Are you reading the preseason preview magazines? How many of them list USC special teams as a concern? I know one does because I wrote the preview for it. Who else? This is the time of year when it’s easy to overlook special teams. Don’t forget USC had the worst special teams in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked the Trojans No. … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Are Preseason Magazines Highlighting This?

It seems like more football recruits are committing this summer than normal. And in a way, it makes sense. The culprit is the transfer portal. High school players are worried these days about getting a scholarship because colleges are using the transfer portal so much to build their rosters. So if you want to play it safe, it’s better to commit to a school in … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Early Commitments Symptom Of Modern Game

This is a busy season for high school football and basketball recruits, though not necessarily the best examples of the sport. Club basketball offers little defense, less coaching, questionable effort and often shows how unskilled players are on the perimeter. And 7-on-7 football seems to be following suit in offering a product that bears little resemblance to actual football, especially at the club level. Fundamentals … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Busy Time For Recruits, For Better or Worse

USC and Oregon each have a 3.65 average star rating for their current recruiting classes. Deyvid Palepale, a three-star defensive lineman, committed to USC on Saturday. Offensive linemen JacQawn McRoy, a three-star offensive tackle committed to Oregon. Whatever you want to say about the Ducks, they seem to get offensive linemen. They still expected to land four-star offensive tackle Brandon Baker from Mater Dei. Continue reading Sunday Buzz: USC And Oregon Neck And Neck

I’ve run pictures of USC fans/rallies from the 1950’s to show how much more intense it seemed fans were in those days. Perhaps this is even harder proof: A UCLA parade/rally on Westwood Blvd. in 1951, two days after the Bruins upset No. 11-ranked USC, 21-7. What would it take to get that reaction in Westwood today? By the way, that is UCLA coach Red … Continue reading Were Fans More Intense, Part III

USC and Texas A&M keep butting heads as the Trojans aggressively recruit the Lone Star State. Four-star linebacker Tyanthony Smith committed to Texas A&M on Friday but told On3 that he had silently committed to USC. “I told (defensive coordinator D.J.) Durkin I silently committed to USC and he looked me and my eyes and said, ‘I don’t care. We’re still going to recruit you.’ … Continue reading Saturday Buzz: Is Texas A&M Now USC’s Big Recruiting Rival?