Corona Centennial defensive end Korey Foreman, ranked the No. 1 player for 2021 by 247Sports, committed to Clemson on Sunday night. Guess he wasn’t impressed by the Todd Orlando hire. The USC fanboys assured me Foreman wanted to be a Trojan because he was a teammate of Drake Jackson. More important, will the Clay Helton apologists, like Mike Bohn, come to terms with the fact … Continue reading Nation's No. 1 Recruit Spurns USC

I wondered Friday if former USC QB Jack Sears would reconsider going to San Diego State now that Rocky Long resigned? And now 247Sports says he will not enroll at San Diego State for the spring semester as he waits for the Aztecs to hire an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Sears could still go to San Diego State but is keeping his options open. … Continue reading Jack Sears Weighing Options

Is Todd Orlando going to fire any defensive coaches or bring in his own staff? It’s still unknown although I hear USC defensive coaches have been subtly putting out feelers for other jobs during Clay Helton (and Mike Bohn’s) search for a defensive coordinator. I would be surprised if Orlando doesn’t want to bring in some of his own guys. One thing you can be … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: What Will Todd Orlando Do Next?

Like clockwork, we have our first video hyping Todd Orlando. 1st day and @CoachTOrlando is jumping right into things 😤#FightOn pic.twitter.com/DlCJZIxyjI — USC Football (@USC_FB) January 25, 2020 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Just like how Aaron Ausmus revolutionized the program last offseason. There’s a different energy coming from this group. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/zF8LccCKKb — USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) July 30, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Continue reading USC Hype Season Begins

You know who was interested in the USC defensive coordinator’s job? Former San Francisco 49ers head coach and NFL Hall of Famer member Mike Singletary. There was simply no way someone with Singletary’s fiery personality would ever mesh with Clay Helton so this was a non-starter from the beginning. He never interviewed. USC has posted openings for an assistant director of player personnel and director … Continue reading USC Saturday Buzz: Another High-Profile Name That Got Away

Is it too soon to dread spring football, where there will be endless comments about the new, improved defense under Todd Orlando? Remember all the comments last year about the culture change; improved strength program; commitment to discipline and decrease in penalties during spring practice? The same people that bought those arguments will start trumpeting Orlando and anything else they can find. Mike Bohn will … Continue reading Get Ready For Reports Of Big Spring Improvement

Todd Orlando is the new defensive coordinator, officially, per Clay Helton. “He is an experienced and successful defensive coordinator who has made an impact everywhere he has coached. He brings a passion, energy, toughness and discipline to his coaching and those characteristics were evident in our discussions,” Helton said. “His defensive system poses an extreme challenge to offenses.” An extreme challenge? The Texas pass defense … Continue reading USC Officially Hires Todd Orlando

USC has four recruits visiting this weekend, as it tries to fill the last couple scholarships of its recruiting class. Tight end Jack Yary, the son of former USC offensive lineman Ron Yary, will give the Trojans another chance after he decommitted late last year. The question is whether USC can convince him that the Air Raid offense uses a tight end. USC coaches are … Continue reading A Not Exactly Overwhelming Recruiting Weekend

We hear so much about Clay Helton’s contract and how it made firing him a stumbling block. So why did USC school president Carol Folt supposedly turn down an offer from a donor to pay off the contract? She didn’t want to be beholden to a rich booster. But you are only beholden if you allow yourself to be. USC would not survive without donations. … Continue reading If It's Friday, It's Time For A USC Notes Column

With only two African-Americans on the USC coaching staff, someone (Mike Bohn) might want to remind Clay Helton of this fact when filling out the staff. Depending on what high school coaches you ask, USC already has a perception prolem with some recruits and this doesn’t help. Like all other issues confronting USC, it will probably be ignored. USC secondary coach Greg Burns is recruiting … Continue reading USC Notes: Perception Problem Exists

Is USC going to have a recruiting dinner in two weeks? It doesn’t seem like it. You mean having the worst recruiting class in the Pac-12 won’t sell tickets? Last year, when people thought the recruting class was bad, less than 100 people showed up and Lynn Swann didn’t even attend. It was the worst-attended recruiting dinner since the event started in 1997. Imagine 15 … Continue reading Where's That Recruiting Dinner?

USC is making Fresno State a fairly regular non-conference opponent. It just isn’t announcing it. Fresno State announced this morning that it will play at the Coliseum in 2028 for an eye-catching $1.75 million guarantee. The Trojans and Bulldogs will also play in 2022 and 2026 at the Coliseum. If USC was the home team for 2028, why didn’t it announce the game? We all … Continue reading USC Adds Third Game With Fresno State

Remember when Mike Bohn spent some time with Willie McGinest at the Holiday Bowl? It signaled the “new USC” was willing to listen to some high-profile/influential figures. Well, I’ve heard recently Bohn and Clay Helton have ignored McGinest’s recommendations for openings on the coaching staff. That’s nothing new for Helton, who routinely blows people off who know more than him. He disregarded Norv Turner when … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Coaching Searches Ignoring Important Voice?

I still hear from USC fans who are upset that their tickets got moved during the Coliseum renovation. Whenever these types of things happen, like introduction of seat-license fees, schools usually hear a lot of negative feedback the first year and then it subsides. However, this seems a little different because no one was won over by the football team’s performance or the Coliseum makeover, … Continue reading Coliseum Seat Locations Still Rile Some Fans

It is important to note when you read that USC returns 17 starters next season whether a significant number of players will improve? At a normal program, most players get better. But this is USC. Who was really better this season? Did Palaie Gaoteote play better? Did the defensive linemen who returned make a significant improvement? Did the offensive linemen? I didn’t see it. With … Continue reading USC Afternoon Notes: A Lot Of Starters Back Might Be Good Thing

Rivals came out with its final top 100 rankings and only player has signed with USC. Naturally, it’s a wide receiver (Gary Bryant). If you want to get frustrated, three of the top eight players in the nation after from Southern California. And two players (Bryce Young, Kris Hutson) were originally committed to USC.It’s so bad you had players like La Habra cornerback Clark Phillips … Continue reading Where Are USC Recruits In Top 100?

Did you notice Washington State’s Pat Chun, who is considered a real athletic director, took only five days after Mike Leach resigned to hire his replacement, Nick Rolovich. It took USC 11 days after the UCLA to just to announce Clay Helton would return in 2020. I bet if USC hired Chun in early November, I would not hear excuses that he needed more time … Continue reading Morning Buzz: Decision-Making Not As Complicated As USC Acts

Clay Helton is recruiting in Texas today. It seemed like Graham Harrell and Mike Jinks spent a lot of time there in December. I’m sure Todd Orlando will want to recruit there. There’s nothing wrong with going to Texas. But it feels like USC is doing it because it struck out in Southern California. USC signed two offensive linemen from Texas last month. Both three … Continue reading Apparently Texas Is Hot Spot For USC Recruiting

One thing on my mind is whether Clay Helton/Mike Bohn ever considered this when hiring a defensive coordinator: You need a good X’s and O’s guy who also is a good recruiter. A top defensive coordinator can recruit and scheme. That was what made Pete Carroll so tough during the glory days at USC. He had the defensive coordinator X’s and O’s stuff down and … Continue reading Did Clay Helton Or Mike Bohn Consider This When Hiring?

One question once Todd Orlando shows up is how much his defenses will be allowed to tackle in practices? Did he discuss this with Clay Helton? I doubt it because in the middle of last week, Helton was telling people Joe Barry was taking the job. After Barry turned it down, he spoke to Kris Richard and then apparently (was likely ordered) to interview Orlando. … Continue reading An Issue Todd Orlando Will Need To Confront

Vanderbilt is expected to hire former USC defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze, according to Al.com. Udeze spent the past season as a defensive analyst at LSU. He was fired by Clay Helton (and Clancy Pendergast) 14 months ago. Continue reading Kenechi Udeze Lands A Job

Now that Coach Bohn has hired Todd Orlando as defensive coordinator and given Graham Harrell a three-year contract, it raises an interesting question: Will he try to replace Clay Helton next season and tell him that Harrell and Orlando are included? That is not how things are usually done but USC has its coordinators, who presumably are not interested in staying for a single season … Continue reading Will Graham Harrell/Todd Orlando Outlast Clay Helton?

Todd Orlando has officially left Texas Tech, which means USC should announce his hiring in the day or two. I’ve heard from coaches that Orlando loves to blitz. Perhaps that explains why Texas ranked No. 127 in pass defense last season. Now, USC has an opening for a linebackers coach. Will Orlando hire his own guy or hire Chris Claiborne? The USC defensive staff, which … Continue reading Todd Orlando Leaves Texas Tech

USC just lost another Southern California recruit to . . . Oregon. Offensive lineman Joshua Simmons of Helix High School in San Diego, a Class of 2021 prospect, committed to the Ducks today. USC had also offered him a scholarship. Simmons is a four-star prospect and USC has had a lot of trouble landing them lately. How is it no one ever mentions offensive line … Continue reading Meanwhile, Oregon Grabs Another 4-Star From Southern California

USC has offered the defensive coordinator’s job to former Texas DC Todd Orlando, as first reported by Pete Thamel of Yahoo. Orlando got fired at Texas after giving up 446.3 yards per game last season. But he has a history of doing a pretty good job in Year 1 and then getting worse after that. That won’t bother Clay Helton because he needs a one-year … Continue reading USC Offers Defensive Coordinator Job To Todd Orlando

Where does USC go if defensive coordinator candidate Kris Richard goes to Minnesota? Is the defensive coordinator search really this complicated? I guess so if you want someone with USC connections. If you doubted Mike Bohn’s involvement in the defensive coordinator search, why did he speak to Pete Carroll? Bohn has still not composed a tweet since Dec. 4, when he announced Helton’s return. Kansas … Continue reading USC Sunday Notes: Defensive Coordinator Wanted

I’m hearing Kris Richard is talking to the Minnesota Vikings about becoming the defensive backs coach. If that happens, USC could be back at square one (again). Continue reading The Rumor Mill

Would Graham Harrell take the Eagles offensive coordinator’s job even though Doug Pederson calls the plays? I asked an NFL coach that question: “He would be an NFL offensive coordinator at age 34. That would put him in a position to be an NFL head coach in a few years. “What happens if he stays at USC and they hire an offensive-minded head coach next … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Why Would Graham Harrell Go To Eagles?

It’s been 10 years since Pete Carroll left USC but don’t think he is out of the picture. For one thing, Carroll loves to play a part in any coaching search that involves a former assistant (except Lane Kiffin). Sources tell me Mike Bohn called Carroll for advice and even brought up Kris Richard, who used to be Carroll’s defensive coordinator in Seattle. This is … Continue reading Pete Carroll Has A Role To Play In This Defensive Coordinator Search (Of Course)

USC has reached out to former Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Kris Richard for the defensive coordinator’s position. This is really a color-by-numbers search: Former USC player/coach Joe Barry Former USC player Ryan Nielsen Former USC player/graduate assistant Kris Richard The Richard-Helton pairing is the one I’ve been waiting to hear about. Richard has a fiery demeanor that has rubbed some people the wrong way. He … Continue reading Kris Richard Contacted By USC

I noticed yesterday USC fans were simply not buying a story pushed by the athletic dept. that Dave Aranda was on the verge of leaving LSU for USC before he got the Baylor job. This type of story would normally be a credibility boost for athletic director Mike Bohn and that was obviously an intent of the leak. How do I know the leak was … Continue reading The USC Fan Base Isn't Buying It

I wrote earlier this week there were rumors Graham Harrell was interviewing for other jobs and the Philadelphia Inquirer reports Harrell spoke to the Philadelphia Eagles today. Clay Helton and Mike Bohn still haven’t hired a defensive coordinator and now Harrell might leave? The USC fanboys must be wringing their hands over the thought of Harrell not calling plays next season. I wonder what Harrell’s … Continue reading Don't Doubt The Rumor Mill!

I hear Mike Bohn met with Brian Kennedy last night at the basketball game. Bohn was alerted Kennedy was at the game in lieu of Kennedy’s remarks last week that the football program was “dogshit.” Continue reading Development Of The Day

Did Joe Barry ever really want the USC defensive coordinator’s job? He showed a lot of interest once he was notified he was not getting hired as Rams defensive coordinator. Clay Helton offered him the job earlier this week and believed he would take it. Then the Rams bigfooted USC on Wednesday night and offered Barry a new contract. He accepted and remained in the … Continue reading If It's Friday, It's Time For A USC Notes Column

Joe Barry will stay with the Rams, according to the Los Angeles Times. I heard the Rams worked hard last night to get Barry to stay and offered some financial incentives. Where does this leave USC? Ryan Nielsen was denied permission. Barry was the only candidate Clay Helton interviewed. Oh, the dead period for recruiting ended today. And USC seems to be back to square … Continue reading Joe Barry Turns Down USC

Since the Holiday Bowl, I’ve seen comments about USC having a tough schedule in 2020. Now that I see it laid out, here are some thoughts: There are a lot of “if” questions? If Stanford isn’t awful again, Arizona State lives up to hype, Utah doesn’t collapse and Cal keeps Chase Garbers healthy, that could be an interesting three-game stretch. Remember too, that Pac-12 teams … Continue reading Quick Thoughts On USC Schedule