Colin Cowherd this morning —
“By the way, there are a lot of things happening with USC football, and you don’t know what’s happening yet. Give it about 12 months, and you’re gonna see a major announcement about USC football. You’re not gonna believe it, and it’s all gonna make sense. I’ll just leave it at that.”
________
Allen and I had a discussion a couple of days ago about player development. Our focus was Jack Jones (“Jack Jack”) the 5 star CB from Long Beach Poly who started for two years at SC, flunked out, committed a buglary in Ventura County and got caught. He then turned his life around at ASU, started two years for the Sun Devils and was just drafted into the NFL. The issue was why Jack Jack who was a true 5 star knucklehead at SC succeeded at ASU. My take was to emphasize the importance of the coaching staff and culture… Read more »
Anyone who thought a player under Clay Helton was going to get any real coaching & mentoring was purely fooling themselves. Helton was brought in to babysit and keep the level of expectations at a minimum which seemed to come natural in his ability. I don’t know who was more culprit-able; A head coach who wasted the talent under his watch or an administration wasting the good name of a flagship football program?
In a strange way, the real culprit is STAN’s David Shaw. He’s gonna, if he doesn’t already, rue the day he took The Cat Helton behind the woodshed, 42-28, on 9/11/2021 at the Coliseum.
My wonderful mom passed away long ago in 1985, way too young. She was a great Trojan fan who inspired me to come to USC, and I cherish our Trojan football memories together, especially at the Coliseum.
https://reignoftroy.com/posts/former-elite-usc-lb-recruit-hits-transfer-portal-lackluster-career-trojans-elijah-winston/amp
another transfer out.
Fun read from Dan Wetzel Yahoo Sports
https://sports.yahoo.com/bellyaching-and-howls-vs-nil-cant-stop-american-commerce-and-dont-expect-congress-to-stop-it-192653736.html
For all the hysterics inside college athletics, for all the Chicken Little crying, nothing bad has actually happened. The players are happy. The parents are happy. Even the boosters are happy.
Inconvenienced coaches making eight figures a year?
Well, the season will come regardless. So will their paychecks.
Everyone might be happy but the coaches right now, Golden Trojan, but just around the corner are we going to see agents come into the fold and start demanding things from unhappy multi-millionaires? Then we could see the dreaded “one year & done” and ruin CFB as we know it. Unless congress does put some sense & limitations in playing college sports, it will turn into a mess by people trying to push the end of the envelop. This all started through basketball with Ed O’Banion wanting to be paid for playing CBB at UCLA. Never mind he got an… Read more »
There already are agents in the mix. I would let the market place sort out how much a player could get. There already are the one and done grad transfers. There will be plenty of “free agent” one and done Jordan Addisons. There will be a lot to sort out over the next couple of years. The old ways are long gone and not coming back. As long as there are super rich boosters throwing money around there will be kids and their families happy to get a pay day. What is the limit a booster will shell out to… Read more »
I guess what I fear most is, the day comes when athletes tell the coach if I don’t get this or that, I’m not playing and the coach can’t do much about it but give in if he needs the player. I am not naive enough to believe CFB is totally innocent today, but getting a paid for education that you can come back and finish whenever, room & board, medical coverage and development of athletic skill setting you up to be drafted playing pro ball? If players now demand they be paid in addition, the college have’s & have… Read more »
It will be no different than what pro owners and coaches do when a player makes demands, meet them if you can or cut him loose. Players are now getting a piece of a very big pie in addition to the perks you listed. I don’t know about the haves and have nots. What’s to stop say Stanford from getting together Venture Capital types to put together a bucket of money and go buy a team? Or any other university with deep pocket donors in a major market. They only lack the desire.
Golden, I doubt Stanford will play. Just not their style. Stanford is probably the richest university in the nation(along with Harvard and Yale). If they really wanted to play, they could pay their players $1,000,000 per year plus bonuses. But, they are very “progressive” and will not single out male football players for such special attention. And, they view themselves as an elite academic institution where high level sport is played. As collegiate football is now a money making institution in which elite players will make more than professors (or college presidents), I cannot see Stanford (or Cal) interested in… Read more »
Color me not sad if the Pac-12 breaks up. The rest of the conference did all they could to help the NCAA by twisting the knife that Paul Dee thrust in to the backs of the Trojans.
Oh for sure I don’t think Stanford would, just not their style. My point was any major university in a medium to large market and big donors could if they wanted.
A large percentage of the kids don’t care about classes now anyway. I don’t like that either but that is the reality
Jamaica, That ship has sailed. The Supreme Court announced that it views collegiate athletes in men’s football and basketball as employees providing income to their employers (and hence subject to anti-trust laws). This ruling is what drove all the insane NIL stuff we are now seeing. This ruling is also the reason the NCAA had to basically “throw in the towel” on NIL payments. The damage claims under an anti-trust theory are simply too high. It is also the reason the NCAA had to settle the McNair lawsuit. Hence, collegiate football D1 realignment is now a given and total chaos… Read more »
Things are about to change:
— Not since USC in 2017 has the Pac-12 placed a team in the top-five of the AP preseason poll. The Trojans were ranked at #4, but ended up at #12 after the Sam Darnold-led Trojans were soundly beaten by OHIO ST in the Cotton Bowl, 24-7.
This somehow popped up on my radar again. Gee, I wonder why?
Fight On!
So awesome
Poor Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi. What a schmuck still trying to insist he can claim the high and mighty road: Pat Narduzzi Says Kedon Slovis Used Transfer Portal “The Right Way” Narduzzi — “(Slovis) went into the portal the real way — the right way — and he had a lot of opportunities with name, image and likeness, but I think he was looking for the right fit. He was looking for the right personnel and we have a lot returning on offense; that’s what he was looking for. He wasn’t looking for a payday. He was looking for the… Read more »
This guy is in real trouble. He totally lacks vision. If a kid like Addison can make at least $3 million a year transferring, why would he stay for the “great culture” and a “tight team” that is returning a lot on Offense. IMO, this will simply not sell. Every person I can think of is looking for a payday, including Narduzzi. At least, he is off the SC tampering issue as it is obvious that a lot more players than SC are in play here.
I hope SC gets Addison. But I doubt he is getting $3M. I want to see something more than an unsourced , unsubstantiated rumor before I will believe the deal is real.
I wonder what Kedon Slovis has been telling Jordan Addison? I haven’t come across that little angle elsewhere. Nobody seems intrigued about that, which is probably why I just though of it.
Good angle Allen. What is really going on, on the inside would be fascinating.
For sure RJJ, this guy better get up to speed quick or he will be out the door like stale bread.
Or he is trying to save face knowing he didn’t do enough to replace a top seeded QB with a good enough backup to keep Addison satisfied.
Bringing in a Portal QB that is mediocre doesn’t help the cause obviously in Addison’s eyes. Losing a good OC & position coach is tough to handle but at the same time, you have to be prepared when it happens with plans in place that the team feels you have their backs going forward if not your star player.
Like most, or at least many, I think this NIL stuff (‘now, it’s legal’) is going to create an even wider divide between the haves and the have-nots in CFB. Realignment here we come. ALA, TEXAS, or USC seem likely to ruin Narduzzi’s party with Addison. If he stays with the going-nowhere-but-down Panthers and that crybaby, unprepared Narduzzi, he’ll lose millions, and that’s just in his immediate future. PITT has always been basically a mid-level bowl team on a good day, except for when Tony Dorsett was carrying their mail from ’73-76. Dorsett was the first player in football history… Read more »
If Pitt can win enough games this Fall, I’d love to face off with them in a major bowl game.
Narduzzi is coming across like a real Jerkoff. For him to throw out(without any evidence) that Riley is tampering is extremely irresponsible. It makes him look like a real loser.
Hope Pitt struggles, just like Georgia Southern
Coming off a lowly 3-9 record, maybe The Cat can get the Eagles another win. Maybe not.
Doesn’t he just exude confidence?
Convenient that his girlfriend goes there too
Former Trojan SR LB SR Juliano Falaniko tweets — “Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Idaho. Let’s get this ball rolling.”
Does he even know where that is?
The top 5 most ambitious NIL collectives per Eric Prisbell (On3.com) 1. Spyre Sports (Tennessee, new home of Bru McCoy) No collective to date has pushed the envelope more – or been bolder and more ambitious – than this Tennessee-centric collective. These rankings could change as the collectives’ arms race ramps up over the next year. But right now, Spyre is the clear No. 1. As one industry source said, “Spyre is not messing around. They are big spenders and are smart about it.” Spyre is also not shy about publicizing its grand vision, putting figures behind their ambition. In… Read more »
I would that thought Texas A&M would have been there as well. The long term consequences of this shift may be: Athletic scholarships: Why should a kid who is being paid seven figures to attend a school get free tuition? That makes no sense at all. And, why should that tuition be tax-free income? I would think the first reform would be to mandate that any kid receiving NIL funds is disqualified from an athletic scholarship. If it goes that way (and I expect it will), think of the impact on Title IX. Women wanted equality with men on athletic… Read more »
Sorry for all the typos. I am a lousy proof reader.
The coming Div 1 realignment is gonna be a bloodbath. I’d like to know what George Kliavkoff thinks/predicts.
I am glad we are in the mix of the advantages of the new rules instead of being on the outside looking in, as we would be under the worthless JarJar the Cat! Fight on in the great new world!!!
UCLA may want but at least in football they don’t stack up
So what is USC doing? I have not seen a collective for USC. We have the top Portal haul in CFB. The deals must be coming from somewhere.
Golden, My speculation is SC does not need a NIL PAC. It has a national brand, is located in the largest media market in the country, now has a huge “personality” and “star” as HC, and is about to put together winning teams, similar to what PC did in the early 2000’s. Most national brands would want to use that platform to advertise using the “stars” on that platform. Hence, the agencies representing the SC players will be able to negotiate the contracts directly with the large companies. Very few teams are in this position. In fact, I think SC… Read more »
That’s quite a press release, @TrojanRJJ . Can’t wait to play ND and UCLA.
It’s a beautiful thing to see ucla spin its wheels in a fruitless attempt to catch up to SC.
The Bruins really messed up an opportunity to nudge USC downward during the always turbulent post-Reggie Bush years. They hung an embarrassing 62 points on us last November, but only beat the Trojans five times since 2006.
If that loss got Chocolate Chip his extension, it was almost worth it.
Let’s go for it. Do you predict a USC, or UCLA victory on Nov. 19, at the Rose Bowl?
I predict a very close Trojan victory, probably by two points or less. Caleb Williams throws and runs wild, proving his NIL checks are well worth it! Williams will be a top-five Heisman candidate for 2022.
Far too early to predict anything concert. Last year, after 3 games, we both knew the UCLA game was a mismatch. My predictions at present are SC wins at least 8 games in 2022 and the UCLA game will NOT be a mismatch.
You know me. I’m always trying to goad you into making early predictions, but that’s not your bag. For me, that’s half the fun.
Hopefully, when USC beats UCLA this season, it’ll be on a late throw to Morton’s corner. The 1990 Marinovich/Maddox duel won by USC 45-42 was one of the most memorable contests ever.
That isn’t an interesting take sure they’ll make a lot more money in the pros but if they’re making that good of money to see maybe they don’t have to make the jump and they will stick around another year be interesting to see if that happens
The Future?
B/R – “Until and unless there is genuine leadership, there is no actionable solution to this boundless NIL system.
“Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick recently said a Division I breakup is inevitable. Based on that prognostication, it’s entirely possible the NCAA won’t get a second chance at reining in the unintended consequences of NIL rights. Instead, that challenge will belong to the next administrative powers…”
bleacherreporrt.com.
I have to admit I was one who naively thought NIL would mean players would do promotions for local businesses and get paid, the bigger the market the bigger the opportunities. Now it is seems to be super rich boosters willing to hand out millions of dollars just to watch a kid play for their college. Are boosters so rich a million dollars here a million dollars there is pocket change? Is there no expected pay back? What does the booster get out of this?
247Sports’ Brad Crawford already puts USC at #16 in his preseason Top 25. OU is at 7.
247sports.com
Drake London on his big rehab and going forward✌ — “You know it was tough. That was the first time I dealt with something like that, especially breaking a bone and having to go through a rigorous rehab. A quick one at that to try to get back. “But again, back to the family. I have people in my corner who supported me and loved me and wanted to see me succeed at the end of the day. I couldn’t let them down. “Would I consider myself a leader? Yes. But at the same time, I am a rookie. I… Read more »
Coppell HS (Texas) S Braxton Myers (6-1, 185, ranked #8 in country) has nailed more than 30 offers, but is down to a final seven of AUB, ARK, CAL, CLEM, OLE MISS, and USC — and has set a college decision date for May 16: USC is looking good here: “My relationship with (the USC coaches) ever since they were at Oklahoma… I’ve been able to talk to them a lot,” Myers said. “They’ve been a part of my recruiting process since my freshman year. When they went out to USC they continued to build that relationship. We’ve been talking and… Read more »
Huskers (just recently sanctioned along with Scott Frost, by the NCAA) DL Casey Rogers Chooses ORE over USC and AUB. It’s all about the coaching connections, so don’t be too hard on the Trojans here. “A few weeks after entering his name into the NCAA transfer portal, former NEB DL Casey Rogers has found a new home. He’s heading to the Pac-12 and has two seasons of eligibility. “Wednesday, Rogers announced on Twitter his commitment to ORE. Rogers had also been considering AUB and USC. He will reunite with Tony Tuioti, who was the DL coach at NEB for three… Read more »
The Mixture of Lincoln Riley with Hollywood and USC has the CFB World Agog in Jealousy and Resentment Question — In the last few months, Lincoln Riley seems to have quickly become one of the primary villains of the sport. I can understand it from the Sooner perspective, but what is it about the guy that rubs other fans the wrong way? Brian Kelly unceremoniously skipped town on one blue blood for another, and he ended up more laughed at than outright vilified. Would there be anywhere near this much outrage over the Jordan Addison situation if he was being linked to… Read more »
Not sure what the Herd is thinking, but I like it. Hopefully it will be that USC is one of the CFB semifinalists for 2022.
Bru McCoy is transferring to Tennessee. It’s too bad that he couldn’t have been reinstated here after being cleared. If he’s healthy, I think he will have a big year,
Tennessee got a very good receiver a lot cheaper than Jordan Addison would have cost them. Hope Bru gets a fresh new start and makes the most of it.
Maybe Bru McCoy will finally find happiness with the Vols. Neither TEXAS nor USC did the trick for him. “This place definitely effortlessly sold itself,” McCoy told the Rivals’ Tennessee site in a video interview. “I got to see the practices, the way the coaches interact with the players, meetings. They’re doing things the right way here, they’re taking care of the players the right way. They’re taking care of the off-the-field, the everything that you could want out of a school…I think they’re on the cutting edge of what collegiate athletics is going to become. And a lot of people… Read more »
I hope he finds happiness as well but this is a little bit over the top
The arrival of Gentry from ASU has caused a transfer. Elijah Winston, who plays the same position as Gentry, just entered the portal. Gentry’s arrival most likely assured Winston a permanent spot on the scout team D. I expect a few more kids to leave.
May 1 was the deadline to leave and be immed eligible, right? Doesn’t this mean no further departures unless a kid wants to sit out a year?
Allen, You are correct. As Golden points out below, it makes zero sense to transfer now. You must sit a year. So, why not sit at SC? Then transfer. Virtually everyone who was on the roster for the Spring Game stayed, running the risk they may lose PT to a transfer. Winston had already lost his PT, so he went seeking playing time elsewhere.
I’ve been traveling so my reply is a bit late. I believe the May 1 deadline was the filing deadline. I suspect Elijah filed by the due date but it wasn’t posted until after the 1st.
Winston is the only new SC guy in the Portal yesterday. Anybody else will have to sit out a year. I’m guessing everybody else is fine with riding the bench. LR still has 9-10 roster spots he can fill without anybody leaving.
Dane Brugler’s (The Athletic) first 2023 Mock Draft names Jordan Addison (everyone’s favorite new Portal entrant) as a 1st rounder. Now that Kenny Pickett’s gone, why not let Caleb Williams drop dimes into your breadbasket?
32. Buffalo Bills: Jordan Addison, WR, Pittsburgh — Last year’s Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top receiver, Addison benefited from Kenny Pickett’s jump in production. He is currently deciding on a potential transfer destination, but regardless of where he plays in 2022, the NFL will be interested in his talent.
I hope we get Addison, he’s a no brainer. He would be WR1 and bump everyone down. That pushes Kyle Ford into a reserve role. I am not sure if he just doesn’t practice well or what, because in games when we go his way all he does is make big plays. He is massive, very few WR look like him. He goes and gets the ball. and makes plays down the field. I would’ve thought this would be his breakout year. Maybe it will be, but no way he’s coming into camp above Williams or Addison (if he transfers… Read more »
No need to wait till next year for a major announcement. Jordan Addison is officially in the Transfer Portal. Lets see who gets him and what it cost. Fun to see all the smack about USC poaching players with big money offers. Nice to be on the other side of the envy/jealousy.
Fear and jealousy. That’s what the CFB world has for USC now. The next month should see some incredible new additions to the LR stockpile.
So great to USC suddenly a major player on the national scene again, and all this recog just from snatching players from other competitive programs.
This is the most fun of an off-season since PC was reeling in the recruits. Actually, more fun, because recruits can come nearly round.
Recent off-seasons have been characterized by an anti-climactic Spring game, platitudes and promises, then silence until Fall camp began, then disappointment and reality after our first lack-luster closer-than-it-should-have-been season opener against a directional school.
I’m loving the new USC football!
Still early for the fear part. Maybe “hard to beat” for now. The offense will be lights out. I’m still looking for those great PC defenses. Then we will be feared.
I know I’m being way too much of a homer on this one, but I think the prospects of a much better defense are already solid, especially with more defenders to come. The Chinese Fire Drill is gone. This was so easy to see in the Spring Game and in how USC Football rides now. Now the Trojans are suddenly after a good CB from UW who just entered the Portal and he is already set to visit USC. LR clearly enjoys working fast. And I honestly do think the CFB world fears USC (and its unknown, uniquely built team)… Read more »
What CFB fears now is the new released power of USC football. Combine the leadership at USC, the USC football brand, a great HC, and now the financial power of alumni, boosters and the LA media market, USC can now get just about any player they want. After game 6, with dominating blowout wins, you will be right ALL of CFB will fear USC on the field!
GT it was the PC’s coaching staff’s halftime adjustments that shut most everyone down. Never saw anything like it. You just knew the Trojan defense was going to stop whatever the opponent was doing, and did.
My sense oh humor can’t let a big announcement like this go by. First from the Helton era: USC announced today it is dropping Notre Dame and will be playing Occidental College, the reason according to Helton was to save on travel expense, which has been a problem since he has driven actual fans away with his banal form of football. Next from the Riley era: USC and the SEC have agreed to an expansion of the SEC by adding the Western Area Inclusive Team Addiction division or WAITASEC division, the move is set to prove Riley is not afraid… Read more »
I like it, Rialto, I like it a lot.
What the heck?