USC freshman defensive tackle Deijon Laffitte has entered the transfer portal. He was a promising prospect but in a way you can see why he would leave. Lincoln Riley kept talking all spring about wanting another defensive tackle and USC is hosting Michigan State defensive tackle Derrick Harmon on Friday. So what role could Laffitte expect to play? I seem to remember Riley saying he … Continue reading The Portal Keeps Swirling

Jayden Maiava looked like the best QB in Saturday’s scrimmage, when he completed 15 of 17 passes for 172 yards with one TD and one interception. I’ve heard some schools have actually put out feelers to see if Maiava would consider transferring from USC but the quarterback has rebuffed any interest. That’s how it works. Schools are always checking given the way players move around … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Players Are Always Being Courted

Penn State wide receiver Keandre Lambert-Smith, who was being heavily recruited by USC, has committed to Auburn. USC still wants to add a wide receiver. Continue reading USC Wide Receiver Target Transfers To Auburn

Carol Folt has been keeping a low profile but she made a statement about Reggie Bush getting his Heisman Trophy back. “I am so happy for Reggie and the entire Trojan Family. He won our hearts during his illustrious career and deserved to have his well-earned honor restored,” said Folt. “We are looking forward to celebrating with him and his family and are proud we … Continue reading USC Notes: Another Busy Day On Campus

Thankfully, this is a subject we will no longer have to hear about. Reggie Bush has been given his 2005 Heisman Trophy back as the Heisman Trust announced Wednesday the formal “reinstatement” of the trophy. Why now? The Heisman Trust said it was because of “enormous changes in the college football landscape.” “Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Reggie Bush Gets Heisman Back

Former USC forward Vince Iwuchukwu has committed to St. John’s. He averaged 5.5 points and 3.8 boards last season. His sister will be a freshman on the USC women’s basketball team in the fall. What are the odds Rick Pitino gets more out of him than Andy Enfield? Will No. 1 overall pick cry? Yes      +700     (7/1) No         -2000   (1/20) Primary color of … Continue reading USC Notes: Some Unusual NFL Draft Bets

I’m told that in post-scrimmage conversations, USC’s coaching staff would like to add 2 defensive tackles; 1-2 offensive linemen; a wide receiver and perhaps even a tight end, if a suitable candidate is available. There even some consideration to adding another linebacker but that was a backburner issue. This certainly sounds like more activity than was projected about 4-5 weeks ago by Lincoln Riley. It’s … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Post-Spring Needs Change

There was a club basketball showcase over the weekend and during a game, you know what a couple coaches said? That a coach of one of top five high school programs in California was already upset from dealing with Eric Musselman. I didn’t take their word for it, so I checked with someone who has known the high school coach for years to check it … Continue reading USC Notes: Coaches Trying Hard For Wide Receiver

USC got a commitment Sunday from Florida State cornerback Greedy Vance. Vance appeared in all 14 games with five starts last season and recorded 18 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups. He was competing to play nickel back at Florida State spring practice. It shows USC’s coaching staff isn’t as confident as some fans regarding the secondary. Wright did not participate in spring practice … Continue reading Morning Buzz: A Lot Going On At USC

I’m trying to remember when a spring game really mattered at USC. The day before the 2003 spring game, Pete Carroll named Matt Leinart the starting quarterback. Leinart then looked average in the spring game. Did it mean anything for the fall? Nope. But with a marquee program like USC, the hype sometimes becomes so overwhelming, a spring game can either confirm or contradict it. … Continue reading USC Sunday Buzz: Some Spring Game Thoughts

Here are the stats for the spring scrimmage. For all the talk about the USC secondary, the quarterbacks completed 37-46 passes for 396 yards and two TD’s. But those 4 interceptions stood out. Passing C-A-I Yds TD Long SackMOSS, Miller 16-21-2 133 1 19 0MAIAVA, Jayden 15-17-1 172 1 27 0JENSEN, Jake 6-8-1 91 0 36 1 Rushing No. Gain Loss Net TD Lg AvgPETERSON, … Continue reading USC Freaks And (Stat) Geeks

If you need a spring game takeaway, is the defense’s improvement going to offset the ordinary look of the offense? Miller Moss with a short TD pass. So far, Jayden Maiva has outplayed Miller Moss. Miller Moss throws another interception on tipped pass and Prophet Brown goes 100-yards for TD. Tough day for Moss. Third-string offense scores a TD as running back Bryan Jackson has … Continue reading USC Spring Scrimmage Live

The USC spring scrimmage is today! One last chance for the Pac-12 Network to get you if you are not actually going to the Coliseum. Unlike some, I don’t like to overreact to spring games because the roster is missing players who will be here in the fall, especially in the transfer portal era. I’d say the things to watch today are the overall approach … Continue reading It’s Spring Scrimmage Day!

The way USC players are raving about the defense’s new aggressive philosophy, I expect to see them disrupt Miller Moss and Co. on Saturday at the Coliseum. That’s the expectation, anyways. It would have been a smart move for Eric Musselman to hire Hart but I’m not sure Hart wanted to work for him. And now for some history: But he was widely respected in … Continue reading If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column

Bear Alexander signed a new NIL deal in late March with the USC collective. Then this announcement came out yesterday. Does it illustrate why Alexander reversed course after he was supposed to enter the transfer portal? You mean it wasn’t playing for Coach “Henny” that swayed him but NIL dollars? I really hope Alexander shows the same desire on the field. I'm excited to join … Continue reading Show Me The Money

Former USC defensive lineman Jay Toia is leaving UCLA and entering the transfer portal. He is expected to get substantial NIL offers, which makes USC a candidate to get him back. Remember, the coaching staff Toia clashed with is gone from when he originally was at USC. Maybe Bronny shouldn’t have gone to the same school as the No. 1 freshman point guard in the … Continue reading USC Notes: Will Jay Toia Get NIL Offer?

Do you think Jon Chu, who directed the film “Crazy Rich Asians” is now thrilled to be the keynote speaker at USC’s commencement on May 10? Chu graduated from USC in 2003. He was probably gratified when USC asked him to speak and announced it on March 7. Today? Well . . . Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: A Double-Edged Honor

When does the Muss Bus get started? USC’s got three players on the roster and two commitments since Eric Musselman was hired. There are a lot offers to transfers so we’ll see when they start committing. #RespectMyDecision 🤣 pic.twitter.com/5FlAz61hUX — Scott Drew (@BUDREW) April 17, 2024 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Continue reading USC Notes: Time To Get Bus Rolling

Lincoln Riley said Tuesday defensive backs Kamari Ramsey and Jacobe Covington improved their stock the most this spring. Ramsey is a bit of an odd answer. He was an established starter when he transferred from UCLA. He’s expected to make an impact. He will start. So is it a surprise if he’s performing in 13 spring practices? Covington is more of a Riley-type answer. But … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Beware Spring Accolades

Lincoln Riley said today that USC will play a half of football for the spring scrimmage Saturday. Maybe they can charge half price. Continue reading The Spring Half-Game

The transfer portal is open today. What’s the over/under on how long it takes for USC to land its first transfer? And will it be an offensive or defensive lineman? Offensive linemen should be top priority. Fully developed offensive linemen. Because that’s not a forte of this staff. You want a crazy stat for basketball? There are currently 12 McDonald’s All-Americans in the transfer portal … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Transfer Portal Madness

It was only a couple months ago that Lincoln Riley talked about how developing players needed to be a bigger priority than getting players through the transfer portal. Well, it seems like this week the Trojans are shopping for offensive linemen, defensive linemen and maybe a wide receiver via the transfer portal. What happened to player development? It’s a noble goal but once you start … Continue reading Morning Buzz: USC Back In Portal Despite Initial Doubts

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Here are the areas you need to keep an eye on during Saturday’s spring scrimmage: Offensive line; defensive line; secondary. Those were the areas of concern a year ago. A USC coach told me this weekend that the defensive position groups should look better but they haven’t consistently looked better in practices. UPDATED: Longstreet committed … Continue reading USC Sunday Buzz: Areas Of Concern Look Familiar

USC scrimmaged today at the Coliseum but it was closed to the media and public. Lincoln Riley spoke afterward — or did not speak — about the transfer of defensive tackle Isaiah Raikes. “It’s something we’re all dealing with,” Riley said. USC will try to add some interior defensive linemen via the transfer portal, Riley said. He also said Vanderbilt defensive lineman Nate Clifton has … Continue reading Lincoln Riley Talks (And Doesn’t Talk) USC Defensive Line

Defensive lineman Isaiah Raikes, a transfer from Texas A&M, has entered the transfer portal. Raikes is another player who has been at USC for three months. His name has been removed from the roster so I guess Coach Henny couldn’t save this one. The 320-pound Raikes was supposed to play a role in making the defensive line bigger. USC will definitely be looking for another … Continue reading Isaiah Raikes Enters Transfer Portal

USC freshman offensive lineman Jason Zandamela, who spent a grand total of three months on campus, is entering the transfer portal, according to On3. Zandamela was rated by some services as the No. 1 interior lineman in the country for the Class of 2024. There were a lot of rumors he would decommit and go to Florida State but he stuck with USC — for … Continue reading USC Loses Freshman Linemen

O.J. Simpson is arguably the best tailback in USC history and his jersey is still displayed at the Coliseum. But USC has not mentioned his death today and it’s unlikely to, despite Simpson winning a Heisman Trophy. It’s a difficult issue for USC. Simpson was a great player but his legacy is forever tarnished. I’m sure there were some awkward conversations in the athletic dept. … Continue reading It’s An Awkward Day For USC

O.J. Simpson, the former USC Heisman Trophy winner, who was accused of and ultimately acquitted of the brutal 1994 slayings of his ex-wife and her friend, has died, according to his family. He was 76. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: O.J. Simpson Dies

I’ll expand on this tomorrow but whoever is doing PR for USC defensive line coach Eric Henderson deserves a raise. This was the standing ovation by Arkansas fans … for John Tyson at John Calipari’s introduction. Razorback fans have PACKED Bud Walton Arena. pic.twitter.com/Be56EKrRsY — John Fanta (@John_Fanta) April 10, 2024 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Continue reading USC Late Notes: There’s A Birthday To Celebrate

There’s a delusional part of the USC fan base that thinks USC won’t miss Caleb Williams especially after watching the offense in the Holiday Bowl. Well, here’s a stat from NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler: Williams did not throw an interception at USC in 199 pass attempts on third-and-fourth down. That’s quite an accomplishment when you consider how bad USC’s offensive line has been. Is … Continue reading USC Won’t Miss Caleb Williams?

So is defensive tackle suddenly a position where USC needs to hit the transfer portal? The coaches will want someone who can be a disruptive force on the line of scrimmage. At his best, Bear Alexander did that. There was also the late hit at the end of the Utah game, which helped the Utes get a field goal. One thing with hyped-up players. Ask … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Money Well Spent?

The speculation was true as Bear Alexander has entered the transfer portal, according to On3. The amount of attention Alexander received was ridiculous, thanks to the fact he transferred from Georgia. I’ve been consistent about Alexander: He was inconsistent. Some of the fanboys, however, who sang his praises will now criticize him. Whatever issues he had, the fact is the defensive line is not better … Continue reading Bear Alexander Enters Transfer Portal

USC fans will not enjoy looking at this chart from football date specialist Parker Fleming that predicts less than 7 wins for the Trojans. Fleming obviously hasn’t spoken to Lincoln Riley. 2024 Big Ten Win Totals, v0.1 pic.twitter.com/mQyMsMwFZW — parker fleming (@statsowar) April 8, 2024 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Continue reading USC Notes: A Dour Prediction For Big Ten

Should Arkansas and Kentucky send USC athletic director Jen Cohen a thank-you letter? Arkansas is expected to hire John Calipari to replace Eric Musselman and doesn’t have to pay anything for a buyout. Kentucky gets rid of Calipari for free. If it fired Calipari, it owed him $32 million. KILLA MILLA'S GOT 15!!! 2️⃣ MINUTES LEFT pic.twitter.com/fnSXrTArqY — South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 7, … Continue reading Morning Buzz: USC Plays Part In Massive Chain Reaction