FOOTBALL

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

Is the USC marathon media blitz still going?

Mike Bohn spoke to Channel 5 on Thursday night. “At USC, our football enterprise represents 85 percent of our revenue,” Bohn said.

Also Thursday, Clay Helton spoke to NBC Sports and Bohn’s right-hand man, Brandon Sosna, was the subject of a thorough profile in the Athletic. Everything written about Sosna has been very positive.

On the other hand, I’ve heard in NFL coaching circles that people thought Sosna needed to be more mature and more professional in the way he conducted USC’s search for a defensive coordinator in January.

The main complaint was poor communication and a lack of polish on USC’s end.

A USC coaching search with poor communication? How unusual. Maybe that’s why Kris Richard walked away from a potential deal.

  • Among the athletes who are graduating from USC this week is former linebacker Chris Claiborne, 20 years after he won the Butkus Award.
  • Quite a few USC athletes were part of the 30 seniors invited to join the Skull and Dagger Honor Society: Michael Pittman (football); Anna Cockrell, Angie Annelus and Matthew Katnik (track and field); Louise Hansson (swimming); Ashleigh Plumptre (soccer player); Angela Kulikov and Brandon Holt (tennis).

It used to be such a big deal to make Skull and Dagger that when John Wayne was admitted in the 1960’s, he enthusiastically showed up for the initiation ceremony and the dinner.

  • Did you watch “Celebrity Watch Party” on Fox on Thursday night? Reggie Bush and his family on the show, where guests apparently watch the most interesting shows of the week. Bush will also be on next Thursday.

And now for some history:

  • When USC signed the worst-ranked recruiting class in school history, one of the excuses Helton made was that it was a small class with 13 players.

USC signed only 11 players on Feb. 21, 1979, the first day you could sign a letter-of-intent that year. Who signed? Don Mosebar, who was regarded by some as the top offensive lineman in the nation in his recruiting class; Bruce Matthews, an offensive lineman who played in 14 Pro Bowls; defensive lineman George Achica, an All-American who was a Lombardi Award runner-up and Morris Trophy winner (top lineman in Pac-10); Joey Browner, a safety who was USC MVP in 1982 and a first-round pick; wide receiver Malcolm Moore, a second-round NFL draft pick; Fred Cornwell, a tight end who caught the game-winning TD to beat No. 2 Oklahoma in 1981; tailback Anthony Gibson, fullbacks Bob McClanahan and Tom Jefferson; offensive lineman Steve Enright and defensive back Tim Shannon.

Now other players signed in the ensuing days but I mention those 11 to show that, yes, you can sign a pretty nice class no matter the size.

  • I’ve written articles about the shameful integration history of USC basketball under Coach Forrest Twogood. USC didn’t even have its first African-American player until 1959 (Verne Ashby).

When USC played No. 1-ranked San Francisco with Bill Russell and K.C. Jones in 1955, the Dons had five African-American players. USC had none.

  • This week, I came across a 1952-53 USC freshman basketball team photo. It appears the team had one African-American player, Carl Kinsey. But he did not play varsity basketball the following year. Now maybe he didn’t want to or didn’t make the team.

But whatever the reason, Twogood does not get the benefit of the doubt given his dubious history.

  • Have you ever been to a Roger Dunn Golf Shop? Dunn played golf at USC and was the Pacific Coast Conference Champion in 1951.

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

  1. USC football enterprise represents 85 percent of their revenue, and they put that imbecile, Clay Helton in charge of their program? 🤔 That says more about the incompetence of their athletic department, then anything else . And if you’ve ever wondered why Bozo Helton is going into his 5th season, and the Trojans are playing at a Mountain West Conference level, then wonder no more 😂

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  2. I recall a team photo of the football team in 1967 that had 5 blacks on it. It was simply a sign of the times. The great Mark Twain used the “N” word all through his literature, and I don’t think anybody would have called him a bigot. Blacks have used the word for centuries, usually in the context of trying to be humerous.

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    1. Well if Mark Twain used the N word, then I guess it’s OK if you use it too. I mean, you’re no bigot. And African Americans really don’t care, they say it all the time.

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      2. Good one. I guess it hurts to be called out for for what you really are.

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    2. Just because everyone does it or did do it at that time, doesn’t make using the N-word right. Mark Twain, and many other well known people throughout history had racist, bigoted views, and practiced them. Does not make it right. People like Twain could be great at what they did, and have skewed, narrow views as well.
      BTW if you are part of the club, you can talk all you want. I would never use derogatory words about other ethnic minorities no matter the circumstance. I’m Mexican so I can call myself whatever I want, but you may not.

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      1. Same thing with the word “bitches.”

        I’ve heard women use that with each other in a humorous and playful way with each other. But the fact that they do doesn’t make it right for me, a man, to use that word to address a woman.

        #Or,ToUseTheMoreContemporaryTerm-“Bee-yotches”

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Yeah, problem with that strategy, it allows gray areas. It’s best, I feel, to shut it down completely. Referring to yourself “cart blanche”, doesn’t do anything for racial progress. It’s flawed logic, to say the least, like telling your children, do as I say, not as I do. It takes away your moral authority, which hinders real change, whether one agrees, disagrees, it’s human nature, which can’t be completely legislated.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Damn right I’m miserable. Morons are now running (and ruining) this country thanks to President Chump. We need to get him out before he does irreparable harm.

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      4. Silly goose, that wasn’t a fox video, but a reply to one. But then what does the truth matter to a knucklehead.

        BTW, you should call your momma again, that warm squishy feeling in your loins is a clue that you need your pullups changed … but then you being full of it never mattered to you anyway.

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      5. Pudly, I guess you can’t put 2 and 2 together. Also, the fundamental flaw of that silly video is that rational people don’t “believe everything the media tells you.” What rational people do is to get their news from legitimate and respectable media sources, and then listen to what the experts who they are reporting on are saying. Then they judge for themselves.

        They do not get their news from opinion shows who distort the truth and make up “alternative facts” to suit their given political and social ideas. Talk about sheep..

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      6. You’re still a dolt. The fact someone responds without evidence and discounts numbers that are used by every analyst…yeah you tell me you’re getting the truth and no one else is. Trouble with people like you is you think belief=truth. Keep trying.
        By the way, just because you can’t add ya don’t have to project it on others.

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    2. Hilarious, Pudly … but you have to get all the way to the 3 minute mark to hear the real gold— “I can’t process information that doesn’t make me more frightened — being frightened is more congruent with my being.”

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      1. Why are people so afraid of the real numbers that are readily available? Why are restaurants so dangerous but going INTO a restaurant isn’t?

        Excuse me while I kiss the sky…

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      2. “Why are restaurants so dangerous but going INTO a restaurant isn’t?” If you could form a coherent thought I might be able to answer your question. But being coherent isn’t exactly your strong suit, hence your love of Chump.

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      3. Pudly –watch your video again. The answer to your question is somewhere around the 4 minute mark: “Instead of letting doctors decide the cause of death, I think the mandate to call every death a covid death is more accurate.”

        Liked by 3 people

    3. It was announced weeks ago that the orange and Los Angeles county fairs wouldn’t be taking place this year.

      Pudly Dumb Fuck proves once again how fucking slow and stupid he is.

      LOL!

      Ask Pud Fuck about his ” qb run quarterback”…LMFAO!

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    4. Jack Pudly76 is not only a moron, but he loves to hide behind women’s photos, and blow kisses 💋 to dudes. Ain’t that right Pops ? 😂

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  4. “I’ve written articles about the shameful integration history of USC basketball under Coach Forrest Twogood. USC didn’t even have its first African-American player until 1959 (Verne Ashby).”

    The first USC All-American (1925) was Brice Taylor, who was African American. He ran the 100 in 9.8 and played both ways – and did this all with just one hand. I guess football was different than hoops.

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  5. Friday notes….
    1. Really glad that Mr. Claiborne finished the hard work and graduated.
    Are we all interested in seeing him take a MUCH bigger role at USC FB?

    2. That 1979 FB recruiting class was a solid group: 6 of the 11 had good or great NFL careers (though some careers were short lived). Mosebar would have been a long term All-pro had he not dealt with lumbar spine injuries. Browner and Mathews were outstanding Trojans and outstanding professionals. Remember Achica’s Field Goal Block vs UCLA to preserve a last-second victory? (I can still see George going crazy running to the sidelines after the blocked kick). Unfortunately, in 2 of their 4 seasons they were excluded from Post-season bowl games due to the ticket scalping scandal.

    They were a quiet force. None were particularly vocal, but they were great leaders who worked and played the Trojan way and never embarrassed the school. Mosebar and Mathews were both excellent students–President’s honor roll most semesters. USC did score two Heismans during the group’s 4 seasons, and went 4-0 versus Notre Dame during their 4 year career. While the group was 2-2 vs UCLA during the tenure, recall that the 1982 game at the Rose Bowl would have been a tie had outgoing coach JR elected to kick the PAT instead of going for 2–which was, of course, the noble decision!
    In the two years that USC was precluded from playing for the Rose Bowl, UCLA eeked out tight wins. Without probation, the Trojans would have won both of those games (IMO). Thanks for remember a really great class, Mr Wolf.

    Liked by 6 people

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  6. Pingback: Sunday Buzz: A John Wayne-USC Story – InsideUSC with Scott Wolf

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