SB Nation - Troy Trojans

USC Bans Reporter From Practice, Denies Game Credential For Reporting Injury Information

Craig Powers — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:41:43 -0000

Daily News reporter Scott Wolf has been banned from USC Trojans football practice and denied a game credential for reporting injuries. Wolf will be kept out of USC practice for two weeks and will not be issued a credential for USC's Sept. 22 game against California, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The university initiated a policy for the 2012 season that forbids news media from reporting any strategy or injuries they observe in practice. However, Wolf's report mentioned nothing of practice and only spoke of Andre Heidari's surgery to repair a torn meniscus and two players that were observed to be injured following USC's game against Syracuse on Saturday.

The Daily News stands by Wolf's reporting, and does not feel that his actions were in the wrong. Wolf's sports editor, Gene Warnick, spoke about USC's actions to the Times:

"From our standpoint, Scott was doing his job," Warnick said. "This wasn't something that was part of practice. We were just trying to report the news."

The Trojans hit the road to face Stanford on Saturday, with Wolf likely to be in the Palo Alto press box.

For more on the Trojans, check out Conquest Chronicles and stick with SB Nation Los Angeles.

ESPN Pac-12 Picks Split Between USC, Oregon

rprestonclark — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 17:55:50 -0000

Even with the No. 1 ranking coming into the season, there are still a few doubters of the USC Trojans ability to win the Pac-12, let alone a national title. Eighteen college football analysts from ESPN were almost split down the middle in terms of the Pac-12 championship, with USC gaining 10 votes and the Oregon Ducks receiving the other eight votes.

It was the closest races out of the all of the conference predictions, which is surprising considering the profile of USC heading into the season. But the Trojans were selected in two of the three top vote-getters for the BCS National Championship game pairings with tops being the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 5 Oregon, No. 3 LSU Tigers vs. No. 1 USC and No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 USC.

It looks like ESPN sees this season as a battle between the Pac-12 and the SEC with Alabama, LSU and Georgia all vying to come out of the conference responsible for the last six BCS National Championships.

Stick with this StoryStream for more on the USC Trojans football. For all things USC, head over to Conquest Chronicles. And don't miss the USC season preview from SB Nation Studios:

USC's Lane Kiffin On Recruiting Silas Redd: 'It Was Pretty Easy'

Shmuckreport — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:24:16 -0000

As the USC Trojans look to make another run at a national title in 2012, they certainly made an improvement to their already stellar squad with the addition of running back Silas Redd via transfer from Penn State. Kiffin took some time on Thursday to speak with Steve Mason and John Ireland on 710 ESPN in Los Angeles to discuss Silas Redd's transfer and how it affects their team moving forward.

Make the jump to see what he had to say.

On recruiting Penn State running back Silas Redd away from Penn State:

"Well, it was pretty easy. We just presented a chance for him to come to USC, to graduate from USC, to come be part of the Trojan family, and obviously to play football here as well. And there was a very specific need for him, at his position, to come in here. And we feel like we have a bunch of great players, high-character guys around him. And after researching him, before we ever went there we knew that's what he was. And that was the family that he comes from. So I think that's why they really hit it off. I think our players, as Silas came out here he really fit in with them and realized this was the place for him."

On the differences (or lack thereof) between Curtis McNeal and Silas Redd:

"I think they're very similar, actually. Silas is a little bit taller but they both run very patient, very physical, very tough, low to the ground. Hard for the first guy to bring down. So I think there's a lot of similarities between the two. Guys don't always have to be different like thunder and lightning. A lot of times you may have two guys that are similar but it allows them to stay rested and stay fresh throughout the season."

On the learning curve as they rush to get Redd up to speed:

"Well when he gets here we'll have special time added in to work with him on and off the field. But what's going to help us in this is normally we're dealing with high-school kids and having to transition them. This is a guy already over 1,000-yard rusher in major college football. So he's already been in college systems, so I think it'll be a lot easier for him than it is for high-school kids to adjust."

On if they were in communication with any other Penn State players:

"We did have people reach out to us but we did not reach out to them. And so we have not recruited anybody else from there. This was a specific need for one guy who we'd think is a great player who'd fit in, too - not just as a player but as a person. We had to study who he was to make sure he was highly competitive, no ego, because otherwise it wouldn't have worked to bring him in with this group of kids that we have."

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For more on the Trojans, make sure to check out Conquest Chronicles.

Devon Kennard Injury: USC Defensive End Tears Pectoral Muscle

Kevin Cacabelos — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 05:30:35 -0000

According to a repot by Pedro Moura of ESPN Los Angeles, USC defensive end Devon Kennard could miss the entire 2012 season after tearing his pectoral muscle.

Moura's unnamed source also relayed the injury happened during weight lifting and said that Kennard will undergo surgery next week. USC football blog, Reign of Troy reports that Kennard is currently awaiting word from the team's doctor of the severity of the injury.

Immediate reaction from USC fans and reporters reveals that Kennard's potential absence during the 2012 season would have a significant impact. The depth at the defensive line position is weak for the Trojans as is, and losing Kennard could be devastating.

Kennard, a rising senior, played in 11 of 12 games for USC in 2011, tallying 28 total tackles. Last season, USC coaches converted Kennard back to his original position of defensive end after playing eight games at linebacker during his sophomore year. The Arizona-native was slated to be the Trojans' starter at defensive end in 2012.

For more on the USC Football, head over to Conquest Chronicles.

SB Nation Calls 2012 'A Redshirt Year' For Ohio State Buckeyes

UZ — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 17:00:29 -0000

The Ohio State Buckeyes will not be making the post-season in the 2012 football season after being banned thanks to a host of allegations against former coach Jim Tressel. They weren't anywhere near it last season anyway after an awful 6-7 campaign. Fortunately, Urban Meyer was hired by the Buckeyes and immediately got to work recruiting, eventually adding onto the already strong foundation of players that he had available.

SB Nation's Bill Connelly published his preview of the upcoming 2012 season for the Buckeyes on Friday, and called the season essentially a 'redshirt year' for the Buckeyes. That is to say, a year where they might not win any titles, but one that can be used to build confidence and ability for 2013.

Connelly argues that the Buckeyes should use the season much the same way that USC used their postseason-less 2011:

Of course, the No. 19 Badgers also aren't even the highest-ranked team in their own division according to FOA. Those honors go to the invisible No. 13 Ohio State Buckeyes, who are banned from the postseason in 2012 and will attempt to deliver the same kind of promise that USC did last year. The Trojans caught fire late and rode their no-bowl season to a preseason Top Five ranking.

Both the offense and defense for the Buckeyes are covered extensively by Connelly, and an important fact pointed out is that the Buckeyes not only have a lot of good talent but almost no seniors on the squad. The team is talented, young and has another great group of players recruited by Meyer coming in soon. Braxton Miller especially is only a sophomore and has a full year to be molded into a great Meyer QB:

Meyer gets three years with Braxton Miller, there is nary a senior to be found in the receiving corps (and only one on the offensive line), his defensive line is one of the deepest in the country, and he is a good enough recruiter to continue making this a deeper squad. Things are in place for Meyer to pick up where he left off in Gainesville, and he has a year to figure things out before wins and losses actually matter.

How Urban Meyer's Buckeyes fare in the 2012 season is technically unimportant, but if they can take the role of spoiler and grind out a successful campaign, titles or no, they can build a solid foundation for themselves when 2013 comes around.

Matt Barkley, Robert Woods Early Contenders for 2012 Heisman Trophy

Danny Kelly — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:51:22 -0000

It's never too early to start talking about the Heisman Trophy, especially when Trojan quarterbacks are involved. There are still several months until the 2012 College Football season gets underway, but that hasn't stopped the good people over at Athlon Sports, (via ESPN's PAC-12 Blog), from releasing a top-25 list of conference players that could contend for the honor. It may not surprise you that they've got a one Matthew Barkley on top of the list.

Per Athlon:

1. Matt Barkley, QB, USC (SR)
No one in their right mind can make the case that Matt Barkley isn't the First-Team All-American quarterback and top Heisman contender nationally. He has the records, the stats, the Golden Boy image, the preseason No. 1 team in the nation and a plethora of talented skill players to work with. In fact, the only negative Heisman pundits can lob at Barkley is, in fact, that he is the clearcut Heisman favorite. When was the last time the obvious preseason stiff-armed favorite actually won the award?

Barkley isn't the only Trojan to make the list, as he's joined by his top pass-catcher in Robert Woods. Here's Althon's reasoning at putting Woods at No. 5 on the list.

5. Robert Woods, WR, USC (JR)
The uber-talent from SoCal exploded into living rooms as a sophomore in 2011. He not only broke USC receiving records, but set a Pac-12 record with 111 receptions in only 12 games. He caught at least two scores in four straight games at one point and has clearly built a rapport with No. 1 on this list. The only thing keeping this dynamic play-maker from being higher than No. 5 is lingering bone inflammation in his ankle. Following arthroscopic surgery in December, Woods still has yet to begin summer workouts.

To read more about the Trojans and Barkley's quest for the Heisman Trophy in 2012, head over to Conquest Chronicles.

Lane Kiffin And Kevin O'Neill Salary Numbers Released

Kevin Cacabelos — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:00:34 -0000

As reported by Gary Klein from the Los Angeles Times, USC head football coach Lane Kiffin earned $2.4 million while USC head basketball coach Kevin O'Neill earned $1.7 million in 2010. The salary numbers were gathered from USC's federal tax return.

According to USA Today's college football coach salary database which does not include Kiffin's salary, the USC head coach's earnings makes him the second highest paid coach in the Pac-12 behind Oregon's Chip Kelly who hauls in $2.8 million. Washington's Steve Sarkisian and California's Jeff Tedford also earn more than $2 million.

After making the NCAA Tournament in 2010, O'Neill's squad suffered its worst season under his tenure in 2011-12, compiling a 6-26 overall record. O'Neill's salary is slightly above the $1.4 million salary average of coaches in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Both Kiffin and O'Neill are relatively new to USC. The Trojans hired Kiffin in early 2010 to replace Pete Carroll while O'Neil joined USC in 2009 after Tim Floyd's resignation.

For more on USC athletics, head over to Conquest Chronicles.

VIDEO: USC Players Attend Class In Full Pads And Uniforms

Bill Hanstock — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:28:13 -0000

The USC Trojans fielded a spectacular, if completely ineligible, football team in 2011. They're hoping to make a run at the Pac-12 title in 2012 and probably hoping they can be the subject of an unprecedented third punchline on "30 Rock." They're trying to generate some early buzz around their 2012 football team by being some wild and crazy guys in USC classrooms.

Adam Kramer of Kegs N' Eggs alerts us to the following video, where USC Trojans players (including early Heisman Trophy contender Matt Barkley) attend classes in full football pads and uniforms and answer questions about organic chemistry.

I'm not quite sure why the team feels the need to go on a "campus tour" to -- I dunno, raise awareness? As someone who lives in Los Angeles, I can attest that people are super aware that USC has a football team. That awareness likely only increases the more you attend USC.

For all news and information regarding the USC Trojans, please visit Conquest Chronicles.

Former Trojan Rey Maualuga Charged With Misdemeanor Assault

Sean Keeley — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:39:30 -0000

On Thursday, a Cincinnati bar manager accused Cincinnati Bengals and former USC Trojans linebacker Rey Maualuga of punching him in the face, "causing him to be injured." Cincinnati police have now charged Maualuga with misdemeanor assault for the alleged incident that occurred at a bar called Luxe.

It's the latest incident involving the trouble-prone former Trojan. Maualuga was arrested in January 2010, on charges of drunken driving and careless driving with a blood alcohol level almost double the legal limit. Maualuga pled guilty to the drunken driving charge. He was given a 7-day suspended jail sentence and two years probation.

Coincidentally, that probation period ended two days prior to this most-recent incident. At least one thing is working in Maualuga's favor.

The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum of 180 days in jail and Maualuga will be arraigned next Friday.

For the Bengals reaction, check out Cincy Jungle. For Trojan reaction, visit Conquest Chronicles.

Matt Barkley Faux-Announces His Big Decision, Claims He Was Hacked

Danny Kelly — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:01:00 -0000

USC QB Matt Barkley made some waves Tuesday night on the twitterverse, faking fans out as to his intentions next season - declaring for the NFL or a return to play for the Trojans - by starting a tweet with "A decision has been made... I am staying..", but then finishing it with this...

@lukezim
Luke Zimmermann#trollgaze2k11 RT @MattBarkley A decision has been made... I am staying.. For a few more hours at theta
Dec 07 via Twitter for MacFavorite RetweetReply

You may notice that the tweet above is a RT and is not directly from Matt Barkley's twitter account. That's because shortly after posting that joke, he issued an apology and erased the original tweet. With the power of technology though, nothing you say on the internet can ever really be erased...

Don't play with our emotions like that Matt.