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If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column

USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson certainly made the right decision to turn pro after getting picked 18th by the Miami Dolphins.

Is it ironic that Jackson got drafted in the first round but Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa did not? The night of the Holiday Bowl, some fans might be surprised by that fact.

Jackson is the first USC offensive lineman to be selected in the first round since 2012, which is a great illustration of the current predicament of the program. In 1968, USC had two offensive linemen drafted in the first 10 picks. More on that below.

  • The first round of the NFL Draft was not great for California players.

Here is where the players were from by state: Texas 7; Florida, Georgia, Louisiana 3; Alabama 2; Ohio, Maryland, Hawaii, Oregon, Kentucky, Kansas, Virginia, Iowa, South Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, California, New York 1.

The state of Alabama had more first-round picks than California, New Jersey or New York.

  • JT Daniels can breathe a sigh of relief. The NCAA considered having its one-time transfer waiver go into effect in 2021-22. But it is now expected to go into effect in 2020-21.
  • Former USC defensive lineman Malik Jackson and fellow Southern California native-NFL player Leon Jackson are providing lunches for doctors and nurses at L.A. County-USC Medical Center.
  • Did Kliff Kingsbury buy a house or a mausoleum in Arizona?
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  • Everyone remembers the Phantom Touchdown scored by Charles White in the 1979 Rose Bowl. The funny part is a Pac-10 ref, who was the umpire, ruled it a fumble and change of possession by placing the ball on the 1-yard line. But the Big Ten official (line judge) came over and signaled a touchdown. Can’t blame this one of the Pac-10 refs.
USC Rose Bowl Flashbacks – InsideUSC with Scott Wolf
  • I wrote a lot about field goals this week. Did you know USC did not kick a field goal from 1936-48? After Max Belko kicked a 40-yarder against Montana in 1935, no Trojan kicked a field goal until Frank Gifford made a 22-yarder against Cal in 1949.
  • Here’s another one: Glen Walker, who played in 1975-76, had 8 field goals of 40 yards or more. That equaled USC’s total of such field goals prior to 1975.
  • Alabama had four offensive players drafted in the first round. That is the first time it’s happened since USC had four in 1968 (offensive tackle Ron Yary, offensive tackle Mike Taylor, running back Mike Hull, wide receiver Earl McCullouch). The Trojans actually had five first-round picks when you add linebacker Tim Rossovich).
  • Below, from left to right, Taylor, Yary, Rossovich, Hull and McCullough share a moment with teammate, O.J. Simpson, who a year later would be the No. 1 pick in the 1969 NFL Draft.

Photo/@NotesnaScorcard

13 thoughts on “If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column”

  1. Austin Jackson is a developmental player according to all the scouts, and everybody raves about his athleticism. I never saw him dominate anybody at the college level, but obviously the potential is there.

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    1. Don’t you have anything better to do then read, and absorb my posts, old man/ pudly 76/? And either put a Male picture on your profile, or something else, because you have this thing of always trying to identifying as a female. Clay Helton is a heterosexual, so stop trying to lead him own by posing as a little bitch . 😂😂

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      1. Absorbing? Yeah that warm yellow liquid pouring on your head is me “absorbing” your post..
        Beep off little fella

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    2. Perhaps you are correct but that would make him a developmental player worth $7.9 M guaranteed. BTW he heroically took time off losing a substantial amount of weight during the offseason, not to mention the time away from lifting- to donate bone marrow and save his sister’s life. For a developmental player, guy has his priorities in order and his head on straight.

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  3. Love Kliff’s spot. He’s livin’ the good life. At least for now. He’s certainly got Lady Luck on his side, even if he has no lady at his side. And the Austin Jackson/Epenesa debate? That was one game, with one guy in a USC uniform who hadn’t practiced enough, who hadn’t been coached well enough, and who wasn’t developed enough against a player who doesn’t have the athleticism nor the speed that Jackson has. Epenesa is slow. Epenesa projects to be a backup at best. There are better, more athletic edge guys down the line – one happens to have transferred out of SC – that will be playing on Sundays. I’m not surprised that Jackson, who will be great at the next level went before Epenesa.

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