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USC Football: The Twists and Turns of the Special Teams in 2010

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As the end of the 2009 recruiting season drew near, the USC Trojans thought they had the nation's premier prep punter/field goal kicker all but signed and delivered.

Matt Darr, Scout.com's No. 1 high school kicker, from Frontier High School in Bakersfield, CA, had given Pete Carroll his verbal commitment early on and eagerly awaited the signing day, expecting fully to become a Trojan.

Then Pete Carroll left the Trojans for the Seattle Seahawks, and everything changed.

Just before the signing date, rumors swirled that Darr was no longer considering the Trojans because when Carroll left, so did the Trojans special teams coach, Brian Schneider.

The rumors were true.

On the day when high school players could sign with their new colleges, Darr penned his name on the bottom line with Fresno State.

USC was left with who they had, which wasn't bad because Jordan Congdon did a pretty good job in 2009.

Now let's fast forward to Mar. 3, 2010.

RIP.com, the official USC web site, reports that Lane Kiffin has hired John Baxter, the longtime Fresno State special teams coach away from the Fresno State Bulldogs.

Yep, the very same Fresno State that Matt Darr had jilted the Trojans for when he left because USC's special teams coach departed when Pete Carroll did.

Ironic, eh?

Wait, the road still turns.

Today, it was reported that USC's kicker, Jordan Congdon, a devoutly religious young man, will leave USC to attend Princeton's Theological Seminary.

Of course, Congdon was a senior last year and would not have returned anway.

Nonetheless, USC is looking for a new kicker and Fresno State is looking for a new special teams coach.

Funny how things work out...

Funny, that is, until a missed kick costs either program a game they should have won.

How this turns out is still a story ending that remains to be written.

Read more USC Football news on BleacherReport.com

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John Baxter Named To USC Football Coaching Staff

John Baxter, a member of the Fresno State coaching staff for the past 13 seasons, has been named associate head coach and special teams coordinator at USC, new Trojan head coach Lane Kiffin announced today (March 4).

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Post-Game Thread: Arizona State 59 USC 54

Thursday night served as yet another frustrating moment for USC basketball, as the Trojans fell in rather heartbreaking fashion to Arizona State by a score of 59-54. The loss marked the fourth straight loss for 'SC, as it once against had difficulty breaking down a tough zone defense. New story, huh?

But even in defeat, the Trojans certainly had a chance to leave Wells Fargo Arena with a victory in hand. 

With 18 seconds left, Marcus Johnson made a three pointer to cut the deficit to just one point. Subsequently, the Trojans were forced to foul on the opposite end, resulting in to made free throws from Rihards Kuksiks. In the moments following, Dwight Lewis, for reasons unknown, attempted  a ten footer in the lane only to see it blocked by Arizona State center Eric Boateng. Still trailing by three, the team then watched Derek Glasser sink two free throws to seal the win with about 8 seconds left on the clock.

Kuksiks was tough for the Trojans to slow down, as he ended up scoring 16 points in the second half (24 points on the evening).

There isn't much to this in the end. USC isn't going anywhere, and Saturday will be the final game in what has been a rather long season. Their matchup with Arizona is still intriguing nonetheless, as the Trojans will look to avoid ending the season on a 5-game winning streak and salvage a .500 record in Pac-10 play.



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Trojans Headed For One Last Trip to the Desert

Southern California guard Mike Gerrity  is fouled by Oregon State guard Josh Tarver in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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Alex Gallardo - AP

4 days ago:

Southern California guard Mike Gerrity is fouled by Oregon State guard Josh Tarver in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

28 games into the USC basketball season, the latest reports emerging from Galen Center unsurprisingly suggest that the current Trojans' bunch may be undergoing some sort of burnout effect. With a shortened roster and a general lack of depth, this concept shouldn't come as a big shock to most 'SC fans. From the Los Angeles Times:

USC is said to be running on fumes. The truth is, the Trojans would be lucky to have any fumes left.

With a shallow bench and a roster that includes several players racking up minutes after not playing much last season, it's evident the team is worn to the bone.

Coach Kevin O'Neill said that "tired shouldn't be an excuse," but he also admits that obstacles his players faced this year are a major factor in their current fatigue.

"The adversity and the constant having to overcome adversity takes a toll on guys who haven't had to play major minutes before," O'Neill said.

Senior guard Mike Gerrity had been going with the company line: that every player is tired at this point in the season. But he changed his tune Tuesday and said USC's recent losses against Oregon and Oregon State came from something else.

"We lost focus in both these past couple games," Gerrity said. "We had leads at halftime and we lost sight of what was getting us those leads."

In some ways, fatigue is a reasonable excuse for this team's recent troubles, but in the end, I'm not ready to go ahead and buy it. For one, the Trojans struggles have been on the offensive end - they shoot just 30.2% from beyond the arc and rank among the worst teams in all of Division 1 in terms of points per game. Most scouts will tell you that defense takes far more energy to play than offense so the idea that the team's offensive performance is lagging due to exhaustion is a little tough for me to understand at this point. 

Furthermore, the Trojans' effort hasn't entirely been consistent. Why does the fatigue only kick in for games against the conference's bottom feeders - Oregon, Oregon State, and  Washington State. It looked like the effort was certainly there against Washington in Seattle and Cal at Galen Center. Something doesn't match up exactly.

Surprisingly, O'Neill acknowledged the the team may be wearing down this week and that if may be negatively impacting the team's recent performance. From Scott Wolf's blog:

"Basically we are a little fried as a team," said O'Neill. "I don't know how we will react over these last two games being that we really have nothing to play for like the Pac-10 Tournament of anything like that.''    

Yet, even with the season winding down, USC has one final road trip left to Arizona on the horizon, where they will aim to finish the year on a positive note. It's going to be tough for these to get motivated to play in these games, considering that Cal has already won the Pac-10 regular season title and there is no Pac-10 tournament for 'SC. Yet, with three important seniors in Mike Gerrity, Marcus Johnson, and Dwight Lewis, on the roster, it would be nice to see them play well over the final stretch run. 

Additionally, the trip to the Valley of the Sun, will also mark Kevin O'Neill's return to Arizona, where he once coach for the Wildcats for one season back in 2008. Of course, O'Neill has been downplaying its significance:

"To me it's just another game against a quality team. I have great respect for Arizona and their tradition. I loved my time in Tucson, but it's just another game. It's unfortunately our last game of the year, but it's just another outing.''  

Nonetheless, this season is just about all wrapped up, and as a result, most of the Trojan faithful is already taking a quick glance at the future. And as it looks now, that future appears to be pretty bright. 

That is because, the Trojans recently got its first verbal commitment from the class of 2012 - 6'2" combo guard Larry Lewis of Arcadia High School in Phoenix, Arizona according to WeAreSC.com:

Lewis verbally committed to the Trojans on Tuesday night, after sitting down with his mother and AAU coach, Jeff De Laveaga.  The 6-2 guard had unofficially visited the Trojans several weeks ago and felt that experience, coupled with strong pushes from USC assistant coach Bob Cantu and head coach Kevin O'Neill, was enough to make him a Trojan.

"Larry wanted to get it done," De Laveaga said of the recruiting process, adding that Lewis chose USC for the location, the education and the chance to play as a freshman.  "He had a great time on his unofficial visit.  He said it was a great campus, with great facilities and he loved the staff."

Though Lewis currently stands at 6-2, he's projected to hit 6-4 by the time he's done growing, which may take several more years considering his age.  Lewis will graduate at 17 and won't turn 18 until he's enrolled at USC.

With Jio Fontant becoming eligible to play next December, along with the arrivals of Bryce Jones in 2010 and Gelaun Wheelwright in 2011, Kevin O'Neill looks to have a formidable backcourt for years to come.



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Laying the Foundation: USC Football Recruiting, 2011 (Part 3)

One of the drawbacks to taking a few days off from the recruiting trail early in the season is that so many changes occur when you aren't looking.

Part one of this 2010-2011 look at the early USC recruiting process featured the Scout.com five-star prep high school athletes who the Trojans had already offered.

Since I filed that report, three more five-star prep players have received scholarship offers and there are sure to be more on the way.

Part three of this yet to be determined ongoing series will feature those three five star players and continue on with more of the four-star athletes originally covered in part two of this "Laying the Foundation" series.

So before the Trojans add anymore offers to their growing list of high school athletes, lets get started:

Five-Star Athletes:

Kasen Williams:

This 6'2", 195 lb, wide receiver doesn't possess eye-popping speed (4.6 40), but he simply inhales every pass that comes his way. Honored as the Washington state co-athlete of the year (along with teammate Jake Heaps), Williams holds offers from every major program in the country and lists USC, as he does all of his others, as of "medium" interest.

Herschel Sims:

A 5'9", 190 lb running back who reminds many of LaDainian Tomlinson and not just because they both hail from Texas, Sims has been described as "a home run back who makes big plays in big games." An explosive runner who is also a very good receiver, Sims is being courted by most of the major programs although not all have offered yet. Expect that to change as his senior season begins. Sims lists his interest in USC as "medium."

Isaiah Crowell:

The Trojans need to re-stock the running back position and they would love to start that process with Isaiah Crowell. Possessing good size (6'0", 210 lbs.) and great speed (4.43 40), Crowell also has all the moves of a great running back. The one question about Crowell is his durability since he came from a high school program that rotated their running backs. However, Lane Kiffin and company will have to do some sweet talking to get this talented runner as he lists Alabama, who has already offered him, as high on his list.

Four-Star Athletes:

Kiaro Holts:

This teammate of Kris Harley, who also holds a USC offer in his pocket, possesses good size (6'4", 266 lbs.) and a frame that can add more weight easily in a major college football weight training program. Holts, who lists his interest in USC as "medium," also holds more than a dozen offers from other programs.

DeAnthony Arnett:

DeAnthony Arnett, who hails from Saginaw Michigan, is one of the rising prep athletes in the country. Originally recruited by Lane Kiffin when he was still at Tennessee, Arnett carried Kiffin's interest in him when he travelled to USC. Although he doesn't possess great size (6'0", 170 lbs.) or incredible speed (4.5 40), Arnett, nonetheless, is a game changing wide receiver. Describing his interest in USC as "high," the Trojans will probably fight it out with Notre Dame and Michigan State for Arnett's services.

Damien Swann:

OK Trojan fans, you tell me, how good would another "Swann" look in cardinal and gold? Though this Swann is a corner back and not a wide receiver, Damien Swann is one of the very best in the country at his position. Though he needs to work on his technique, Swann has the athleticism to be a premier player at the next level. Although Swann would seem to be a natural fit as a Trojan, he will probably choose between Alabama and Georgia.

Nickolas Brassell:

Is it just me or does there seem to be a propensity of good wide receivers at the high school level? This 6'2", 175 lb all state wide receiver from Missouri, has all the instincts necessary to be a star at the next level. Brassell holds offers from almost all the SEC programs and lists his interest in the Trojans, as he does with all his offers, as "medium."

Brey Cook:

The Trojans need offensive linemen and Brey Cook, with his 6'7", 297 lb size, would be a prefect fit. Cook, who hails from Arkansas, needs a bit of work on his technique but with his size and football acumen, Cook could easily be one of the best in the country when his collegiate career is over and done with. Cook holds more than a dozen offers and lists them all as of "medium" interest.

Todd Barr:

Although he has not yet been offered by the Trojans yet, expect that to change soon. This 6'3", 265 lb. defensive lineman is picking up offers by the week and the Trojans are expected to be one of them soon. In his junior year at Lakewood high school, where he was a teammate of 2009 Trojan recruits Jesse Scroggins and Dion Bailey, Barr had 12 sacks and five forced fumbles to merit his being named to the "all state" California defensive team. It should also be noted that Barr lists his interest in the Trojans, along with that of UCLA, as "high."

Ray Drew:

This 6'4", 243 lb. defensive end from Georgia has tremendous upside and because of that, Drew holds offers from almost every major program in the country. Though he wasn't being recruited by the Trojans with Pete Carroll at the helm, he was being recruited by Lane Kiffin when he was at Tennessee and that interest went with Kiffin across the country to Los Angeles. Drew lists his interest in USC, like all others, as "medium."

This list represents most of the four-star recruits that USC, along with those profiled in part two of the series, but not all.

As recruiting is most definitely a "fluid" process this early in the season, the next article in this series will finish up the balance of the four-star prep athletes the Trojans have offered, along with any they add to the list.

 

Read more USC Football news on BleacherReport.com

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Apparently, The Daily Bruin Supports Unethical Journalism

A few weeks ago, I was particularly critical of an editorial featured in the Daily Bruin, "Trojans Should be Ashamed of their Athletics," where Matt Stevens, the author of the piece, suggests that USC students, alumni, and everyday fans, should all share in a sense of humiliation regarding the dishonorable actions taken by the ‘SC athletic department. For reasons unknown, Stevens does his best to portray the Trojan Family as a group that is embarrassed by its affiliation with the university and its athletic department. To further advance his viewpoint, he uses the perspective of a USC student:

To get some perspective, I called a good high school friend of mine, a guy named Von Geragosian who is the most die-hard Trojan fan I know and goes to USC.

In talking to Geragosian, I wanted to get a sense of the deep shame he most certainly must feel as a student watching his athletic department make all these deeply unethical choices - staining his school.

The problem here lies in the fact that Geragosian, a 4th generation Trojan, was told by Stevens that he would not be quoted in the article, and further, he was also inaccurately portrayed as someone who felt guilty about his association with USC. Instead of simply quoting Geragosian, Stevens attempts to frame his comments in order to support his own argument. For example, Stevens remarks that Geragosian "must" feel some shame regarding his allegiance to the Trojans instead of letting Geragosian's comments speak for themselves:

Obviously UCLA showed its true colors by writing this article.  When my high school friend Matt Stevens called me on the phone for a brief conversation of what I thought about USC athletics, he ensured me that he would never use my name in the article. That's strike 1 against UCLA.  He also ensured me that he had no intention on bashing USC, but using facts about what "Trojans" thought about the direction of their athletic department.  That's strike 2.  And for strike 3, is his entire article. Stevens pathetically tries to find any way to bash USC athletics. Sure, he says that he was "out of ammo, defeated by calm logic".  Just the fact that he feels the need to publish this garbage is pretty sad. What kind of title is that for an article..."Trojans should feel ashamed of their athletics".  What a joke. This clearly shows the jealously UCLA has towards USC, trying to find anything negative to sooth the pain of this last decade.

So do I feel ashamed to be a Trojan...NOT AT ALL.  Do I feel like I should apologize for our football team's dominance this last decade...NOPE.  UCLA will always beUCLA. The "other" football team in Los Angeles.

Remember, you're a bruin for 4 years...You're a Trojan for life.

Fight On!

Whether you agree with Stevens's premise to begin with is entirely obsolete in this case. The problem is not with what Stevens said, but with the manner in which he constructed his argument. To quote a source without previously informing him that his comments will be featured is incredibly unethical in nearly all journalism circles. Essentially every college newspaper and journalism school in this country emphasize the importance of this very concept. You must inform your sources that they will be quoted. It's as simple as that.

Therefore, the fact that a leading sports columnist at one of the preeminent universities in the nation could get away with such a blatant, unethical "mishap" is a complete joke. Are there not "fact checkers" or an editorial board to review all submitted work? Do they not look over articles such as this one that is not only factually incorrect, but also unethically constructed? In a way, it's particularly intriguing that Stevens's failure to administer to this custom comes in an article in which he actually criticizes USC for unethical actions. Maybe, it's time to start looking in the mirror.

In the end, Stevens's behavior reflects badly upon a school like UCLA, which continues to boast a solid academic reputation. It takes away from all the positives that it contributes to the academic and journalistic communities by drawing attention in a negative light. It's silly to blatantly criticize the pedigree of a place like UCLA, which certainly deserves much of the respect it garners, but in terms of the Daily Bruin's decision to publish an article that was unprofessionally written, there is no doubt that the school is in the wrong and should most certainly issue some form of an apology to Geragosian and the rest of the Trojan Family.



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USC Student-Athletes Taking Care of Business in the Classroom

Southern California's Jordan Congdon (38) misses a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter against Ohio State during an NCAA  college football game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

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Jay LaPrete - AP

5 months ago:

Southern California's Jordan Congdon (38) misses a 44-yard field goal in the second quarter against Ohio State during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Contrary to the scuttlebutt you'll hear every now and then from the folks decorated in baby blue across town, USC student-athletes are showing up to class and hitting the books nowadays according to a story on USCTrojans.com:

Last fall, 285 student-athletes (nearly 50% of USC's student-athlete population) earned a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Of those, 117 made the Dean's List.

To top it off, 14 Trojan student-athletes posted a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. for the 2009 fall semester. Eight of USC's 19 sports posted a team G.P.A. of at least 3.0. The women's cross country squad took the top team honor with a 2009 fall semester G.P.A. of 3.32. The women's tennis team took the most improved award by raising its team G.P.A. from 3.00 during the 2009 spring semester to a 3.29 G.P.A. in the 2009 fall semester.

USC's Student-Athlete Academic Services and the Athletic Department would like to congratulate the 285 following student-athletes for earning a GPA of 3.0 or higher during the 2009 fall semester. Making a commitment to their success both inside and outside the classroom, Trojan student-athletes are dedicated to excellence.

Clearly, by the look of things, the Trojans just aren't pulling their weight nowadays. 



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