SB Nation - Joe McKnight

Five Good Minutes: Conquest Chronicles

Brian @ BCI — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:53:38 -0000

about 1 month ago: USC quarterback Matt Barkley (7) hands off to running back Allen Bradford (21) against Arizona State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Browse more photos »

To preview this weekend's Emerald Bowl matchup between the BC Eagles and the USC Trojans, we welcome the SBNation USC blog Conquest Chronicles for Five Good Minutes.

In exchange, we also answered some questions for Conquest Chronicles and they will be posted later in the next day or so.

BC Interruption: Any line of questions regarding USC and the Emerald Bowl has to start with star running back Joe McKnight. Can you update us on this situation? Do you expect him to play? Should he play?

Conquest Chronicles: As of writing this Monday night, the common thought here in Los Angeles is that McKnight will likely not be able to play in the bowl game against the Eagles on December 26th. USC beat writer Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News reported earlier that McKnight did not accompany the team buses to the airport for their flight to San Francisco despite the fact that Carroll already said he would be making the trip up north with the rest of the team. But despite the rumblings, we are all still waiting for an official word from USC regarding McKnight’s status for the game.

While I think McKnight may in fact be innocent of the accusations for Scott Schetner seems to be a somewhat honest fellow and has a legitimate side of the story at this point in time, I highly doubt that number four suits up for the Emerald Bowl on Saturday. As we all know, USC is presently under investigation by the NCAA for a "lack of institutional control" so playing a possibly ineligible in McKnight, even if it yet to be proven, risks further damage to USC’s already partially tarnished reputation. I don’t see Carroll and company taking such a risk considering where they are as a program.

BCI: Are there other scratches for USC for the bowl? Do you expect the Trojans to successfully balance possible losses of McKnight, TE Anthony McCoy, and DT Averell Spicer with Carroll’s desire to treat this game as a springboard to the 2010 season?

CC: Spicer was just a reserve so I don’t anticipate his absence to make a huge difference for Troy, but some of the others will. McKnight was the team’s leading rusher with just over 1,000 yards so if he is unable to go, it will force backups Allen Bradford and C.J. Gable to take on larger roles. Bradford rushed for 596 yards this season and Gable remains the only true freshman in the history of the USC football program to ever start a season opener at running back. So, both have the experience necessary to be effective against the Eagles.

I think ‘SC will be most challenged to replace McCoy and offensive tackle Tyron Smith, who was also ruled ineligible for the game due to academic issues. McCoy served as one of Barkley’s favorite targets this season due to his size and catching ability. Lacking a pass-catching tight end is only going to make things harder on a freshman quarterback, especially considering that there is a significant drop off between McCoy and his backup Rhett Ellison. The absence of Smith will force an inexperienced but still talented redshirt freshman Matt Kalil to take over the tackle position. At this point in time, it is yet to be seen whether he can be effective.

BCI: At quarterback, there seem to be similarities between the play of freshmen Matt Barkley (13 TDs, 12 INTs) and Dave Shinskie (14 TDs, 13 INTs). Both had up and down seasons in their freshman campaign. What are your expectations for each QB’s performance on Saturday?

CC: I have yet to see Shinskie play an entire game (I’ve only seen bits and pieces and a few highlights) so I will reserve judgment on BC’s "young" signal caller. However, when it comes to Barkley, I certainly expect him to play well. No, I don’t anticipate him to finish with numbers akin to a Texas Tech quarterback, but I do think he is capable of putting together a solid performance against the Eagles. While he has struggled at times this season (a 31.8 completion percentage against Arizona State and 3 interceptions at home against Stanford), he has compiled solid numbers for any freshman quarterback. 2,385 passing yards and 13 touchdowns while playing in arguably the nation’s toughest conference are nothing to cause a first year starter to put his head down.

In a perfect world, it would be nice for Barkley to play much like he did during USC’s best stretch of the season, early October, when they soundly defeated Cal and Notre Dame. During those games, Barkley threw 283 and 380 yards respectively while leading the offense to over thirty points each time. On Saturday, he doesn’t necessarily need to throw a bunch of touchdown to be successful. What he needs to do to be effective is to limit the interceptions and be efficient with the football (i.e. no errant passes on first down). If he can simply complete passes and keep the chains moving, then USC has a great chance of success.

BCI: Were the preseason expectations for USC too high this year? What are your expectations for next season with a win in the Emerald Bowl? If USC loses to BC, do those expectations change at all?

CC: I think it has become quite clear that a top ten preseason ranking for the 2009 Trojans may have been a bit too high. While the team does have an impressive track record of success, it would be more than fair to say that the media was a little too generous when bestowing USC’s preseason ranking. In short, the expectations were too high, even for a Pete Carroll coached team. And to be honest, that isn’t necessarily a disappointing thing. Look, it was entirely unrealistic for anybody to truly expect the Trojans to be the fourth best team nationally at season’s end. Not only did they have to replace starting quarterback and Rose Bowl MVP Mark Sanchez with a true freshman, but they also needed to find suitable replacements for eight starters on defense. There was just too much talent departing - eleven Trojans were drafted in the first six rounds of the NFL Draft - for anybody to reasonably expect Carroll’s bunch to seriously contend for the national championship.

With that said, because this is a lower-tier bowl, I’m not going to base my thoughts on the upcoming 2010 season entirely on this one game. Yes, Saturday’s contest will serve as some indication in regards to how next year’s bunch will perform, but to frame a prediction off of one good may be borderline crazy. Nevertheless, I still expect the Trojans to be much better in 2010 simply based on the fact that this team will be a year older. Matt Barkley will no longer be a freshman quarterback, sophomore Chris Galippo will not be a first year starter at middle linebacker, and play caller Jeremy Bates will have a year of coaching in college football under his belt. Greater experience and continuity across the board should enable this team to bounce back, and fully challenge for the Pac-10 title and a BCS bowl appearance once again.

BCI: This is the first time in 7 years that USC hasn’t played in a BCS bowl. This game is the day after Christmas in a baseball stadium. Do you expect these factors to limit attendance? Will Trojan fans show up for this game?

CC: Yes, some Trojan fans will show up for the December 26th Emerald Bowl, but don’t anticipates flocks of them to make the journey up to San Francisco. While I don’t have the numbers in front of me, I find it hard to believe that USC is going to sell out its ticket allotment as it is accustomed to doing. Over the past few days, I have received dozens of e-mails and text messages from the USC Ticket Office reminding alumni, students, and fans that there are still plenty of tickets remaining. Well, the game is about four days away and occurs one day after Christmas so I find it hard to imagine that a swarm of fans swoop in to purchase last minute tickets. ‘SC fans can be a bit fickle so that lack of interest in tickets is not surprising in the least.

BCI: Last one, make a prediction. Who ya got in this one? What’s the final score?

CC: Generally speaking, bowl games can be rather tough on prognosticators simply from the standpoint that it is tough to tell whether a particular team will show up or not. While I have little inside information, I do have the feeling that USC, led by seniors Jeff Byers and Taylor Mays, takes this game seriously for they have too much pride as a team to lay an egg against Boston College. Provided they can play mistake-free football, I think the Trojans are a far better football team talent-wise to get steamrolled by a middle of the road ACC foe. In the end, I like USC 28-14.

BCI: Thanks for joining us!

For more information on the USC Trojans, be sure to check out Conquest Chronicles.

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Tuesday (12/22/09) Edition

WVUIE97 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:20:59 -0000

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information and a few daily distractions. Today we're being brought to you by Brahma beer, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.

It's the Day Before the Day Before Christmas Eve. I hope everybody has their shopping done (mostly because I don't and I don't want to fight any crowds today). Anyway, there's plenty inside to keep you occupied. Tips, suggestions and requests are always a nice gift. See you on the other side...

What You May Have Missed:

Gold and Blue Report for Tuesday - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Coach Stewart Quotes - MSNsportsNET.Com

The secret of WVU’s success - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
I don't agree with the first two paragraphs....AT ALL.

News of Note (FB):

The Underdog Role - BlueGoldNews.com

Lending a Hand - MSNsportsNET.Com
Jack of All Trades, Pat Kirkland, is profiled.

Looks like Devine wants one more year - Charleston Gazette

Devine plans to return ... for now - Charleston Daily Mail

WVU's Devine yet to decide on future - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
I guess we have a winner for this week's theme.

WVU considers honoring Chris Henry at Gator Bowl - Charleston Daily Mail
Casazza's Notebook

WVU Focuses on Solid Football Going into Gator Bowl - WVIllustrated.com

Bowden Reminisces - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Audio link

News of Note (BB):

NCAA College Basketball Polls - ESPN
Holding steady at #6 in both polls

Weekly Watch: Week 5 - ESPN
On Wednesday, we're a "place to be"

Conference Call: West Virginia looking strong in Big East - Sporting News

What's On Tap:

Women's Basketball: WVU Takes on UMBC - MSNsportsNET.Com
7 pm tonight at the Coliseum.

Around the League (and Beyond):

Dixon gives UC spark off the bench - Cincinnati Enquirer

ESPN's OTL Takes a Look at Rutgers Football - Protect R Turf

Plethora of questions face Rutgers coach Greg Schiano as season wraps up - Star Ledger

Cardinals are still hobbled - Courier-Journal

Pitt Basketball: Brown makes anticipated return to Panthers' lineup - PPG

Kentucky beats Drexel to become first college team to reach 2,000 wins - ESPN

Joe McKnight doesn't travel with USC; three players ruled academically ineligible for Emerald Bowl - ESPN

Video of Interest:

Courtesy, as usual, of WVIllustrated.

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Babe Year in Review Gallery of the Week:

Well...mostly babes.

via coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is yet another Brazilian supermodel who has been featured in the SI swimsuit edition and is another former Victoria's Secret model. I really want to, at least, visit Brazil...soon. Here's Isabeli Fontana.

via i214.photobucket.com

Brahma image via www.brahma.com.pe

USC Football News and Notes 12/22 - Who is in; who is out, no word yet on McKnight, A BIG night for some former Trojans!

Paragon SC — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:40:20 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Is he in or out?

Browse more photos »

So we all patiently await the final status of Joe McKnight being eligible for Saturday's Emerald Bowl Game.

Regardless,if McKnight can't go that will give Allen Bradford the bulk of the carries and I would expect to see a heavy dose of CJ Gable as well.

SC has a chance to finish off the season on a positive note with a win on Saturday. It can be used as a catalyst for a new beginning in 2010. And with some players being deemed ineligible it will give SC a chance to see how some of the youngsters on this team could look in the future.

I am certainly not thrilled with all the negative publicity that SC has been getting over the past week but maybe this is what the program needs to find its way back on track. Be it better coaching, better schemes or simply changing the attitude to take nothing for granted. I have never thought that there was any good to be found in losing but I do think that looking at the reasons as to why a team loses is the road map to rededicate that team to winning. Teams get comfortable and that means complacency...we no what that means.

As I posted yesterday, McKnight did not make the trip with the team but there is still a possibility that he will make it to the bay area for the game...

USC is investigating McKnight's use of a sport utility vehicle that is owned by a Santa Monica businessman. It may constitute a violation of NCAA rules that prohibit student-athletes from accepting benefits from marketing representatives or agents, or "extra benefits" from anyone based on athletic ability.

The Times published a story last week about McKnight's use of the 2006 Land Rover. McKnight said he never drove the vehicle, which a Department of Motor Vehicles official said carried a purchase price of about $27,000. But McKnight has been observed driving the SUV.

[...]

McKnight participated in the workout but was not made available to reporters.

Coach Pete Carroll said afterward that the Trojans were preparing as if their 1,000-yard rusher would be available for the game at AT&T Park.

"We'll just go one day at a time and see where it stands," Carroll said.

Upon arrival in San Francisco, however, Carroll said in statement posted on the school's website that McKnight remained at home to complete "compliance-related" business.

"He has some paperwork he needs to do and it's best for him to stay in L.A. so he can be available to finish it," Carroll said.

Carroll did not provide a timetable for when McKnight might join the Trojans.

It is hard to know just what the "paperwork" really is but SC is doing the right thing by holding him back until this is all cleared up.

I realize that is not a popular opinion in some circles but because the NCAA is already looking at us, SC needs to make the politically correct moves in order to not piss off the draconian NCAA. Currently the NCAA is not involved with this...USC is one doing the investigating and if they don't do it right and the NCAA has to step in then really gets out of hand. Like it or not McKnight does not get the benefit of innocent until proven guilty.

We have read the claims that McKnight submitted the proper paperwork, yet the school didn't seem to have a hard and fast explanation for this and then the statement form the school is that McKnight needs to fill out more paperwork? SC can't close the loop on this until Schenter returns from South Africa as they will ask him some pointed questions and ask Schetner to provide documentation. They will probably do the same with McKnight's girlfriend too.

Don't think the NCAA hasn't already placed a call to review the progress of USC's investigation.

My guess is that the "paperwork" will probably take too long to complete for McKnight to play in the bowl game. This is probably SC's way of sitting him out...

- - -

With three players being ruled academically ineligible that means other players get a chance to step up and show us what they have got.

Replacing McCoy at TE will Rhett Ellison. This is his chance to make a name for himself for next season. With Blake Ayles out due to injury Ellison move to #1 on the depth chart. Ellison came to USC with some high expectations but because of SC's depth ti is not surprising that he would have some difficulty cracking into the starting line up with McCoy and then Ayles there. Ayles has shown us he has hands of stone and with some of his off the field antics it has made many question his dedication to getting better. This is a big deal as the TE spot is pretty important in the USC offensive scheme.

Replacing Tyron Smith will be freshman Matt Kalil. Kalil is a beast.

In a surprise, though, sophomore offensive tackle Tyron Smith was also ruled ineligible. Redshirt freshman Matt Kalil will start the week as Smith's replacement. USC could have chosen to move starting guard Butch Lewis to tackle and insert senior Alex Parsons back into the lineup, but chose to promote Kalil.

"I'm excited," Kalil said. "It's a chance for me to show what I can do and step up. I think I'm ready to play."

Kalil said he was told during a team meeting Monday morning that he would be a starter.

"I've mostly worked with the (second team) during bowl practices," he said. "I can handle it."

We will find out just how well he handles it.

As I noted above, if McKnight is out then that gives Bradford and Gable a chance to shine.

- - -

I found this last night...

There have been rumblings and rumors about USC linebacker Uona Kaveinga transferring to BYU.

Kaveinga, who has been in Las Vegas this weekend, committed to the Cougars before deciding to sign with the Trojans as part of the 2008 recruiting class.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall can't talk publicly about Kaveinga until a transfer is official, but he did have this to say during this morning's Las Vegas Bowl press conference while addressing questions about mid-year transfers and high school early enrollees: "We have young man who is considering transferring from another Division I school. He wouldn't be placed on scholarship right away. When we get back in January, and I can't tell you if he's coming for sure or not, but that would be noteworthy if he chooses to come at that point."

Obviously, if Kaveinga were to transfer to BYU, it would be a coup for the Cougar defense.

I have been reading these rumblings of Kaveinga transferring for a few weeks now. I am not sure as to what the issues are, on or off the field, but it is obvious that there is some frustration with Kaveinga that he can't get on the field. I really don't know what he is capable of but if he isn't seeing a lot of playing time even with our thin depth at LB than that is saying something.

I found the that last sentence intriguing...that is the power of the USC brand. How is it a coup for BYU if they pull a transfer from USC? The kid has not proven that he is the real deal otherwise he would be seeing the field. I have not read, not that I have looked very hard, anything that says how great this player is. I don't recall even reading one of PC's famous "he is doing all the right things in practice, etc. etc." quotes so I am not sure how that translates into a coup for BYU.

I want every player at USC to succeed but if they are not happy, for whatever the reason, then they should seek out a situation that makes them happy.

- - -

On a lighter note, looking at some former Trojans in the NFL I found this...

Observers around the nation continue to question the capacity of this team to deliver when it matters most. Saturday night’s mauling at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, 24-17, has been officially submitted as Exhibit A. The Cowboys drilled the Saints for 145 rushing yards on the ground, nullified the pass rush, and held on to win a game where the final score did not reflect Dallas’ dominance.

I still like the Saints and I believe that those observers would be wise to view that game in its full context. Sure, the Saints played without Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush sustained an injury during the game. That’s hardly the point. Dallas won that game between the trenches. They rode a powerful running game that included a defining knock out blow on Jonathan Vilma delivered by Marion Barber (Lights Out!!). And, the trenches are where the fortunes of the Saints have been determined all season.

Consider this:

In games in which Sedrick Ellis (the 2nd year defensive tackle out of USC) has played, the Saints have allowed an average of 94.7 yards rushing per game. That would be good enough for 5th in the league overall. Only Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Cincinnati, and Minnesota rank higher.

In games that Ellis has missed, including Saturday night’s game vs. the Dallas Cowboys, the Saints have allowed a whopping 149.6 yards per game. Over the course of the year, that would tie them at 29th with the Cleveland Browns. Only Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Buffalo have been worse.

Who here doesn't miss Big Sed mauling the middle of opposing offensive lines?!

We have seen it all year...how many former Trojans are performing at the highest level in the NFL? Last night there were three Trojans who scored in the Giants/Redskins game. Steve Smith got a TD pass, Big Fred Davis got a TD pass and Terrell Thomas (T2) had a pick six. Not a bad showing, as it shows once again that if a player puts in a lot of hard work at USC and goes the distance there is a pretty good chance that he will find success in the NFL.

Steve Smith has to be headed to the Pro Bowl! If he isn't I will be stunned.

Anyway, great times for many former Trojans!

USC football News and Notes 12/21/09

Paragon SC — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:55:59 -0000

Just some brief notes to start the day as this week is actually pretty busy as I close out the year...

So while we wait for some form of word on Joe McKnight's status from the athletic department the team continues to get ready for next Saturdays game against BC.

A couple other things popped up on the radar this weekend that we need to make note of...

On the positive side USC recruit Patrick Hall was cleared by the clearinghouse and will enrolling in January.

Patrick Hall, a member of USC’s 2009 recruiting class who did not play this season because of injuries and academic issues, will be eligible to enroll in January, USCFootball.com reported.

Hall, a defensive back/athlete, participated in one practice while waiting for the NCAA Clearinghouse to give him the go-ahead. Just as that practice was getting under way, Hall suffered a season-ending torn ACL.

Assuming he’s healthy, he should be able to participate in spring football.

I would not expect Hall to participate at a very high level in Spring Ball. He will be just on the backside of the window for preliminary recovery so I would expect Hall to do some VERY light work. His true impact will be determined in fall ball in 2010.

- - -

On the negative side it would appear that academics could keep both Anthony McCoy and Averell Spicer from playing in Saturday's game...

USC tight end Anthony McCoy might be academically ineligible to play in this week's Emerald Bowl against Boston College.

McCoy should find out today whether he will accompany the Trojans on their afternoon flight to San Francisco.

"We're waiting to hear," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "Hopefully we will know something (today)."

McCoy, who is a senior, is one of USC's biggest offensive weapons and second-best receiver behind junior Damian Williams.

Grades are due no later than Tuesday at USC but an earlier decision would allow McCoy to travel on the team plane.

Defensive tackle Averell Spicer might also miss the game because of academic issues.

I have no sympathy for these guys if they are not qualified for this game. There is simply no excuse for not having your grades in order. I said the same thing about Wright as well...

SC has enough on its plate right now without having to deal with this

- - -

As for McKnight...

His status for the game on Saturday is up in the air if you believe the LAT.

Joe McKnight's status is uncertain.

USC, which resumes practice today before leaving for San Francisco, is investigating the junior's use of a sport utility vehicle that is registered to a Santa Monica businessman. It may constitute a violation of NCAA rules that prohibit student-athletes from accepting benefits from marketing representatives or agents, or "extra benefits" from anyone based on athletic ability.

McKnight has said he never drove the 2006 Land Rover, which a Department of Motor Vehicles official said carried a purchase price of about $27,000. But McKnight has been observed driving the vehicle.

Todd Dickey, USC's senior vice president for administration, said last week that school officials planned to speak with the vehicle's owner, Scott Schenter, early this week. Schenter owns and has worked for several companies with marketing interests, but he has said that he "has nothing to do with agents, marketing players or representing athletes."

Two things...I think this whole situation is pretty easily solved.

First, if Mr. Schenter is telling the truth, then all that has to be provided are the canceled checks from McKnight's girlfriend's checking account showing that she made the payments. I am not sure what to think as the LAT also reported that there has been no proof of insurance provided to the DMV thus invalidating the registration. That is an interesting twist and it may be a god thing...it certainly shows that Schenter isn't making that payment.

Second is from the USC side...the article stated that McKnight submitted paperwork about the vehicle...that needs to be out in the open as to just how McKnight's use of the vehicle was characterized. From what I am able to gather, registering the vehicle is a USC requirement not an NCAA requirement. That is not surprising as USC has its fair share of high ticket cars on campus. This is actually a good thing as the school is showing some form of institutional control in trying to monitor their athletes rides. Range Rovers and BMW's are common place at USC.

It would appear that some have tried to do some digging into the business practices of Schenter. From what I have read it would appear that he is who he says he is...an entrepreneur. No one has yet to provide any evidence that he is involved in any sort of sports marketing or player representation. So the guy bought a number of domain names that are affiliated with athletes...big deal, at worst that is cyber-squatting but there is clearly no evidence of him being an agent or a prospective agent.

I briefly read some of Plaschke's piece yesterday. He is really making a reach in trying to tie some of SC's issues in the past with this one. I understand that BP is supposed to take a skeptical view of things so that he can stir up some controversy to get the readership riled up, but in trying to dig up issues from the past that have been addressed with the NCAA he really looks petulant. Plaschke is not reporting, he is writing an opinion piece and that opinion is based in hyperbole.

I am not sure where it goes from here. I stated over the weekend that McKnight not being clear on whether or not he actually drove the vehicle makes it look like he is hiding something especially when he states later on the article that he knows the rules.

I hope we get some firm answers soon!

(UPDATED) McKnight should be ruled ineligible...simple as that!

Paragon SC — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:02:22 -0000

UPDATE:

And the other shoe dropped...

Schenter Repsonds! Check out the LAT HT - DFW Trojan in the FanPosts!

- - -

You are going to need a pretty solid paper trail to show that Joe McKnight DID NOT do anything wrong in regadrs to the SUV he was driving.

After going over the article in the LAT again this morning a little more stands out. Aside from the article stating that the reporter saw McKnight driving away ALONE in the SUV which is obviously contradictory to what McKnight has stated in the article, there is this...(emphasis added)

Approached Wednesday after practice, McKnight acknowledged riding in the Land Rover but said he has never driven it. McKnight said his girlfriend, Johana Michelle Beltran, works as a secretary for Schenter, although the player said he did not know him.

[...]

USC asks its athletes to provide written documentation about the vehicles they drive on campus. McKnight said Wednesday that he had not provided the school information on the Land Rover because he hadn't driven it.

However, Todd Dickey, USC's senior vice president for administration, said Friday that McKnight did provide the school with written documentation that he was driving the vehicle. Tim Tessalone, USC's sports information director, said the running back had been "mistaken" in his account to The Times. Tessalone declined a request to see the documentation or say when the information was filed.

Fine...

So, McKnight denies that he ever drove the vehicle in the article, but USC says he filed paperwork for it? Then Tessalone "corrects" McKnight's version of the story as "mistaken"?

So what is the story?

McKnight better have an airtight alibi...I mean what part of "did you EVER drive the vehicle?" do you not understand?

I realize I am not a college graduate but even if unintentional (highly doubtful) I can see that McKnight borke the rules. I mean he knew the rules enough to submit paperwork that he was driving the vehicle. He knew the rules enough to say enough to acknowledge he could in trouble if he did drive the vehicle. This is such a slam dunk that I see no reason why USC hasn't already ruled him ineleigible. The bigger question I have is IF the compliance office has the paperwork on the SUV did anyone ask the right questions as to who, what, where, when, why?

The article states that McKnight grew up in a low-income area so I think it is pretty clear that no one from his family bought the car. That is an easily asked & answered question. If the ex-girfriend/mother of McKnight's son is driving the SUV the next question is even easier...where did she get the vehicle? But that gets tricky...if she isn't a student at the school then SC has a tough road to hoe in getting the info on that vehicle by simply asking the question. She has no obligation to answer any of the schools questions but if she didn't it doesn't take a genius to figure out that she probably has something to hide. As I have said before in reagrds to Bush and Mayo, there are privacy issues that need to be addressed so SC's hands are a bit tied.

Now, McKnight should know better simply because even the smallest appearance of impropriety would turn this type of issue into a major s*** storm.

Wolf offers up some history...

This isn't the first time a high-profile tailback in Los Angeles has been involved in an SUV scandal. In 2001, UCLA tailback DeShaun Foster was deemed ineligible by the NCAA for driving a Ford Expedition of a friend of an agent.

He missed the final three games of his career.

In Foster's case, UCLA suspended Foster when it learned from the NCAA of the possible infraction and waited for an NCAA ruling. The NCAA determined Foster to be ineligible, and he never played for the Bruins again. It was particularly damaging for Foster, who at the time was the nation's third-leading rusher and a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Rumors were that the NCAA was given a tip by someone with USC ties that Foster was driving a luxury vehicle.

So there is a precident.

And he makes the obvious conclusion...

It's unclear if McKnight will be declared ineligible for the game. "I don't know if that's even in question right now," Carroll said.

It would be difficult for USC to play McKnight if there's no resolution to the investigation since it would run the risk of using an ineligible player. And it seems implausible the NCAA would make a ruling on the situation; next week is a holiday week, with Christmas falling on a Friday.

This one is easy for USC.

Make McKnight ineligible for the bowl game and get down to the nuts and bolts of it later...after the bowl game. If McKnight gets his feelings hurt and chooses to leave SC then fine. Thanks for the memories...good luck in the NFL. With SC already under the microscope for Bush and Mayo who needs this?

I could care less what the haters and detractors think but my three-year old could figure this out.

Shut him down, submit the info to the NCAA and let it play out from there. But SC has to treat this with a a sense of urgency and bit of a scortched earth policy...anything less will only piss off the NCAA and we are already in their crosshairs.

I can't wait for the other shoe to drop!

USC TB Joe McKnight being investigated for use of a local businessman's SUV

Paragon SC — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:54:32 -0000

USC Tailback Joe McKnight has some explaining to do...

For several weeks, McKnight has been seen driving a well-kept 2006 Land Rover that, according to California Department of Motor Vehicles records, is registered to Scott Schenter.

Schenter, 47, has a background that includes marketing, and a company he owned registered a website called 4joemcknight.com. It is unclear whether Schenter has any ties with USC or the school had knowledge of his activities.

If it's found that McKnight is in violation of NCAA rules, it could affect his athletic eligibility. USC's football team will next play against Boston College in the Emerald Bowl on Dec. 26 in San Francisco.

Trouble for McKnight, the Trojans' leading rusher this season with 1,014 yards, would be another hit to a USC athletics program already under investigation by the NCAA and the Pacific 10 Conference regarding allegations that former football tailback Reggie Bush and former basketball player O.J. Mayo received improper benefits while playing for the Trojans. The NCAA combined the investigations to examine whether the school failed to exert proper institutional control.

It would be easy to just jump right in and make some blanket statements about the compliance office and the ongoing NCAA investigation but I am going to hang back and see how this unfolds.

But I will say this. The compliance office can't know if a player violates a rule until it is brought to their attention. Even if the players know the rules some will still break them. And some will break them for a while before anyone knows it is going on. The compliance office does not have the resources or the right to follow a player around every moment of the day. If McKnight broke the rules then sit him down...he should know better but the compliance office can only instruct the players of what the rules are...they can't enforce them after the fact. If someone in the compliance office sees a potential infraction then of course they need to take the necessary actions but until they know about an infraction they can't do anything about it.

I thik it is better to let it play out before lighting our hair on fire over it.

That being said, this one is easy to me...If there is even a hint of a violation he won't play against BC and you can bet he will turn pro.

End of story...that is that.

That is just my thumbnail sketch in all of this.

I will take it one step further...USC will make him inactive for the game just to make sure they have this nailed down.

One interesting thing I see here...

On Nov. 25, the SUV was parked outside the entrance to USC's practice facility, its emergency lights flashing as players, coaches and athletic department personnel exited the gate. Several coaches stopped to greet McKnight's girlfriend, who was seated in the passenger seat. McKnight came out of the locker room carrying his son on his shoulders, exchanged pleasantries with Coach Pete Carroll, who was walking with visitors, and made his way to the street where the Land Rover was parked.

The next day, McKnight left practice and drove away alone in the vehicle. He was also by himself as he drove the SUV from practice last Saturday.

Approached Wednesday after practice, McKnight acknowledged riding in the Land Rover but said he has never driven it. McKnight said his girlfriend, Johana Michelle Beltran, works as a secretary for Schenter, although the player said he did not know him.

McKnight and Beltran are the parents of a 10-month-old son, Jaiden. McKnight said the Land Rover was "my baby mama's boss'.

So, did the school know he was driving the car or not?

He said Beltran's father may have paid Schenter for using the Land Rover, but repeated, "I never drove the vehicle, I've never driven it. I know I can't drive cars I'm not supposed to. If somebody said they spotted me driving, they're seeing wrong. I don't even have the keys."

Provided a document showing that Schenter had owned the domain 4joemcknight.com, the running back said, "I haven't done anything wrong. I'm just being a football player and a father to my child.

"I won't break any rules because I know if I do I can't get on the football field. I'm trying to keep my life secure and stay on the football field."

Who knows.

This one seems pretty cut an dried to me but I will wait before commenting further...

Ranking the 2009 Pac-10 Football MVPs: Part I

Avinash — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

Mike Mohamed had some big plays this season. Was it enough to be a Pac-10 MVP?

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In case you missed it, here's Part 1: the LVPs of their respective teams.

This post got too long, so I had to split it into three. Here are the honorable mention categories and the Pac-10 players and units ranked #30 thru #21 (#20-11 coming this afternoon, #10-1 coming Friday morning). Let's dive into it.

Honorable Mention

Jeff Locke, Reid Forrest: You know your team's in trouble when your punters are higher than anyone on your offense. And in Forrest's case, you know your team is royally fucked when your punter is the only one on your team who appears on this list.

Donald Butler: Didn't really do anything spectacular this year, but 96 tackles will get you on this list.

Daniel Te'o-Nesheim: So will 9.5 sacks and 12.5 TFL. Too bad the Huskies defense ranged from 'sheer brilliance' to 'human atrocity'

Ed Dickson: I'll be nice as possible about this--FUCK ED DICKSON. AGGGGGHHHHHHHHH.

Damola Adeniji: Despite all the production of James Rodgers, he wasn't Canfield's main target on 3rd down. Probably because secondaries keyed in on Rodgers, Adeniji racked up 27 catches in that situation, 21 for first downs, 5th in the country. Only 49 catches overall, but considering he only had 1 last season, I'll say this is a slight upgrade.

Chris Polk: Finished this season on a tear: Five ninety+ yard games and a 1000 yard season overall. Hard to measure his impact though, since the Huskies lost three of those games and Locker and the defense were the focal points of the other two.

Trojan offensive line: Lost season for these guys. 17 sacks allowed, 40 tackles for loss allowed, only a top 40 rushing offense. Ho-hum for them. I would've dreamed of something like this for the Bears.

Mike Mohamed: Cal's most productive defensive player on a not-so-great defensive unit. You have to give massive props for a 100 tackle season (his 104 tackles were tops in the Pac-10). And he saved another Cal season from sliding into disaster with a crucial interception in the Big Game.

Kyle Williams, Dmitri Nance: Solid production considering their quarterback struggled to complete half of his passes. Plus I feel bad for Williams ending his career like that.

Syd'Quan Thompson: If Cal had ONE guy (Hagan, Hill, Nnabuife, Conte, Rope Guy, someone) step up at corner on the other side of the field, who knows how our season turns out. We sure as hell don't get lit up by Oregon, USC or UDub on defense (Syd's limited ability in the final game pretty much assured we were screwed against Locker).

He was still a fabulous open field tackler when he got the chance, and when quarterbacks threw to his side of the field, he usually shut down. Like Asomugha in Oakland, that kind of effort only gets rewarded with first team All Pac-10, and minimal impact on the box score. So while his talent is easy enough to gauge, it's really hard to measure his value. Which is why he's honorable mention and not on the top 30.

After the jump, here's #30-21. If there are any thoughts of players or units left off, or guesses as to who will end up in the top 20, leave them in the comments.

#30 Damian Williams, #29 Joe McKnight

via theoraclesays.files.wordpress.com

These two are actually the first since Bush and White to break 100+ all-purpose yards a game since Bush and Leinart. Solid seasons, but other than McKnight on the final drive against Ohio State and Williams tearing up Notre Dame, how many moments do you remember concerning these two? That kind of year for the Trojans. It's up in the air whether either will return too.

#28 Ryan Whalen

via www4.pictures.zimbio.com

6th in the Pac-10 in receptions, turned into Luck's best passing threat when Owusu went Section Eight in the biggest games. Thought about ranking him higher, but I don't have any Whalen moments to really justify putting him further up. Perhaps the Cardinal fans can refresh my memory...oh, wait, there are no Cardinal fans. #28 it is.

#27 Arizona's receiving corps (Turner, Criner, Roberts, Dean, Douglas)

via www.azstarnet.com

Five guys with 30 catches or more? Now that's spreading the wealth around. By contrast, Cal had only one receiver (Jones) catch more than 30. Obviously, Cal isn't built to be a passing offense, but still, this is a far cry from two-three years ago. Sigh.

#26 UCLA's secondary

via images.ocregister.com

I know Rahim Moore led the nation in picks, and Alterraun Verner had another fine year--but how good are these guys? Other than shutting down Jonathan Crompton and whoever the hell Kansas State's quarterback is, the Bruins pass D has been surprisingly average. Even Kevin Riley burned them deep. I repeat, KEVIN RILEY BURNED THEM DEEP. Does this happen to good secondaries?

Oh well...at least Moore is capable of that "deep, longing, alluring, penetrating, soul-piercing, heart-tugging look".

#25 Tyson Alualu

via cache.daylife.com

Kind of hard to say how bad the Bears defense would've been without Alualu cracking apart the line. His efforts alone helped shut down Minnesota's passing game in a tight 4th quarter. Extra linemen often were forced to commit to him, and it opened up the rest of the front to get after Arizona and the Furd's high powered offensive attack.

Unfortunately, he never really had a Mebane-like force on the line--he couldn't really disrupt the passing attacks the way his predecessors did How much of that was dictated by scheme or by his own pass rush methods is beyond my knowledge, but Cal's pass rush was far weaker than anticipated, far weaker than the 27 sacks they put up this year.

Still a great season for Tice though--Cal's run defense was top-tier, and a lot of that had to do with #44.

(Story that really depressed me this week: Bear Insider's look at how close Ndamukong Suh came to being a Golden Bear. Imagine Alualu and Suh coming together in the 3-4 the last two seasons, particularly last year. I'm getting bummed out now.)

#24 Jahvid Best

via www.pe.com

For a guy who was supposed to be a Heisman hopeful, it's shocking to see Best not even crack the top 20. But that's how it is in a frustrating season for Jahvid, whose season seemed to peak in Minneapolis. Still had some spectacular runs, but running behind the crappiest offensive line in the Tedford era, it could've been way, way better.

#23 Chris Owusu

via a.espncdn.com

A menace for us, and a big game-changer for the Furd, having huge returns on almost every opponent this year. Surprisingly (and stupidly), everyone in the Pac-10 continued to kick to Owusu long after he demonstrated he would outrace their coverage to the end zone. The Furd ranked 3rd in the country in kickoff returns, mostly due to Owusu's skills.

He gets bumped down a bit because if he could just hang onto a few passes (he dropped big catches in EVERY conference loss), the Furd are going to Pasadena.

#22 Kai Forbath

via tnjn.com

Laugh all you want that a kicker cracks the top 25. When a Bruins fan describes him as your most consistent player...well, that says a lot.

Take a look at the games Forbath swung this season.
~13 of UCLA's 19 points in a 4 point win over the Vols in Rocky Top
~11 of UCLA's 23 points in a 10 point win over the Sun Devils
~6 of UCLA's 24 points in a 1 point win over the Huskies
~11 of UCLA's 23 points in a 14 point win over K-State.

Add in these stats
~26 field goals, second most in the country behind Alabama's Tiffin
~99th scoring offense in the country

Not hard to say Forbath was UCLA's offensive MVP this season, isn't it? Switch Forbath with an average kicker and the Bruins win four games? Three?

#21 Shane Vereen

via dlerium.smugmug.com

(Image from dmo580)

Surprisingly had more impressive performances than Best this season, cementing away a Cal victory in Pasadena and being the workload in two upsets over the Wildcats and the Cardinal. Best racked up big numbers against two of the worst teams in the country and an FCS opponent, managing only one great game this season against a bowl-eligible team. Although Best ended up with more rushing yards, Vereen had more all-purpose yards thanks to his kickoff returns and his own pass-catching abilities. Most importantly, when the offensive line collapsed, Vereen had more of the elusiveness to slip away from encroaching defenders.

Best might be the better talent, but Vereen was the more valuable Bear for this Cal squad...but only by a little.

Coming this afternoon: #20-11.

USC Football News and Notes 12/14 - Emerald Bowl Prep, Team Banquet and C.J. Gable News

Paragon SC — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:00:59 -0000

So, the team is back at it this week as they go into bowl prep.

A couple of interesting story lines are taking shape as the season comes to a close.

I noted yesterday that Safety Josh Pinkard is out for the Emerald Bowl because of a knee injury. That makes things very interesting as Pete Carroll will now be giving us a small glimpse into the future as to what players may have a role in 2010.

With Pinkard out, sophomore T.J. Bryant, who has been the nickel back, probably will start. But redshirt junior Shareece Wright and redshirt freshman Brian Baucham also are in the mix.

Wright, a projected starter, is expected to be available for the game after sitting out the regular season because he was academically ineligible.

Baucham, who was ahead of Bryant coming out of training camp, returned to practice Sunday after missing several weeks because of a foot injury related to a September motorcycle accident.

I am not really sure as to just how effective Wright will be after not playing for almost four months. His loss really became apparent in the second half of the season when SC's defense started to struggle. I was not pleased that Wright did not take his classwork seriously...his not being on the team really changed the dynamic of the defense.

The question I have for everyone is academically eligible does Wright deserve to play or should he wait for spring ball? Wright definitely should not start but should he see some playing time? Playing in a bowl game to me is privilege not a given. I know he is talented but is missing the regular season enough of a punishment? It is a fine line but what is the message that needs to be sent?

T.J. Bryant already has some playing time under his belt but we really have not seen anything of Baucham after his motorcycle accident...will he be game ready?

- - -

Last night USC held their Team Banquet and handed out a number of awards...

Sixth-year senior Jeff Byers was named offensive lineman of the year, while Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey shared defensive linemen of the year honors. Senior quarterback/wideout Garrett Green was recognized as special teams player of the year. And, for the third consecutive year, Green also won the Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award for having the highest GPA on the team.

The night wasn't lacking thrills. Cedric the Entertainer performed standup comedy and linebacker Marquis Simmons led a rendition of "Lean on Me" -- along with the tear-jerking presentation of Johnson's award by Jake Olson.

Here's a look at the full list of winners from the 2009 USC football awards ceremony on Sunday night:

Most Valuable Player: Wideout/punt returner Damian Williams

Most Inspirational Player: Tailback Stafon Johnson

Linemen of the year: Center/guard Jeff Byers (offense); defensive tackles Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey (defense)

Special teams player of the year: Quarterback/wideout Garrett Green

Service team players of the year: Center Michael Reardon (offense); linebacker Marquis Simmons (defense)

Player of the game versus Notre Dame: Tight end Anthony McCoy

Player of the game versus UCLA: Tailback Allen Bradford

Jack Oakie "Rise and Shine" Award (year's biggest hit): Safety Taylor Mays

Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award: Quarterback/wideout Garrett Green

Bob Chandler Award (underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character): Defensive tackle Christian Tupou

John McKay Award (underclassman with the most competitive spirit): Linebacker Devon Kennard

Courage Award: Cornerback Josh Pinkard

Co-Lifters Award: Offensive lineman Jeff Byers, safety Will Harris, safety Taylor Mays

Recognition of the 22 graduating seniors

The awards for Stafon Johnson, Garrett Green and Damian Williams are no surprise.

Speaking of Garrett Green...

Garrett Green has been cleared to hold on placements despite a torn ACL in his right knee.

How cool is that! He definitely deserves it. He has probably been the most under the radar player on this team over the past few seasons. It sucks that he won't have a bigger role on kick returns like he has had but at least he will get a chance to have a hand in his final game as a Trojan.

- - -

So, what about C.J. Gable?

No player has been as much as an enigma as Gable has during his time at USC.

He had the hot hand before going out with an abdominal injury and he had a pretty good season in 2008 until he saw the bench after putting the ball on the turf against ucla and Penn St. At times his attitude has been questioned in the press but that is hard to really know. He made some statements in the past that probably put him in the doghouse but this season he has been completely off the radar.

Last season there were some rumblings that he might go pro but he stuck it out...

But with the season almost over the questions are now being asked...will he stay or will he go?

Gable is one of several draft-eligible Trojans underclassmen who must decide by Jan. 15 whether to go pro or return to school. Unlike many of the others, Gable has played only a bit role this season after being a major contributor a year ago.

Gable started all but one game last season and tied for the team lead with 10 touchdowns. This season the redshirt junior has no starts and just 21 carries as Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford have shared most of the workload.

"It’s been frustrating," Gable said Sunday after USC’s second practice in preparation for the Dec. 26 Emerald Bowl. "Anybody would be frustrated. … Why would you play if you don’t care whether you get in or not?

"I care because I want to play. But I can’t do anything about it but keep on doing what I’m doing, which is work hard and let everybody see what I can do."

Gable made quite an impression Sunday, when, according to USC coach Pete Carroll, "he was the best guy on the field." But being a good practice player — and a good soldier after complaining about playing time last season - hasn’t translated into a greater role during games.

We have heard how great players have performed in practice only to see them disappear when game time comes around so I am not taking Gables strong performance as nothing more than just a snapshot in time.

Personally, I think he goes pro. SC will still have a glut of running backs, four off the top of my head, and that is before LOI Day where SC is in the mix for a couple of more top RB's

Here is a little more for the DN...

After rushing for 617 yards on 107 carries with eight touchdowns last year, Gable has been buried behind Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford in the running back rotation during his redshirt junior season, causing him to contemplate whether he'll return to play for the Trojans in 2010 or explore his value in the NFL draft in April.

"(In the past) I've always been basing my decisions off anger, but now I'm thinking clearly," said Gable, who has seen action in 11 of 12 games, but has rushed for only 98 yards on 12 carries with no scores.

"The most important thing is graduating. I've learned that football isn't everything. There is life after football. It's been difficult, but I just get in a rhythm in practice and I forget that I'm not playing anymore. I don't talk about it unless somebody brings it up."

Gable needs three more classes to graduate, but intends to sit down and talk with coach Pete Carroll following the Dec. 26 Emerald Bowl against Boston College in San Francisco about his future prospects.

"Allen is coming back too, but it also depends on who they might bring in," Gable said. "The only thing I know I'll benefit from by coming back is that I'll graduate. But (this year) they were better than me. The best man won the position."

Gable's mature approach hasn't been lost on Carroll, especially following the Trojans' second practice in as many days since a 21-17 loss to Arizona on Dec. 5.

You know Carroll is going to try and get him stay...but he may be in the same as Mark Sanchez. He can take those three classes and be done next semester so his commitment in my eyes is fulfilled...he has no obligation to stay once he has his degree...

It should be interesting.

Arizona vs. USC Preview

joenewby4040 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:24:39 -0000

More photos » by Wily Low - AP

Ricky Elmore is tearing the competition this year.

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The Arizona Wildcats will limp in to tomorrow's game having lost 2 of their last 3 and barely beating ASU on a freak (go figure, a freak play during an Arizona game) play. Arizona will be without running back Nic Grigsby who has been sidelined along with David Douglas. Nick Foles has a hand injury which should not impede his passing as it is his non-throwing hand. Look for USC to throw a lot of complicated looks at Foles and try to bring a number of packages on the defensive side of the ball. As in other weeks, the Cats will use Greg Nwoko and Keoli Antolin as their two headed rushing attack. Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore have been tearing it up this year and I expect nothing less against USC. Ricky Elmore is leading the Pac-10 in sacks this year with 10.5 sacks and I hope he gets a big one against Matt Barkley.

USC has had a disappointing 8-3 season. So sad, 8-3. USC has been plagued by inconsistent offensive firepower and a defense that was embarassed by Stanford 55-21. Matt Barkley is completing 59% of his passes and has 12 TD versus 11 INT's on the year. Joe McKnight is the explosive back for the Trojans who should eclipse the 1000 yard mark against the Cats as he has 979 yards rushing this year on 155 carries, a 6.3 YPC average.

Keys to the Game:

Kicking Game - Alex Zendejas has been great this year and was the Pac-10's Special Teams Player of the Week last week. Because of USC's gritty defense, sans Stanford, the Cats are going to need to cash in on all of their scoring opportunities. Let's hope that Zendejas likes the SoCal weather in December.
First Downs - Arizona has got to figure out a way to gain more yards on first down than they have been. Our offense is dictated by what occurs on first down and our rushing game has let us down over the past few weeks. I don't mind our WR screen passes to take the place of our rushing game but it would be nice to see a rush for more than 1 yard on first down. I still am not sure who fits our offense better, Nwoko or Antolin. I think against USC, I am going to go with Nwoko's pounding style to try and eliminate USC's speed and just pound it down their throats. (Hopefully).
Nerves - This isn't the USC of old. They have lost their identity, their swagger, and their offense! Try and tell that to opposing teams that go into the coliseum and have to deal with the crowd, the tradition, and the overall atmosphere in SoCal. Arizona's young guys are going to have to walk in with some swagger of their own and have the confidence to know they can beat the Trojans.

USC Senior Weekend Story Lines...

Paragon SC — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:00:41 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

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With tomorrow's final regular season game at home against Arizona there a re number of story lines that we need to keep an eye on...

Who Staying and Who is going?

Stanley Havili is going to stay...

Several USC juniors will consider making themselves available for the NFL draft after the Trojans play a bowl game later this month.

Fullback Stanley Havili said Wednesday he would not be among them.

"I need to come back," he said.

Havili, who suffered a midseason shoulder injury that sidelined him for two games and slowed him for two more, surprisingly was projected by the Sporting News last month as a possible late first-round pick in the April draft.

Havili was unmoved.

"I have a lot of developing to do," he said. "I need to show parts of my game that I haven't been able to show yet."

Obviously Havili is the best fullback we have. But he has some injury issues in his career so he needs to get as much experience as he can before making the jump. He has all the tools, blocking, receiving and big capability but there have been a few time that he has had trouble holding onto the ball at critical moments.

Havili's returning for another year gives Matt Barkley a little more stability as he settles into his second year as the starter.

The bigger question on offense will be Damian Williams...

USC's regular-season finale against Arizona on Saturday will be the last Coliseum appearance for Trojans seniors.

It might also be receiver Damian Williams' final home game.

"I've kind been like, 'Wow. It could be,' " the fourth-year junior said Monday. "But right now, I'm just focusing on getting through the season. After the bowl game, we'll sit down and make some decisions."

Last January, Williams had considered making himself available for the NFL draft, especially after quarterback Mark Sanchez decided to turn professional.

But Williams returned and has been the Trojans' most dynamic player. He has caught 50 passes, six for touchdowns, and also has returned two punts for touchdowns.

Williams, though, has suffered several injuries, including a hamstring strain that slowed him against Oregon and a high-ankle sprain that sidelined him against Stanford.

So Williams, who will graduate this month, again will consider entering the draft.

DWill is in the same boat as Mark Sanchez was last year. He is set to graduate so he technically can move on. The question is is he ready?

There is no question he can make plays...he is/was the favorite target of both Barkley and Sanchez and he has been the #1 receiver on this team the past couple of seasons. When he wasn't in the dynamic of this offense changed considerably. This is a hard one to call, though I think he is gone. Being slowed by injury and having a true freshman QB running the offense may have decreased Williams' production this season but there is no question he can play. I think his draft evaluation will be the determining factor.

What about Everson Griffen?

USC junior defensive end Everson Griffen says he’s not thinking about the 2010 NFL Draft.

At least not yet.

Griffen, who has been projected by various draft sites as possible first or second round pick should he forgo his senior season, said he will evaluate his options after the season.

"I really don’t know yet," said Griffen, currently third in the Pac-10 in sacks (8). "We still have two more games left. Let’s focus on the last two games and I really haven’t thought about it yet. I’ll talk it over with my family but right now I’m just focused on these last two games and see where I’m at and then go from there."

Griffen has been the most puzzling player on this team.

He is a tremendous talent but his head and drive have always been questioned. Jethro Franklin has done a great job at getting his head screwed on straight but not without some lapses (see the Notre Dame game). SC has some decent depth at DE but it is hard to let such a tremendous talent, albeit still a little raw, leave before it is fully developed.

Joe McKnight commented this last week...

USC junior tailback Joe McKnight is leaning toward returning for his senior season.

McKnight, who is closing in on 1,000 yards, hasn’t completely made up his mind but said if he had to make the decision "today or tomorrow" he would come back to school.

I haven't heard an update on this, so I will assume that he is staying...

Anyway more later...

- - -

Here are some links...

Coach Carroll on Garrett Green - TrojanWire

Joe McKnight gets another opportunity to shine against Arizona -- latimes.com

USC defense shows Jekyll-and-Hyde personality - LA Daily News

USC's potential newcomers could make sudden impact - LA Daily News

USC defense faces challenge in Foles - The Orange County Register

Preview: Arizona at USC " The Trojan Empire

Week 14 Game Matchup: Arizona Wildcats VS. USC Trojans | All Pac 10