A: I think the Bush case will be more severe. It received much more publicity and took much, much longer, so I think the NCAA will want to send a message of some sort. There is some bracing within the athletic dept. for bad news, but no one knows.

Q: USCFightOn said:
SW, in the chat room you said you knew of several players who were "silent" commits for much of the process. Obviously Riley was one, but of those who signed with SC, which were the silent commits you knew about?

A: Christian Thomas was a silent commit and so was Seantrel Henderson, who committed to Pete Carroll and then needed to be convinced he would be comfortable with Lane Kiffin and a new offensive line coach, but remained a USC commit.

A lot of very coachable talent in that group, so I'm a little skeptical about how much of an impact EO physically made from beginning to their completion.

A: He is considered a good position coach. Some players were critical that he spent too much time with the starters and not the reserves. And there was also a school of thought that his act might wear off by a third or fourth year. But overall, I think he's a very good position coach.

Q: Zovoz said:
What's was the deeper sentiment in the UCLA camp on signing day, and immediately afterward?

I would think that when PC made his announcement RN finally thought he had a chance to bury USC, starting with a recruiting class statement. And, with the backdrop of "monopoly over", "unproven regime", etc., in the final hours was the UCLA staff sweating bullets that incredible embarrassment was on its way?

And, now that's its over, is there smoldering resentment of any kind that with their 3rd season approaching that Lane Kiffin could walk in and accomplish what he did in just a few weeks?

A: I would say mixed feelings. Happy they landed a couple nice commitments on signing day that considered USC, but also unhappy that USC managed to have such a strong class in the eyes of the recruiting analysts. One would think USC's recruiting classes would only get better with the coaching staff settled into place and once a full staff is hired.
Of course, everything will revolve around next year's game at the Rose Bowl. I would think UCLA believes it has a pretty good chance to win next year's game.

A: I like the quesadilla, the macaroni or the hamburger.

Q: USCJEDI said:
What type of relationship (if any) did you have with Kiffin during his first time around at USC and based on your interactions (if any) since his hiring as head coach has/will anything change? He seems very arrogant and unapproachable (unlike Pete).

A: I did not speak to him much his first couple years at USC because I thought he was a bit arrogant. But the final few years, he was fine when I dealt with him, especially after he became offensive coordinator. I've had one long conversation with him since he got hired as the head coach and he was fine.

Q: SDPHIL said:
Do the Trojans still hold back a couple of scholarships to give to walk on players that the staff feels earn them after time? And if the the NCAA does penalize them with a lose of scholarships, do you think they will continue holding some back, or will they use their total allotment on H.S athletes.

A: They always have a few in reserve, whether for transfers or to give a walk-on. Pete Carroll did not use all his scholarships last year and Lane Kiffin signed less than 25 recruits, so there are scholarships available. If the NCAA takes away scholarships, I don't think it changes anything because they've already got some in reserve and are in no hurry to give them out, especially with next year expected to be a big recruiting year with a full season to recruit.

A: I think they will save the scholarships and maybe give one or two out to a walk-on but keep most for the following year, especially if they can bring in some players at the spring semester.

Q: dodgers55555 said:
Don't you think much of the public criticism of usc regarding compliance is overblown considering that there is no evidence at all to indicate that anybody at usc knew anything reggie bush's parents were doing 200 miles away. His mother was a longtime police captain in san diego and provided a stable upbringing, so what does the ncaa expect usc to do in this situation, especially when lloyd lake never stepped foot on campus?

A: I don't know what the NCAA's found regarding potential involvement of anyone at USC. New coach Lane Kiffin told recruits that no one at USC was involved. He also was an assistant coach at that time. That does not mean he is telling the truth. But he will be caught in an awkward situation if something does arise.
USC certainly hopes no one is tied to the case because it definitely changes the possible penalties.

A: There are always stories about guys being targeted for comments or behavior but once a game begins, people forget that and just play the game. An exception is if a quarterback or tailback is hurt, then teams will try to knock them out of the game.
There is also the example of Mark Sanchez against UCLA in 2008. The Bruins did try to knock him out of the game and received some personal foul penalties in the process. But that was because Sanchez was so valuable to the team, not for anything he said.

Q:The Promenade said:
You said Lane Kiffen and Ed Orgeron were mostly recruiting players from the South but once signing day was over, there were practically no Southern players signed whatsoever. What's up with that?

A: They threw a wide net out there with more than 50 offers to recruits and just hoped something would stick. They managed to get Glen Stanley, who is originally from Florida. And of course Markeith Ambles, but he wanted to come to USC anyways. It's tough to get kids from the South (outside Florida and maybe Georgia) and I suspect they will readjust the areas they recruit for next season. The big focus, of course, will be on Southern California.

Q: Ryan said:
Scott,

Who do you consider to be USC biggest recruiting busts?

PS Thanks for all the great coverage over the past couple of crazy weeks.

A: If you mean since I covered USC, it would be Whitney Lewis or Stan Guyness, both wide receivers by coincidence. If you mean from this class, ask me again in the next forum.

A: I agree 110 percent. USC lost Jackson Jeffcoat because of this reason and needs some safeguards in place to at least preserve recruiting (if no one cares about the national image). A regime change is still the best solution. If UCLA can have open tryouts, why can't USC?

Q: torpedoman said:
Is Bryan Harsin's (Boise St) name still in the mix for OC and QB's coach?

A: His name's been thrown about. But it still comes down to who wants to reliquish play-calling duties. And I've heard there's been some resistance by some coaches to want to be in up in the coaches' booth if they do not call plays, because then they will feel even more isolated from any real duties during a game.

Q: gilligan said:
Mr Wolf, first and foremost thank you for providing the chat and recruiting updates.
I have a multiple part question, first any truth to the rumor that Pullard and Shirley don't like each other and never wanted to play together? The second part, why did Pullard come to USC when many were considering him a strong UCLA lean and the final part is does his signing open the door for USC to recruit more players from Crenshaw? PC and his previous staff was unable to get players from Crenshaw and on his first try Kiffin and company land Pullard.
Thank you in advance.

A: I've heard some buzz about Pullard and Shirley. Pullard always liked Ken Norton Jr., so when he left, UCLA jumped to the forefront. But once USC made an intense push to get him with the new defensive staff in place, he swung back to the Trojans. I'm sure USC will make a huge push at Crenshaw this spring. But I would like to know who the offensive assistants will be and what assistant will recruit Los Angeles. That could be the criticial factor on making inroads at Crenshaw. Part of the problem in the past was UCLA had better relationships with the coaches at Crenshaw thanks to Eric Scott and DeWayne Walker.

What sanctions, if any, will the NCAA impose on the USC basketball and/or football programs? As always, thanks for the forum, Scott.

A: I think the basketball sanctions were severe enough to not merit further action. If the NCAA disagrees, USC could be in real trouble. Nothing will surprise me in football. If the NCAA believes USC was not aware of Reggie Bush's infractions, maybe forfeits will be the main penalty. But if they think USC knew, then all bets are off.

Q: Gordon said:
Was Pete Carroll leaving the worst thing that could have happened to Matt and Les Barkley? Do you know if Carroll has contacted Kiffin and asked him to stick with Barkley regardless of what he sees on the practice field?

A: I don't think Lane Kiffin will be much different than Pete Carroll. He wants a pro-style offense and Matt Barkley is the type of quarterback he wants to run it. Plus i'm sure Pete Carroll has offered his advice on the situation.

Q: redondophil said:
Scott, Given Monte Kiffin's resume at the pro level and his mentorship of Pete Carroll, why wasn't that enough of a draw to some of the previously committed defensive players that spurned SC for UCLA? How much of a role did he have in recruiting? Doesn't the lack of depth at LB counter the argument that some would fear the competitive environment? Thanks.

A: I think the short period that the new coaching staff had to recruit hurt with some players, especially those that were drawn to Pete Carroll, who is a much more charismatic figure. Dietrich Riley in particular changed his mind when Carroll left. And Rick Neuheisel does have some similar personality traits to Pete Carroll. There's always a fear of the unknown for some recruits when a coaching change takes place and given the circumstances, Kiffin did a pretty good job holding the class together. But it did hurt that only two linebackers signed. That could be a real issue next season if there are injuries. It's also time for Jarvis Jones to step forward after an indifferent first season.

``Who says madness has to wait for March?
``Only a handful of home games remain, none bigger than when UCLA heads to the Galen Center. Then it's on to the Pac-10 Tournament, where your Trojans, will battle for a Conference crown. So don't miss a minute of the action! Go to StubHub today, choose your seats, and be there when your school takes on their biggest rivals.''

A: I've heard his name mentioned but the only way he comes is if he feels he is getting pushed out at Miami, because offensive assistants will have restricted duties at USC. It's sort of the reverse of Pete Carroll, who could not hire a big-time defensive coordinator because they wanted control and play-calling duties. So Whipple will need to give up authority if he comes to USC.

February 5, 2010 11:25 AM
BearBryant3 said:
What is the purpose of the Sanction Meeting, considering we usually hear about schools being put on probation or getting penalized rather quickly and out of the blue. Or is it because of the circumstances and how this is a new problem the NCAA has to deal with because the payees to players are not affiliated with the school.

A: Usually, these meetings do not get a lot of attention but the Bush case is so big, it magnified the meeting. This is how the NCAA normally deals with these issues. It's important to remember that the NCAA might not announce anything for 4-6 weeks after the meeting in Tempe. It's all up to them. And they are not going to make a decision without a full committee decision because the stakes are so high with this case.

Q: East Coast Trojan said:
Have you asked Lane Kiffen if he is going to open up the quarterback competition?

A: Not yet. Recruiting and staff hires has been the focus of most questions so far.

Q: Harpoon Harry said:
Are you surprised most NFL draft predictions have Damian Williams going no higher than the fourth round?

A: If that is the case, yes. Williams is slightly built but so are other receivers (DeSean Jackson). He's also got good speed. But maybe the NFL is downgrading him for his shoulder injuries and the fact he wore down physically this season.

A: I didn't see his quote using that analogy, but I would say being the coach of the Oakland Raiders only qualifies you for hazardous duty.

Q: BearBryant3 said:
I thought Cassius Marsh was quite over-rated at least looking at his Highlight video which showed him making plays at the line of scrimmage and not getting much push at the line of scrimmage against inferior talent. Do you think he is overrated?

A: I never really studied him closely because I knew he was not interested in USC (and vice versa). I do have a healthy dose of skepticism about Oaks Christian players because they tend to underachieve for whatever reason. Jimmy Clausen enjoyed a good junior year but I do not think he lived up to the hype. I like Casey Matthews but he smartly went to Oregon because he would not have played much at USC.

Q: Are you Kidding Me? said:
Which recruiting class would you rather have and why, USC's or UCLA's?

A: Rankings aside, it depends on what you value. If you need wide receivers, a quarterback or tight end, then USC is the superior class. if you wanted a defensive end, I like Owamagbe Odighizuwa and if you need a linebacker, then Josh Shirley and Jordan Zumwalt. But if I had to pick, I would take USC simply because there are so many supposed can't miss prospects at the top of the class.