Quick hitters from USC’s Tuesday practice:
** Starting placekicker Joe Houston and reserve linebacker Ross Cumming, who had been walk-ons, received scholarships Tuesday, USC coach Lane Kiffin announced.
** Kiffin confirmed that freshman tailback Dill…
Kennard to Start at Middle Linebacker?
It is beginning to look like sophmore Devon Kennard beat out junior Chris Galippo at starting middle linebacker. Kennard got the majority of first-team reps at practice yesterday. Galippo will still play an important role as backup at all three linebacker spots. As we noted yesterday, Marc Tyler and Robert Woods are getting the majority […]
Read moreThe D-Line Rests
The first-team defensive line dominated today even without Armond Armstead. The offensive line missed Matt Kalil and Butch Lewis. The first-team offense was stopped fairly easy the first three series. And Allen Bradford lost five yards in six carries.
Read moreLewis focused on the season, not sanctions
<!–start image–><!– end image–>Amid all the talk of transfers and sanctions swirling around the USC program, one thing that doesn’t get talked about is how much some players love the game of football. That’s pretty clear when talking to Butch Lewis, who might just have the biggest smile on the team.
Read moreRecruiting: Seantrel Henderson Set to Sign With USC on Tuesday
Looks like this roller-coaster ride will finally come to an end: On Sunday, Henderson’s father, Sean, said that his son will his letter of intent on Tuesday at 2:45 p.m. CST during a ceremony at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, Minn. and then fax it to U.S.C. “It is U.S.C.,” the elder Henderson […]
Read moreDepth chart news and notes
Here are some notes and analyses from our preliminary two-deep depth chart posted on Tuesday, again keeping in mind that it’s still January and the season is still more than seven months away): Officially, if the depth chart remains as is, USC will have 11 returning starters in 2010, plus four other starters who have […]
Read more2009 All-Pac-10 Team
(Photo of Damian Williams by Icon Sports Media) Damian Williams, Jeff Byers, Charles Brown and Taylor Mays were all named to the All-Pac-10 first team. Williams was selected twice as a wide receiver and punt returner. Everson Griffen, Josh Pinkard, Kevin Thomas and Garrett Green were selected to the All-Pac-10 second team. Green made the […]
Read moreUSC’s Casey and Thomas return to practice
Posted by ESPN.com’s Ted Miller USC defensive tackle Jurrell Casey and cornerback Kevin Thomas, both starters, returned to practice Wednesday after missing the previous two days due to illness. It also appears likely that All-American center Kristofer O’Dowd will return to the starting lineup after missing the opener with a dislocated kneecap. The need for […]
Read moreHope and concern: USC
Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller Eighth in a series on grounds for optimism and worry. Biggest reason for hope — An intact offensive line leads nine returning offensive starters. Coaches often say it all starts with the offensive line (though this is an interesting contrarian argument), so the Trojans should be off to a good start […]
Read moreJeff Byers Leads Nations Best O-Line
(Photo by Icon Sports Media) Here is a nice piece by Ted Miller on sixth-year offensive guard Jeff Byers. The Trojans return all five starters on the offensive line this season. This is my favorite excerpt: Byers is one of five returning starters from a line that: A. Gave up only 18 sacks in 2008, […]
Read moreUSC football: 10 things we learned in spring (No. 5)
Halfway there! Here’s the fifth thing we learned this spring about USC football: No. 5 — All-Pac-10 center Kristofer O’Dowd is worthy of all the hype. How can this be? How could Kristofer O’Dowd prove his value without taking a single spring snap? It seems counterintuitive, but hear me out: Sometimes we don’t realize the […]
Read moreTwo Tackles
USC practiced with only two healthy offensive tackles — Tyron Smith, Matt Kalil — because Charles Brown and Butch Lewis were out with groin injuries. Nick Howell was already out with a pulled hamstring.
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