FOOTBALL

A Loophole Allowed Caleb Williams To Delay Announcement

Last weekend I laid out the potential scenarios for Caleb Williams and this was the top one: “Williams enrolled and USC did not announce it.”

USC knew Williams enrolled Friday night but it also knew that was meaningless until Williams actually showed up for classes, which happened today. It also knew that Williams would determine when he would allow his announcement. He called the shots, not USC.

Player power!

The loophole was Williams had to enroll on Friday but also had until Tuesday to start attending classes, a small fact USC neglected to mention.

Now Williams needs an offensive line and defense worthy of his own talent.

Jaxson Dart obviously knew Williams enrolled Friday because he then committed to Mississippi.

What is amazing to me is how confident Lincoln Riley and Co. were they were getting Williams. I wrote that the McKay Center was abuzz with that talk nearly as soon as Riley got hired. And no one ever wavered despite stories of Williams looking at other schools.

One other note: Guess this mean JT Daniels won’t be coming back to USC.

130 thoughts on “A Loophole Allowed Caleb Williams To Delay Announcement”

  2. When Lincoln Riley signs players to control the line of scrimmage then I’ll be impressed. USC use to be the Mecca of offensive linemen prior to Steve Sarkisian, and Clay Helton, and now they’re the complete opposite, which is why they can’t compete with the big boys. Players make coaches, not the other way around, so Riley better get the linemen he needs, or he’ll just be another Sarkisian or Helton.

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      1. Never say never MG. Did any of us expect an unqualified Coach such as CH would be extended and kept that long here?
        Hope common sense is there at the Top always!

        Liked by 3 people

      3. Ha! In all the excitement I forgot about the Swann Extension and the Law of Infinite Repetition …..
        [You didn’t have to scare me, N.I.M.]…..

        Liked by 2 people

      4. I thought there would never be another Paul “Can’t” Hackett, yet
        Gomer sat in the throne for the better part of a decade.

        Liked by 6 people

    2. Wisconsin gets nothing but 3 star athletes and builds a great offensive line out of it – although it takes time. We have a really good coaching staff now. They are landing many 5 star athletes. In 2023, USC is going to be a top 5 recruiting school.

      Riley is being very selective about who he recruits. He needs to create the right culture at USC. It would be easy to recruit players that were attracted to the glitter of USC. That is now what they are trying to do.

      Give it a little time. They will build the culture and the line of scrimmage.

      Liked by 4 people

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    3. I agree. So strange that the college football playoff teams clearly demonstrate to programs what’s needed to compete for the natty. Physical dominance. Let’s wait and see.

      Liked by 2 people

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  3. I have written this before, but if quarterbacks’ talent could be quantified, how much better is Williams than Dart?– SC had a fine QB in Dart, one who excited the SC masses against Washington St in his debut. He could throw and run, and was popular with his teammates. The Portal had Williams listed at 100 and Dart at 99, the 1-2 guys in the Portal “draft”

    However, as our Ed exclaims over and over, “But SC needs defensive people to offset the offensive people they has to brang in.”

    Otherwise, the quarterback may as well be all the way back playing fullback, where at least he will be safer.

    I am playing around here a little bit. It is a happy day for all Trojan fans, but mark it as a mere beginning and the start of a journey to once again be the kingpin of the West, the team the SEC and Big-10 will have to go through to win National Championships!

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    1. I thin it comes down to the system. CW knows the system and can help bring others up to speed. JD would have been learning along with the rest of the team. To me, that’s the only real differentiating factor.

      Liked by 3 people

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    3. Dart isn’t that good. Did they even win any of the games he started? I don’t think so. Dude threw the ball all over the place and was lucky the opposing secondaries all had hands of stone.

      Liked by 1 person

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    4. Dart was really good. I hated to lose him. I just don’t think that he is as good as this guy. I think Williams will prove to be more durable. He’s got a bigger body.

      Liked by 2 people

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      1. Let’s revisit this later after we see how Dart does over with Lane. Hope I’m wrong as I wish the kid no ill will and hope he’s wildly successful. I didn’t see anything last year that he did to deserve the platitudes he garnered or here and in the media

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Loophole? Why would any university be allowed to announce to the world any student is attending without that student’s permission, unless that is protocol for all students? I’d feel a bit strange had USC announced my admission to the world without asking me first, unless it was part of some global publication that included everyone’s names. Don’t ask me why they would want to do that for me in the first place, but the point is…this was not some kind of special power that CW wielded over the university. It’s just common courtesy to make sure he’s OK with it.

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    2. Okay. You’re obviously right, Jeffrey. But I still like Scott’s “Esoteric Loophole” theory better….
      #ItMayNotMakeSense…
      #…ButIt’sMoreFun

      Liked by 2 people

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    3. I don’t know, I was such a nobody when entering USC that I would have paid the university to announce my name

      P.S. Ever think of writing an autobiography of yourself, calling it ‘The Autobiography of a Nobody,” and then if it sells, you can follow up with “The Amended Autobiography of a Somebody”

      Liked by 2 people

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  5. Scott, how do you know CW called the shots? Not to say he didn’t but your portrayal may be inaccurate and irresponsible, as I’m assuming you have zero, inside info.
    Is it possible that there was work that still needed to be completed behind the scenes…NIL, compliance, triple-checking all tampering issues that OU might claim, etc?
    Obviously none of us know and can only speculate.

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    1. onewayusc, I hear ya, my friend —but please don’t bring rationality and/or logic to this site…
      #It’sTakenUsALongWhileToDevelopOur”Brand”

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      3. I laughed out loud with that one, ol’ buddy.

        Actually, my “sources” tell me that Scottie’s “sources” are all in his imagination.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. John,
        According to Socrates that’s not a bad place for your “sources” to be located— check out Plato’s Apology 31c-d and 40 a-c and 41 c-d.
        #ScottWolf –Behind&AheadOfHisTime

        Liked by 1 person

  6. I wonder whatever happened to that guy around here who was soul-bonded to Dave Aranda and his endless notebook full of trite, meaningless (but doughty) cliches.

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    1. I don’t know if I am that guy Wilsonreade that was bonded to Aranda. I am on the record as being an Aranda fan and still think he would’ve been a great fit for USC. He’s a tough no-nonsense defensive coach and the program needed that back in November. But now that we have LR, I am going to support him and must admit he has turned the whole dynamic of the program 180 degrees in 2 months.

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      2. I think LR wants to win a national championship and soon he will find out that you can’t do it the way Chip Kelly has always tried to do it….by outscoring your opponent. When that happens they will go for a great DC and now the administration will support it. I disagree with everyone about Folt and Bohn. They have changed the culture somewhat whereas now the university is willing to spend the money. They would never had brought in LR under Max Nakias. One of the first things that Folt did when she took over was call Lynn Swann (a USC legend) into her office and fire him. That told me that she was trying to change the culture. Then she hired Bohn, who I think is a good AD(light years ahead of the last 2 AD’s). But I understand that nobody will agree with that.

        Liked by 5 people

      3. Since the threading sucks, Parcelman: he and I are talking about the Baylor coach. Nothing to do with Riley

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    2. I dont think I ever discussed his cliches, but I really like Aranda as HC and prefer a defensive-minded head coach, but Riley is one of the few offensively minded head coaches who rises to the top of my list. I never thought we could land him.

      My list included Aranda, Venables, Lanning, Clawson. I never really wanted Matt Campbell, I just think that Campbell is satisfied with winning 9 games.

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      1. I still say you are taking a chance with Venebles and Lanning. They’ve never been HC’s before. Because you are a great co-ordinator or position coach doesn’t mean you will be a great HC.

        Liked by 2 people

    3. I am still an Aranda fan, and posted daily that he was the #1 choice.

      Heck, I think Aranda is still my first choice. Nevertheless, I’ll take Riles and Caleb any day. We’re getting better. Might actually see some fans in the Coliseum in September/October?

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    1. Caleb Williams:
      “I wanted to go somewhere I thought would provide me with the best development both on and off the field,”

      “Getting to know Coach Riley and gaining familiarity with his offense definitely played a part in my selection, as well as already knowing some the guys on the team.”

      “I want to get to work right away, earn the trust of my teammates, win championships and help bring USC back to being a top-rated program,”

      NIL “didn’t have any impact on my decision.”

      “Honestly, this was a huge decision and we wanted to weigh all of our options and see what school would best prepare me for the next level,”

      “USC obviously has a great football history when it comes to national championships and Heisman winners,”

      “But aside from football, the school itself, and the city, gives me a chance to really seek out and explore other interests I have off the field.”

      Liked by 1 person

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      2. Caleb Williams saying all the right things and I don’t doubt his sincerity. Seems like the father Carl put the brakes on the transfer process and took a deliberative approach.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. This young fella is different. No holding a press conference and moving a bunch of different team’s hats around on a table…sounds like his dad is well-grounded.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Johnwolcott – as someone with experience at both schools I can tell you factually the talent at OU was on par, and the difference is psychological profile due to high divorce rate in SoCal was stunning. Lots of romping in Norman too!

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      1. Michael,

        I being a lineman, you can never have enough of them. When we played, the coaches called rbs, qb’s, receiver’s and db’s fairies. Tight ends were its, and linemen human. it is proven that linemen are the smartest on the field. We used to call audibles for the qb and we ran the offense in terms of what we felt was best for the offense. Once in awhile we would allow the qb to call an audible. We called audibles on who we had to block. If they had 4 linemen on our side and only three linemen on our side, we would tell the qb to run the play on the opposite side.

        Liked by 3 people

      2. Ha! Love it! You are the third lineman who has explained that to me in just those terms, P.T. !
        #I’mABeliever
        #[Don’tLetCarolHearYouSay”Fairies”,Though…
        #[…YouDon’tFindThoseOnHer”PathOfRighteousness”]…

        Liked by 2 people

  9. All this loophole stuff does not matter we have our qb now. Caleb, must attend classes, and study just like any other USC student. It’s up to him now to maintain a GPA that will keep him elgible, and the USC athletic compliance team must make sure he is not receiving any extra benefits which would put the university and team in jeopardy.

    Welcome to USC Caleb………! Let’s get USC back where it belongs at the top of college football.

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    1. Yes! [Although I’d add that it’s “up to Caleb and his specially selected instructors to maintain his GPA” —remember I’m Sicilian and I kinda prefer the “Goodfellas” approach to academics]…..

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      1. Speaking of Goodfellas, you recall how tebow used to post that scene from the movie with Ray Liotta laughing like a maniac?

        Fewer and fewer trolls since Riley became coach…

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Wow! Great fricking point. Someone needs to post that scene in tebow’s honor today….
        #GoneButNotForgotten
        #[WeCanPostItAgainInNovember –Yes,IWentThere]….

        Liked by 2 people

      3. This was at high school level, but my high school was tougher than a lot of colleges in academics. I laugh at how people say how hard it is to get into a ugly, usc,s Stanford, cal, etc. My high school was sending kids to harvard, yale stanford, air force, navy, brown, cal, ugly, usc, and there were many that went to those schools.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. I hate to admit it, but I miss some of those NASA tinfoil hat posts of his in which the moon landing was filmed in a garage in Tampa on a $500 budget, just to shake the blog up a bit.

        What did he say? “I’m Laughing so Hard I bust my gut?” Something like that?

        Liked by 1 person

    2. An athlete like Caleb will have all kinds of help in his studies and will take a course load that is as easy as pie, if he wants. I’m not worried about that at all.

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      2. Well, SOMEONE who can sign in for you has to go to class….
        #IfYouCatchMyDrift
        #[WhenItComesToRulesIt’sBestToThink’Sicilian’]

        Liked by 1 person

      3. USC is maybe the toughest place to stay eligible. Remember Chauncey Washington? There are no easy majors because the core GE classes everyone had to take are very tough – especially if you’re not already a great writer. Sample oversaw those changes. UCs have some bs majors, Stanford has massive grade inflation. I recall talking to an ex-Duke kicker who laughed while telling me about his golf course Mgt degree. No easy roads these days to a USC degree.

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  10. It’s true that he, technically, doesn’t need spring practice. He doesn’t have to learn the offense. It’s the same offense that he ran at Oklahoma. But the receivers are not all the same. A QB needs to gain a complete and thorough knowledge of each receiver(their moves, their relative speed, their leaping ability, their speed off of a cut…..). You only get that from getting on the field and throwing to them. He needs spring practice and the summer throwing workouts.

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  11. “Where is that Rents to Owns fella from LA State? The guy who thought that this superman fella Cal Williams was gonna transfur to that state with all the cowz? Me and the missus are never gonna take his bettin’ advice again, smdh.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. The fact Owns showed up at all today is a testament to his “protracted gallantry under fire”….
      #[IThinkThoseWereTheWordsChurchillUsedWhenPinningMedals]

      Liked by 1 person

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    2. I’m right here ’67.

      You can’t deny I was right about one bozo FB game:

      Alabama 52 – The mighty bozo’s 6

      #SUCC shocks the world…..choka, choka, choka, choke.
      #Once again, who’s blocking and tackling for Clown U FB.

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  12. NEWS UPDATE! OWNS has just turned in his UCLA Season Tickets and will now purchase USC Season Tickets. Not only is he is afraid UCLA will be evicted from the Rose Bowl this season due to late rent payments, but he knows with Caleb and Lincoln in town it is time to surrender.

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      1. After following college football for many years, I’m convinced that there are a lot of people out there who dred hearing or reading these 5 words: CALEB WILLIAMS SIGNED WITH USC. There really are a lot of Trojan haters out there.

        Liked by 5 people

      3. Parcel, you know you’re doing something right when you have a lot of haters. I dislike the Yankees and Alabama for no other reason than I’m tired of always seeing them in the championship.

        Heck, the same can be said of 45. Ask someone which of his policies they didn’t like. Odds are they can’t name one.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Very few even allow ucla fans. I’d feel terrible if owns had to spend the big $$ to try go get buried where Sam Gilbert is located.

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Hey sports fans, any of you fellas and ladys recollec Cal Worthington? Is this Cal Williams related to Cal Worthington? Bought my pinto from Cal, dam car has been nothing but trouble. Cal wouldn’t give me a dam refund. smdh.

    Liked by 1 person

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      2. Cal (and his dog “Spot”) made Long Beach what it is today…God bless him, right up there with the clothing guy Scottie was posting.

        #TheGoldenYearsofLosAngeles

        Liked by 1 person

      6. A beautiful story —I’m not embarrassed to say it brought a little tear to my eye. [I peed next to Rachel Maddow once at Mars Bar & Grill in San Francisco].

        Liked by 2 people

  14. SC ought to go big after Kevonte Henry. He’s a 4 star LB from right here in Lawndale. He’s a verbal commit to Michigan but now the latest is that Harbaugh is about to become the HC of the Minnesota Vikings. I would also check to see if there is anyway that the other commits who have signed with Michigan might be able to get out of that obligation now that Harbaugh is gone(if he is gone) since that’s why they came to Michigan.

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      2. The problem is that he has already signed a LOI. But maybe if Harbaugh leaves he can get an exemption.

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  15. Cal Worthington is still alive today- His name is Mike Bohn. Go see Mike for a used car!! Anyone here remember Earl Schieb- “I will paint any car for $29.99 no ups no extras!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. It was a sad day when, after several years, Earl’s spiel shifted to any car, any color for THIRTY NINE NINETY NINE…….
      #WhoCouldRespectHimAfterThat?!

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Inflashun…looks what it did to the price of auto paint! That $10 extra made me and the missus paint the pinto ourselves. I told the missus that left-over egg shell kitchun paint was no dam good for a car but she didnt listen. smdh.

        Liked by 1 person

  16. Aranda woulda been a helluva hire. Riley IS a helluva hire. Don’t know if any of yall saw this online, but somebody leaked vid of Clays exit interview. Even a blind man will be able to see how far we’ve come. Give it time, the OL calvary will be here before you know

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      1. Fredo learned two things that day:
        1. Never go on a private boat ride with a hitman.
        2. Rainbow Glitter Power Bait woulda been the better call. Lake trout are way to savvy to fall for the ol’ “blessed worm” trick.

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Fredo didn’t really have time to “learn” anything…. “not in the usual sense” [as Chigurh put it in “No Country for Old Men”]……

        Like

      3. Good call Counselor. To have learned implies a different approach in similar situation, and as we all know, the only thing Fredo would be catching was a bullet in da head, not a break. For the record, knowing there were gooder wurds to use than “learned” left me with a wee bit of senders remorse after posting.
        I probably shoulda gone with “realized”. Figure it was a blustery day, lots of chop on the water, they were cruisin’ in an alum tub powered by a hamster wheel, presumably to the middle of Lake Tahoe. That takes a lot of time. How much time? Enough time for Fredo to realize he forgot to put away his Belgian Fetish Porn collection. Left it on the coffee table for all to see

        Liked by 1 person

  18. Final opinions:

    Celeb aka Caleb will be an upgrade of the quarterback position over Dart if Celeb
    does not go ‘Hollywood’ on us

    SC might be able to recruit itself again. For example, “Look Kid, you might not make it to the NFL, but you will be getting an A+ education at SC if you decide to attend classes

    Wiley Riley has that Central USA charm that works on the street-hardened Los Angeles teenage footballers.

    Wiley Riley still needs a stable of offensive and defensive juggernauts to make all this work.

    However, SC may only need to beat out Utah to qualify for the “Final-4” Tournament in 2022. He has the easiest path to qualifying. But it will take at least another year of recruitment to become a “real” player in the National Scene.

    Bill Clinton, forget his politics, he was a national personality-treasure, and he might have exclaimed if prodded, “SC is for me, SC is for you, SC is for everybody on this special night.”

    Liked by 2 people

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    2. “SC only has to beat out Utah.” I’m not sure I’d put it that way, John —Utah is probably gonna be a heavy lift.
      Aside: I’ve changed my view of Bill Clinton (I now realize he was a venal asshole) —but during his presidency I admired the charm he brought to the job. It was the first time America had an Errol Flynn-type in the White House —and, at the time, every new story of seduction only made me like him better. Knowing what I know now, though, it’s pretty hard to excuse the shit he was up to.

      Liked by 1 person

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      2. Bubba was another one-off. Truth be told, sorry for the politics, but corrupt politicians who operated like Bill did back in the day (and somehow seemed to pretty much get the country to run ok) do much less damage to the country than today’s politicians.

        Liked by 1 person

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