Five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews of Lilburn, Ga., will announce his commitment on Wednesday at 4 p.m. His final four are USC, Tennessee, Georgia and Clemson. He visited USC four weeks ago. The Trojans are considered a long shot. Which leads to a follow-up question: What has The Tommy Group, led by Keyshawn Johnson, done since it formed in February? I haven’t see a single … Continue reading USC Notes: Recruiting Announcement Looms

It’s a good time to talk to college coaches before training camp starts, so I spoke to a Big 12 coach about USC. “Their defense lacked toughness,” the coach said. “That’s not a new trait for a Lincoln Riley team. But it was probably something USC fans didn’t expect. “They have a chance this season to rectify that. But will they? They are going to … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: It’s All About The Defense

This is an awful time of the year because I invariably get sent something that says a player or coach is “doing work.” A coach recruiting is “doing work.” A player lifting weights is “doing work.” A recruit breaking up a pass at a 7-on-7 is “doing work.” It’s so tedious. All these people are doing “their jobs.” Like everyone else in their positions across … Continue reading Please Bury The Phrase “Doing WorK”

BYU coach Kalani Sitake attended his first Big 12 media day after the Cougars were an independent. “I got some tips from (quarterback) Kedon Slovis,” Sitake said. “He’s been to more media days than I have.” He coached at USC from 1999-2009 and with the Seahawks from 2010-2016. He is currrently senior pastor at Evergreen Baptist Church in La Puente. This will upset more recent members of the … Continue reading USC Notes: A Familiar Face Returns To Coaching

Not that it wasn’t obvious previously, but the NCAA continues to show that it went too far with USC’s penalties more than 10 years ago. Tennessee committed more than 200 individual infractions but got no bowl ban and fined $8 million by the NCAA. The Vols will also have a 28-scholarship reduction. But Tennessee has already self-imposed 18 scholarships, a number that covers the past … Continue reading Saturday Buzz: Tennessee Gets Better Treatment Than USC

The ACC on The CW. Some are making jokes about this TV deal but I’d have been thrilled to see USC games on The CW the past 10 years instead of the Pac-12 Network. A channel people actually can watch is better than a non-existent channel. Or streaming. “Man, I don’t know where they get this stuff,” he said. That’s USC coach Jess Hill next … Continue reading If It’s Friday, It’s Time For A USC Notes Column