heisman Trophies, without their protective cases, as if to say Barkley would win the next one.
``I didn't want that,'' Barkley said. ``That's not me.''
Even a high-level USC administrator was disappointed at the pompous atmosphere for what was supposed to be a press conference.
On the other hand, at least Barkley had a podium. Unlike Mark Sanchez.

Matt Barkley said it was hard for him to fool Lane Kiffin in person that he was going pro.
``I can't keep a straight face anyways,'' Barkley said.

Lane Kiffin said he listened to sports-talk radio on the drive from his house in Manhattan Beach to Newport Beach yesterday to Matt Barkley's house.
``I was listening because they were bashing Jim Mora,'' Kiffin said.

Lane Kiffin said he has not yet thought about who will replace Matt Kalil at left tackle. That was probably the biggest untruth of the day.

Matt Barkley said that he did not think it mattered much where he got drafted in terms of money and how it influenced his decision.
``With today's new CBA (collective bargaining agreement), it doesn't make a drastic difference where you go because I was a top 10 pick,'' Barkley said.

"I am staying because I want to finish what I started," Matt Barkley said.
Maybe the fact the USC band and song girls showed up was a hint he would be back.

Could Matt Barkley lose money if he went pro this year?
Let's say he is the No. 5 pick. Last year, that paid $18.4 million over five years or $9 million overall at $2.3 million per year. So he leaves more than $2 million on the table if he returns to USC.
Barkley could easily make that up if he was the No. 1 pick in 2013.

Matt Barkley will annouce his decision regarding next season at a press conference today at 1 p.m.

With linebacker Scott Starr and offensive tackle Chad Wheeler also signing today, USC's got 1-2 scholarships left for the mid-year expection. Who else will the Trojans sign?
Defensive lineman Devante Wilson, who did not attend classes in the fall, will enroll in the spring. Perhaps the last one will be Saddleback College offensive lineman Jake Long, if he can figure out a way to get his academics settled to enroll in January.

Safety T.J. McDonald said this afternoon he would return for his senior season.
``USC has been a powerful place for my family and it has been a part of my entire life,'' McDonald said. ``I came to USC at a unique time, when we were on probation, and a bowl ban, and nobody on my team was part of the reason for that bowl ban. We took it on full force and now we are on the way back to the greatness of USC.''

Here is the funeral information for long-time football security chief Xavier Suazo, who died Tuesday morning of heart failure. He was 72.
A Catholic mass and funeral for Suazo will be held on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 10 a.m. at St. Vincent Catholic Church (621 W. Adams, Los Angeles 90007). A reception will follow immediately at a location that will be announced at the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his name to either the USC athletic department or to Loyola High School.

Here is the official statement on JC transfers, safety Gerald Bowman and defensive end Morgan Breslin, signing with USC today. Both will arrive in January.

We talked about UCLA flipping some USC commits earlier today but the Trojans actually flipped a Bruin when JC defensive end Morgan Breslin switched today. That was followed by JC safety Gerald Bowman picking USC over Oklahoma.

With Ohio State in the news, it is hard to believe USC would not have faced more lenient sanctions if Max Nikias and Pat Haden were in charge during the NCAA investigation/hearings.

Will the Bruins be able to turn any of USC's commits? Crespi offensive tackle Jordan Simmons remains firm so far.

USC commit Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick highlights these rosters for the Under Armour High School All-America Game in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 5th.

Time again to answer some reader questions.

Wide receiver Marqise Lee, who turned down a chance to play basketball, practiced with the track team on Tuesday along with tailback D.J. Morgan.

Here's my column on the different penalties for Ohio State and USC and how the Buckeyes used their political instincts to deal with the NCAA.

A beloved figure within the USC football program, Xavier Suazo, passed away early this morning. Suazo served as a security coordinator for football and could often be seen escorting Larry Smith off the field. He was close to every coach from John Robinson to Lane Kiffin.
He also managed to get Muhammad Ali to speak to the football team before a Notre Dame game in 1999.
I would say virtually every USC player in the past 30 years knew him and many depended upon him for help when they ran into problems.

The Columbus Dispatch reports Ohio State received a one-year bowl ban from the NCAA and lost nine scholarships over three years. How do you think that measures up against USC's sanctions?

Here's a delayed statement from Nick Perry on entering the NFL draft:
``After much consideration, I have decided to forgo my college football career and declare for the draft. I have thought long and hard about this decision and I have come to the conclusion that this is the best decision for me at this moment.
``Over the years, I have matured and learned what it takes to be a Trojan and for that I would like to thank the Trojan family. I understand that I have chance at being a part of something great next season with the Trojans, but this opportunity doesn't come around every day. I am confident in my decision and I am ready for this long and hard journey in the next phase of my career.''

New UCLA assistant Demetrice Martin is already paying dividends with one Washington commit (Taylor Lagace) switching to UCLA and another one (Bryan Harper) decommitting from Washington and visiting UCLA.
Or maybe another way of looking at it is Washington lost two three-star commits that will now go to UCLA.

With point guard J.T. Terrell, who signed with USC, averaging 33.4 points for Peninsula Junior College in Port Angeles, Wash., here's a possible lineup for next season.

Guard: Terrell
Guard: Jio Fontan
Guard: Maurice Jones
Forward: Eric Wise
Forward: Dewayne Dedmon

USC wide receiver Marqise Lee told the basketball coaches that he did not want to play basketball this season and would concentrate on football.

USC coach Kevin O'Neill on Maurice Jones scoring a game-high 25 points tonight against TCU.
``I love how Mo controlled the game. If he does that we'll have a chance to win games.''
On facing No. 12-ranked Kansas on Thursday: ``Kansas lost to Davidson (tonight) so they'll be upset. I was hoping they would win.''
What does he hope USC gets out of Thursday's game? ``A win. We need a signature win.''

The Trojans improve to 5-7 with their biggest margin of victory all season against the Horned Frogs. Maurice Jones scored 25 points and USC shot 51 percent overall and 47 percent from the 3-point line. Four Trojans scored in double figures as the Trojans prepare to face No. 12 Kansas on Thursday at the Galen Center.

USC women 's basketball player Jacki Gemelos will meet with doctors tomorrow to find out if she tore knee ligaments for the fifth time in career. Gemelos injured her knee in a 71-70 loss to Texas A&M on Sunday. She already tore ligaments in both knees four times and underwent five operations.

It looks like Christmas Break with a smallish crowd for tonight's basketball. But point guard Maurice Jones is putting on a show for the fans with 18 first-half points as the Trojans lead 42-33. The Trojans shot 46 percent on 3-pointers with Jones making 3 of 5 shots from 3-point range.

I will let the readers decide what to talk about.

I mentioned this on twitter last week but new UCLA coach Jim L. Mora already faced USC when he was a graduate assistant at Washington. The then-No. 1-ranked Huskies were upset by USC, 16-7 at the Coliseum.
How big an upset was it? Well, Ted Tollner coached the Trojans. So technically Mora starts off 0-1 against his crosstown rival.

With two forums from last week finished, time to start another one. One question per person please.

In this segment, a question about Pete Carroll and Lane Kiffin's coaching of Matt Barkley.

Here is this week's ballot for the Associated Press basketball poll.

Former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow interviewed with the search committee for the Hawaii job over the weekend before going back to Salt Lake City, according to the Honolulu Advertiser.

Here's a picture of USC wide receiver Brice Butler apparently visiting Kansas this weekend taken by recruit Gehrig Dieter. Butler can transfer without sitting out a season because he is due to graduate this year.

Back to those reader questions!

Recruiting and the coaching staff are dominant topics. Of course.

In this segment, which Pac-12 teams will win bowl games?

Safety Gerald Bowman of Pierce College in Woodland Hills will make his college choice on Dec. 27, according to Pierce coaches. Bowman is also considering Oklahoma.

Here's Lane Kiffin's statement on defensive end Nick Perry's decision to go pro.
``We counseled Nick throughout his decision-making process and we stand behind him on this decision. His career progression at USC continued climbing to a point where he was ready to make the jump to the NFL.
``He was an awesome pass rushing (sic) for us and he created havoc throughout the Pac-12 this year in a league that featured many of the nation's most dangerous passing offenses. He will be a valued addition to any NFL team and should be an attractive choice in the upcoming draft.
``We value Nick's time and efforts at USC and appreciate the standard he set for the defensive linemen who will follow him here. We wish him much future success and know he'll be another great Trojan in the NFL.''

Washington coach Steve Sarkisian recruits Southern California as hard as any coach and has seven commitments from the area. And every prospect is a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com's rankings. Maybe he will mix in a two star or a four star before signing date.

Scholarships are the topic in this segment.

In this segment, a question about silent commits.

Even tackling the extra forum for reader questions today and to no surprise Matt Barkley is part of the conversation.

Was it just a coincidence that the day Matt Kalil announced he would turn pro, Santa Margarita relied on USC commit, offensive tackle Max Tuerk, to block for quarterback Johnny Stanton on a fourth-and-goal play from the 1-yard line with only seconds left to win the Division I title game over San Jose Bellarmine Prep, 42-37?
By the way, USC football sometimes helps provide cover for other sports on campus. Kalil's decision overshadowed the women's volleyball team's disappointing loss to Illinois in the Final Four and women's basketball's loss at Arkansas State. Arkansas State?!?!?

When USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil announced he was going pro he said, ``I love this university. That's why it took a while to decide.''
The decision actually didn't seem to take so long. Underclassmen have until mid-January, so he could have waited (like Matt Barkley could). But the evidence was apparently too much to wait any longer on going pro.

Some more answers in the post-Matt Kalil era.

Does anyone think offensive tackle Matt Kalil made the wrong decision by turning pro?

There seemed to be a school of thought that Matt Kalil would be influenced by Matt Barkley's decision regarding next season. But will it turn out to be the opposite?

In this segment, questions about quarterback, left tackle, wide receiver and a crosstown comparison are the highlights.

With Matt Kalil expected to turn pro, that makes sophomore Aundrey Walker the top candidate to start at left tackle. Walker showed glimpses of his athletic ability last season but Lane Kiffin played him less-than-expected because he didn't think his practice performances matched his game efforts.
Kiffin might wish he played Walker more now.
But it is tough to see anyone else beating Walker out next season. I might give recruit Kyle Murphy of San Clemente a chance . . . if he doesn't go to Stanford.

I'm feeling a little ambitious so if you have an extra question this week, ask it here.

I've heard from two high school coaches today that USC and UCLA are already battling each other over prospects. USC's top current offensive line commitment, Jordan Simmons, is getting re-recruited by UCLA according to a Crespi coach.
Meanwhile, a Muir source told me that UCLA assistant Demetrice Martin is making a big play at cornerback Kevon Seymour, another USC target. Martin also attended Muir High School in Pasadena.

Answers on a rainy afternoon.

The Bruins' coaching staff is shaping up and should provide some interesting recruiting battles. I like the idea of UCLA offensive line coach Adrian Klemm and USC defensive line coach Ed Orgeron going against each other.

In this segment, defense and the Pac-12 schedule are the topics.

Here's the full list of players selected by the Sporting News including USC wide receiver Robert Woods and safety T.J. McDonald.

Kansas coach Charlie Weis is trying to land Notre Dame transfer Dayne Crist and BYU transfer Jake Heaps according to this article.

What happened to Mitch Mustain? He applied to Marine Officer Candidates School and is going to play with the Georgia Force in the Arena Football League according to this story in USA Today.

Arizona State replaced 6-6 Dennis Erickson today with 6-6 Todd Graham of Pittsburgh.

In this segment, a question about scholarship reductions.

Back to those answers with a question on whether USC should take a quarterback transfer and if it could have played in the Pac-12 title game despite sanctions.

Here is the complete Associated Press All-American team. Was Lane Kiffin disappointed that Marqise Lee was omitted since he was the best receiver on the team according to Kiffin.

Former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel was a guest last night on the CBS Sports Network show, ``Inside College Football.''
Here's what he said about new coach Jim Mora: ``Jim's got a good football team coming back. I believe in those kids and I know he'll enjoy those guys. He'll be a good fit from the standpoint that he's a defensive guy.
``That whole league now is about offense with Rich Rod at Arizona, Mike Leach at Washington State, all the other offenses that are already pretty-well entrenched. He's going to have to get his hands wet early to make sure that he can stop those guys.''

In this segment, a question about Pete Carroll's recruiting.

Time to answer reader questions.

Former USC assistant coach Demetrice Martin resigned at Washington to become an assistant coach at UCLA. Martin is the third UCLA assistant hired who is originally from Southern California.

My suggestion for the UCLA job, Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, was hired by Arkansas State Tuesday.

I mentioned earlier today how much fun it might be for Ed Orgeron and Noel Mazzone to go against each other if UCLA hired the ASU offensive coordinator. Orgeron fired Mazzone after a season in 2004.
Imagine if they recruit against each other. It reminds me that in 2000 Orgeron and a former UCLA assistant nearly came to blows at a local high school after the Bruin assistant asked Orgeron why he was still recruiting when Paul Hackett had been fired.

Now that bowl season is approaching, how many bowls will be subjected to Pac-12 officiating? The general rule is that conference officials get one bowl for every two bowl teams the previous year. So that means a couple bowls should be the lucky winners.

ESPN analyst Craig James is going to run for a United States Senate seat in Texas, according to the Dallas Morning News. Let's remember what former Kentucky coach Hal Mumme said of James.
``Craig James is an (expletive), and everybody in Texas knows it,'' Mumme said.
Sounds like a perfect candidate.

This will probably affect two or three of you. Here's a list of USC basketball games that will not be on 710-AM because of schedule conflicts (read Laker games) and instead be on three different stations.

Here is the complete All-American team selected by Sports Illustrated, which includes USC receiver Robert Woods and offensive tackle Matt Kalil.

Arizona State assistant Noel Mazzone's name is floating around as the possible offensive coordinator at UCLA. Mazzone was Ed Orgeron's offensive coordinator at Ole Miss in 2004 before Orgeron fired him after one season.
Sounds like a perfect hire to spice up the rivalry.

Wide receiver Marqise Lee, offensive guard Marcus Martin and linebacker Dion Bailey are named freshmen All-Americans by FoxSportsNext.

USC coach Lane Kiffin said offensive and defensive linemen are his top recruiting priority. Here's some prospects USC is after right now:

Here is Pro Football Weekly's All-American team, featuring first-team picks Matt Kalil and T.J. McDonald.

Offensive lineman Zach Banner of Lakewood, Wash., who visited Washington over the weekend, will visit USC the weekend of Jan. 13th.

If you believe published reports, new Bruins coach Jim Mora is being paid more ($12 million, five years) than new Texas A&M Kevin Sumlin ($10 million, five years). Something tells me Sumlin will be getting paid more through side deals.

Lane Kiffin wants to bring in 5-6 players to enroll in January. The hard part is finding players that are eligible to enroll during the mid-year break. The Trojans are looking at offensive tackles Kyle Long and Menelik Watson of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.
Long is the son of former Raiders star Howie Long.

Time once again for reader questions. One per person please.

Here is this week's ballot for the Associated Press Top 25 basketball poll:

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is in China today for the 2011 China International Sports Leadership Forum where he will deliver a keynote address. Anything to try and get the conference's TV ratings to get closer to the SEC.
Full release after the jump:

It sometimes only seems like everything has a connection to USC. Arizona State's sloppy coaching search is led by Sun Devils A.D. Lisa Love, who was an administrator at USC before getting the job.
Love hired Dennis Erickson. I'm convinced she did it because USC offered the job to Erickson before it hired Pete Carroll and she had no experience hiring a football coach. Now, she's been on a long, unhappy search to replace Erickson. The latest name to emerge is Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. So it might turn out well for the Sun Devils, if not the Utes.
But if Whittingham is not hired and she hires an assistant coach, it could turn out ugly for fans hoping for an established candidate.

In this segment, a question about Matt Barkley.

Today's topic: Would the UCLA coaching search have turned out different if Rick Neuheisel was fired during the season?

Back to those reader questions!

Former USC linebacker Jarvis Jones, now at Georgia, received a grade of 88 by Scouts Inc. and is projected as a late first-round pick if he decides to turn pro.

USC held New Mexico without a field goal for the final 14:16 of Saturday's game but the Lobos hit six free throws in the final 90 seconds.

The Heisman Trophy Trust asks voters not to reveal their vote until after the ceremony. That might seem anti-climatic, so I will be brief. I voted for the most dynamic player in the country who could change a game from a spot much harder than a quarterback: LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu.

Matt Barkley finished with 153 points and 11 first-place votes as he came in sixth place in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

Former USC athletic director Mike Garrett made a surprise visit to tonight's Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York as a past winner of the award.

USC scored 10 points in the first 17 minutes but rebounded with five the rest of the way to stay within striking distance at halftime, trailing New Mexico 23-15. The Lobos committed 11 turnovers. USC nine. Maurice Jones led USC with nine points.

Recruiting questions dominate this segment.

Jim Mora Jr. as new UCLA coach. Thoughts? Is it Pete Carroll II or a continuation of the Neuheisel era?

A sold out crowd in Honolulu is making things difficult for USC, which trails Hawaii, 2-1.
UPDATED: USC pulls out a five-game thriller, 3-2 with a 15-12 victory in Game 5.

USC is playing Hawaii tonight in the women's volleyball playoffs before a big crowd in Honolulu. The Trojans dropped the first game, 25-19.

Would you rather have Dayne Crist or Jake Heaps if a quarterback transferred to USC? I'd go with Crist only because he would be a senior and it would probably send a bad message to Cody Kessler and Max Wittek if Heaps came into the program.

Looks like Steve Sarkisian is not interested in UCLA. Was it a good potential hire? What about Dan Mullen of Mississippi State?
I still think they should hire Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

Lots of readers' football questions get answered.

Some USC and UCLA flavor this morning. Matt Barkley remains in sixth place with 5.4 percent of the Heisman vote with more than 200 ballots counted by StiffArmTrophy.com.
Matt Kalil, Robert Woods, Nick Perry, Nickell Robey, T.J. McDonald and Andre Heidari made the ESPN.com all-Pac-12 team.
And saving the best for last, we hear some UCLA boosters tried to contact Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen on their own this week.

Back to the answers.

Back to the readers' questions!

Looks like another day where the coaching search is dominant. Would UCLA hire Jim Tressel as an ``advisor'' since his baggage might prevent them making him a full-time assistant coach.

In this segment, a question about the quarterback situation and a potential transfer.

A recruiting question in this segment as JC tailback Kelvin York and wide receiver Jaydon Mickens were officially dropped by USC as commits.

USC hoped to take the first step toward control of the Coliseum today but the Los Angeles City Coucil asked the Coliseum Commission to postpone a decision until the city council receives more information. Details here.

USC wide receiver Robert Woods is in Orlando for tonight's Home Depot Awards show where he is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award with Justin Blackmon of Oklahoma State and Ryan Broyles of Oklahoma.
This picture shows just one of his spectacular catches when he was relatively healthy against Notre Dame. It also shows there was no need for the head coach to refer to him as possibly the second-best receiver on the team.

Lane Kiffin's already said he likes facing pro-style offenses and is not happy about Arizona hiring Rich Rodriguez or Washington State getting Mike Leach. So maybe the fact Arizona State botched hiring June Jones is a good thing for Kiffin (and Kiffin).
When Pete Carroll faced Jones at Hawaii one year, he told me after the game that facing ``gimmick'' offenses like Hawaii's would be the one thing that might drive him out of college football. Or maybe he said probation.
In any event, the point was he didn't like preparing for the wide-open offenses. And it looks like the Pac-12 is more wide-open than ever no matter who Arizona State hires.

All focus seems to be on Jim Mora Jr. Is it a done deal? How do fans of both schools feel about this potential hire?

Some more answers to reader questions.

We hear USC special teams coach John Baxter has no interest in the Fresno State job. He was a long-time assistant with the Bulldogs before coming to USC in 2009.

Finally attacking those reader questions in this segment.

It seems pretty obvious that Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III will win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday.
So how do his stats measure against USC quarterback Matt Barkley?
Griffin passed for 3,998 yards and 36 touchdowns with six interceptions. Barkley passed for 3,528 yards with 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Griffin's passing efficiency rating is 192.3. Barkley's is 161.2. Where Griffin is different than most quarterbacks is that he also rushed for 644 yards and nine touchdowns. Barkley rushed for 14 yards with two touchdowns.

USC athletic director Pat Haden did his Lane Kiffin impersonation at the football banquet on Monday night.

Several readers have asked today if Lane Kiffin was omitted from coach of the year awards because of his reputation or USC's probation? I don't know why Liberty Mutual left Kiffin off its list today but having USC would bring a lot of hits to the website.

In today's episode, each school can probably gripe a little bit. USC fans who think Matt Barkley deserved trip to New York. UCLA fans tired of hearing about coaches who are not interested in the football job.

USC's football banquet handed out two new awards last night as Robert Woods and T.J. McDonald were named Perimeter Players of the Year. This was another way for Lane Kiffin to honor the spots he values, especially the offensive skill position.
Kiffin's also continued something Pete Carroll did in his final years, which is to only honor a player of the game against UCLA and Notre Dame when USC wins those games. Last year there was not a player of the game for the Notre Dame game.

In case you missed it, here is the always entertaining appearance on the Petros and Money Show, where we discuss Matt Barkley and the the UCLA coaching search.

Here is my column on how USC not playing last weekend probably sank Matt Barkley's chances of going to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation.

Here are the winners of the awards given out at tonight's football banquet. Quarterback Matt Barkley was named MVP.

Matt Barkley's Heisman bid was probably done in by its late start. Remember that as late as Nov. 18th, the week following the Washington game, Barkley was only 11th in a poll of 48 Heisman voters by the web site, StiffArmTrophy.com.
Barkley's Heisman surge really came against Oregon on Nov. 19th which is why USC officials seemed to be caught flat-footed with a hastily arranged video promoting him.
If USC had done some Heisman promotion in October/early November, it would have been a lot easier for Barkley to make his jump toward the top five.
The only thing to offset the late Heisman campaign would be an appearance in the Pac-12 title game last weekend. So thank the NCAA for that one.

We hear Miami coach Al Golden told UCLA he wanted the same amount offered to Boise State coach Chris Petersen but was politely declined.

We hear USC assistant coach Kennedy Pola is not interested in the Fresno State job.

Time to discuss the latest on coaching search: Jim Mora Jr., Tom Cable, DeWayne Walker? Who else?

Here are the five finalists for the coach of the year award from the Football Writers Assn. of America: Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Brady Hoke (Michigan), Les Miles (LSU), Bill Snyder (Kansas State) and Dabo Swinney (Clemson).

USC is listed as a possible destination for BYU quarterback Jake Heaps in this article.

OK, now that things have settled down a bit, time to answer questions again. If you have asked a previous question that did not get answered, you can submit two questions.

The first major All-American team is out from the American Football Coaches Assn. and it looks like an all-SEC team. Here's the full list:

I will be on the Petros and Money Show today (570-AM) around 3:30 p.m.

Here is my ballot for the Associated Press basketball poll:

Matt Barkley should find out today if he is going to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. And sooner or later, Steve Mariucci's name will probably come up with the UCLA job. He was courted in 2006 and his name surfaced when Rick Neuheisel got hired.
I'm not sure why Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn is not being interviewed. He's a dynamic offensive coach and would excite fans.

USC lists in its game-by-game chronology 13 ``major upsets.'' And of those 13, only 3 were on the road: 1951 (California), 1971 (Notre Dame) and 1992 (Oklahoma).
Do USC's two road victories as double-digit underdogs (Notre Dame, Oregon) qualify in this category?
After the jump is the full list of upset victories:

Is Miami coach Al Golden a candidate? Does UCLA want Brennan Carroll as a recruiting coordinator?

Notre Dame quarterback Dayne Crist is going to transfer and will be eligible immediately if he attends a graduate program his undergrad school did not. If Matt Barkley were to turn pro, would USC be an option? Crist is from Southern California, after all.

Here is this week's ballot for the Associated Press Top 25 poll, including my inclusion of Oklahoma State at No. 2.

My ballot for the Associated Press poll will list Oklahoma State at No. 2. The Cowboys have too many quality victories to be ignored as the nation's second-best team.
But will the notoriously conservative coaches or Harris poll voters agree?

Tonight, the Cowboys sent out a press release detailing why they should be voted No. 2.
One fact mentioned was wins over current BCS Top 25 teams.
Oklahoma State: No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 11 Kansas State, No. 17 Baylor, at No. 22 Texas, at No. 25 Missouri

Alabama: No. 8 Arkansas, at No. 21 Penn State

Stanford: None

Now that is a little skewed because Stanford beat USC, who would surely be in the BCS top 10 if not for probation.

After watching LSU defeat Georgia today, do you agree with USC quarterback Matt Barkley that the Trojans could beat the Tigers?

Not a great showing by Kevin Sumlin in the Conference USA title game. But I doubt that will turn off Texas A&M or UCLA.
By the way, if Conference USA gets to be televised on ABC nationally, why can't the Pac-12 use that slot? Saturday morning beats Friday night.

Former USC assistant Steve Sarksian was asked today about any interest in the UCLA job?
``I think this is the best way to start this, because hopefully we can continue to be successful here and those rumors and different things come about and I can start now and say I can't talk about 'what if's' and 'speculations' and so I'm not that concerned about it.''

Dwayne Dedmon was supposed to be out 4-6 weeks with a stress fracture but is playing today in USC's game at Minnesota.

Remember how a USC spokesperson said those T-shirts the players wore after the game would not be sold to the public? Well, here's a politically correct version being sold by the bookstore. The difference? This shirt mentions the Pac-12 but says ``first place'' and not ``champions.''

Oregon coach Chip Kelly after tonight's Pac-12 title game: ``When the new schedule came out, they talked about us not playing a game in Los Angeles. ``I said, `We can remedy that because we'll just go to the Rose Bowl.' Maybe I'm clairvoyant, too. It means a lot. For the Rose Bowl in this.''

Here's the rest of Larry Scott's press conference tonight:

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott spoke tonight on USC being ineligible to play in the Pac-12 Football Championship Game:
``Certainly had it not been for the postseason ban for USC, we would have had two top-10 teams in this game, so of course it's disappointing when such a strong team is not allowed to participate.
``It's not something we control. Obviously we and USC are abiding by other decisions by the NCAA. Therefore, UCLA is in a very good spot here.
``Of course people will be disappointed that the team that finishes first in its division can't participate, but that's the nature of it. It will still be a great showcase. We're expecting a full house, electric atmosphere. There's an awful lot on the line. UCLA has the potential to pull off one of the greatest upsets in Conference history.''

Looks like Chris Peterson of Boise State is out of the coaching derby. And Houston's Kevin Sumlin is a former Texas A&M assistant, so the Aggies might come calling. Could be heading toward Mike Bellotti and Tom Cable, who we mentioned early in the week.

Time to pick the score for the UCLA-Oregon Pac-12 title game!

Here's some quotes from Matt Barkley today from his appearance on the Dan Patrick show.

``There's definitely a lot of things that can lure me back The fact we can play for a bowl game and potential national championship team with team we have coming back.
``I feel like it'd be a really special team. There's a lot you can pick as to why I'd come back.''

On when he will decide what to do: ``I don't even have a timetable right now. I'll probably talk to Matt Leinart, Mark Sanchez, Carson. I think they would be unbiased.''

On whether USC should have eased up against UCLA: ``C'mon, they're our rivals. They are trying to close the gap. We couldn't let the happen.''

On facing No. 1 LSU: ``I think we could hang with them and put up a W.''

One of the underlying themes of this season at USC was the senior leadership that many felt was a key to the Trojans' 10-2 season.
``The leadership of the seniors is unlike anything we have had before,'' Matt Barkley said. ``We have less individuals than ever before.''
And that point was hammered home further this week in an email circulated from the parent of a player that said last year's seniors ``just wanted to get through the season to go to the NFL and were silently disruptive to the team in place.''

Pete Caroll told Vince Young after tonight's Seahawks victory over the Eagles, ``We're not even.''
That assumes Young is responsible for USC losing to Texas in the Rose Bowl. But as we've long said here, the main reason USC lost was its decision to go for it on fourth down-and-2 without Reggie Bush on the field. Why did that matter? Because Texas safety Michael Huff said Bush's absence allowed him to move up to the line of scrimmage and tackle LenDale White.
Lane Kiffin deserves an assist for that play call, which might explain why he was in tears after the game. One could also mention burning a timeout before Texas went for two points, which deprived the Trojans of having a chance to stop the clock in the final seconds.
In any event, there were a lot of coaching decisions that led to USC's demise, not Vince Young.

"We didn't have time to wallow in self pity. We didn't have time to go through the carnage that was that evening."
-- UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel on coming off USC game and playing Oregon on Friday.

An NFL general manager, who did not wish to be identified, said teams have no fully evaluated any of USC's juniors but said Matt Barkley and Matt Kalil are projected as top 7 picks. He said Nick Perry is "probably a top 15-20 pick" and T.J. McDonald could make his way into the first round.

Time for another readers' forum as the coaching search continues and USC waits for decisions from its key players.

I wouldn't read too much into the fact Matt Barkley requested an evaluation from the NFL. The league sends back a report that only says "first round," "second round," etc., so it doesn't give much guidance.
The NFL is also conservative in its evaluations because it doesn't want somone to turn pro and get drafted much lower than they think.

USC basketball coaches intend to ask wide receiver Marqise Lee if he is interested in playing basketball now that football season is over.

Houston coach Kevin Sumlin's been offered the Arizona State job. And he's high on UCLA's list too.

Here's Fox Sports analyst Charles Davis promoting the Pac-12 title game.
``The Pac-12 is not a driving conference, yet it's one of the most perfectly modeled travel conferences,'' Johnson said. ``By comparison, the SEC is a driving conference. You can pretty much get where you need to get to by hopping in the car and that's not easily done in the Pac-12.
``Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott and his conference did a great job in deciding early on to put it at home sites because atmosphere is what makes a championship game too. We'll have that championship feel on Friday night. And remember, the team that's hosting has earned that opportunity.''
Wait, was that last sentence a dig at UCLA?

Fox Sports analyst John Lynch, who will work the UCLA-Oregon game, compared it to the USC-Stanford game in 2007.
``People say, 'a 31-point underdog, how could it ever happen?' How did my alma mater, Stanford, and Jim Harbaugh in his first year go down to the Coliseum and knock off USC when they were at a 41-point underdog? Is it possible? Absolutely.
``Players know that and coaches are selling it. I've been there before. The pressure is off you because you aren't supposed to win.''