Former Trojans in the NFL, NFC edition
January, 25, 2012
1/25/12
9:52
AM PT
By
Kyle Williams | ESPN.com
Al Bello/Getty ImagesFormer USC standout Clay Matthews was off and running to a third Pro Bowl appearance this season, compiling 50 tackles, six sacks and this interception for a touchdown.2011 saw plenty of former Trojans make their mark in the NFL. Here is a look at USC football alumni in the NFC.
NFC
East
Dallas Cowboys
David Buehler (K) -- Was placed on injured reserve in the early November due to a groin injury that had been bothering him since the second game of the season against the San Francisco 49ers.
Tyron Smith (OT) -- The rookie first-round pick overcame an early knee injury to serve as the Cowboys’ starting right tackle.
New York Giants
Terrell Thomas (CB) -- Thomas has been on injured reserve since the preseason, when he tore his ACL against the Chicago Bears. Heading into the season, Thomas had emerged as one of the Giants’ best defensive players.
Philadelphia Eagles
Stanley Havili (FB) -- The rookie spent the season on the practice squad.
Ronald Johnson (WR) -- The rookie spent the season on the practice squad.
Winston Justice (OT) -- Justice had knee surgery last February that limited him for most of the season. He played in six games and started one.
Mike Patterson (DT) -- During training camp in August, Patterson suffered a seizure and was taken to the hospital. He was later diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation on his brain. After seeing four different specialists, he was cleared to play just 17 days after his seizure. He started every game this season, totaling 66 tackles, 24 hurries and 2.5 sacks. At the end of the season, he was awarded to the team’s Ed Block award.
Steve Smith (WR) -- Smith played in nine games, starting in one. He was placed on IR on Dec. 12, ending the season with 11 catches for 124 yards.
Washington Redskins
Fred Davis (TE) -- Davis is coming off his best season since coming into the league and slowly becoming one of the top tight ends in the NFL. He started 12 games, hauling in 59 receptions for 796 yards and three touchdowns.
Former Trojans in the NFL, AFC edition
January, 25, 2012
1/25/12
9:00
AM PT
By
Kyle Williams | ESPN.com
Chris Morrison/US Presswire2011 was another banner season for Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, as the former Trojan was selected to his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl.2011 saw plenty of former Trojans make their mark in the NFL. Here is a look at USC football alumni, starting with the AFC.
AFC
East
Buffalo Bills
Kyle Moore (DE) -- Claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay, Moore saw action in four games, totaling four tackles.
Miami Dolphins
Reggie Bush (RB) -- Bush had his best season since entering the NFL. He started every game, finishing the season with 1,086 yards on 216 carries and six touchdowns while catching 43 passes for 296 yards and another score.
New York Jets
Joe McKnight (RB) -- McKnight played in all 16 games and finished the season with 43 carries for 134 yards. McKnight's presence was felt more on special teams, where he consistently made plays.
Mark Sanchez (QB) -- Sanchez and the Jets didn’t finish their season on a high note like the previous two, losing their last three games. Sanchez finished the season with a career high 3,474 passing yards, throwing for 26 touchdowns while rushing for six more.
Cyler Miles still solid with the Dawgs? 
January, 25, 2012
1/25/12
6:58
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By Greg Biggins | ESPN.com
Quarterback Cyler Miles (Denver, Colo./Mullen) took a surprise official visit over the weekend to USC. Is the longtime Washington commit still solid with the Dawgs?
“It all came together pretty quickly,” Miles said. “USC has been recruiting me for a while now, but I always politely said I wasn’t interested because I was rock solid with Washington. When Coach Nuss [Doug Nussmeier] left for the Alabama job, I started to have second thoughts.
“Coach Nuss was my guy. He has been recruiting me for over a year and was a big reason why I chose Washington. I had a great relationship and was very comfortable with him. He’s a great coach but a great guy too and someone I really trusted. I knew I wasn’t going to Alabama with him, so I called up USC a few weeks ago and set up the visit and had a really good time.”
“It all came together pretty quickly,” Miles said. “USC has been recruiting me for a while now, but I always politely said I wasn’t interested because I was rock solid with Washington. When Coach Nuss [Doug Nussmeier] left for the Alabama job, I started to have second thoughts.
“Coach Nuss was my guy. He has been recruiting me for over a year and was a big reason why I chose Washington. I had a great relationship and was very comfortable with him. He’s a great coach but a great guy too and someone I really trusted. I knew I wasn’t going to Alabama with him, so I called up USC a few weeks ago and set up the visit and had a really good time.”
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Even after adding a solid group of defensive linemen last year, the position remains one of need in the 2012 class, and the Trojans are looking to hold onto a commitment from a good one in Pio Vatuvei (Patterson, Calif./Patterson).
Vatuvei has the ability to play end or tackle at the next level, although his combination of strength and speed could help him make an earlier impact on the outside. He has long been a USC fan and immediately jumped on an offer from the Trojans in August. Since then, he has been recruited by several other Pac-12 schools, including Utah, Washington and California. While he remains committed to USC, he also wants to make sure that he is making the right decision and feels comfortable with whichever school receives his signed letter of intent.
This past weekend, the USC staff had a chance to make an impression when Vatuvei and his family were on campus for an official visit.
Vatuvei has the ability to play end or tackle at the next level, although his combination of strength and speed could help him make an earlier impact on the outside. He has long been a USC fan and immediately jumped on an offer from the Trojans in August. Since then, he has been recruited by several other Pac-12 schools, including Utah, Washington and California. While he remains committed to USC, he also wants to make sure that he is making the right decision and feels comfortable with whichever school receives his signed letter of intent.
This past weekend, the USC staff had a chance to make an impression when Vatuvei and his family were on campus for an official visit.
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Darreus Rogers not sure what he will do
January, 24, 2012
1/24/12
10:55
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By Greg Biggins | ESPN.com
Wide receiver Darreus Rogers (Carson, Calif.) has been a solid commitment to USC since the spring, but a recent official visit to Arizona State has him giving the Sun Devils a serious look.
Rogers took an official visit to USC two weeks ago and was in Tempe this past weekend.
“It was a really good trip,” Rogers said. “I learned a lot about ASU, a lot of things I didn’t know about the program football wise and academically. The academic support you get at ASU is very strong and you have to either be really lazy or want to fail if you don’t pass your classes there. They have a nice system of accountability and offer 24/7 support for the athletes when you need it.
Rogers took an official visit to USC two weeks ago and was in Tempe this past weekend.
“It was a really good trip,” Rogers said. “I learned a lot about ASU, a lot of things I didn’t know about the program football wise and academically. The academic support you get at ASU is very strong and you have to either be really lazy or want to fail if you don’t pass your classes there. They have a nice system of accountability and offer 24/7 support for the athletes when you need it.
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One of the big names on campus this past weekend was defensive tackle Aziz Shittu (Atwater, Calif./Buhach Colony). That position has become a big need for the Trojans in this class and Shittu would go a long way toward boosting the spot. Shittu was one of nine official visitors at USC, and received a very positive impression from the Trojans.
"He said he had a great time and it was awesome to see the tradition and history of the place," Buhach Colony head coach Kevin Swartwood said. "He thought it was a great trip."
Shittu has been notoriously intriguing when it comes to the recruiting process, using Facebook and Twitter to make comments about various schools to heighten suspense. Like the rest of us, Swartwood says he is often left in the dark as well.
"He said he had a great time and it was awesome to see the tradition and history of the place," Buhach Colony head coach Kevin Swartwood said. "He thought it was a great trip."
Shittu has been notoriously intriguing when it comes to the recruiting process, using Facebook and Twitter to make comments about various schools to heighten suspense. Like the rest of us, Swartwood says he is often left in the dark as well.
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In this edition of Recruiting Nation 411, ESPN’s recruiting experts take a look at all of the top news from the weekend including some good news for Penn State, more success for Vanderbilt, and some heated battles in the state of Florida.
Despite being committed to Oregon State since the summer, the country's No. 1 offensive guard, Isaac Seumalo (Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis) gave a long look toward the USC Trojans in recent weeks, even taking a January official visit. The USC coaches were pushing to add another interior lineman to their class, but if that is still the plan, Lane Kiffin and staff will need to look elsewhere.
On Monday, Seumalo confirmed that he is solidly committed to Oregon State and will be signing with the Beavers on national signing day.
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Home visits scheduled for Arik Armstead
January, 23, 2012
1/23/12
4:50
PM PT
By Greg Biggins | ESPN.com
This will be a very busy week of home visits for two-way lineman Arik Armstead (Elk Grove, Calif./pleasant Grove) as things are starting to wind down for the region’s top prospect.
Armstead’s story is already well documented.
He committed early to USC but backed off during the year to open up his options. Word was he was close to announcing for Cal but had a change of heart when former Bears DL coach Tosh Lupoi left the program and headed to Washington.
Armstead’s story is already well documented.
He committed early to USC but backed off during the year to open up his options. Word was he was close to announcing for Cal but had a change of heart when former Bears DL coach Tosh Lupoi left the program and headed to Washington.
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When looking at the remaining prospects on the USC wish list, it's noticeable that the Trojans coaches are again casting a wide net across in the country in search of elite recruits.
There had been a lot of speculation that USC would be focusing more on local athletes during the restrictions – especially considering that local young talent served the team so well last season. One of the side effects of the 10-2 record, however, has been increased interest from national recruits.
Suddenly, the USC program that was expected to be suffering through the sanctions is now one of the hottest teams in the country, with more expected next season. Matt Barkley's announcement that he was returning for his senior season served as free advertising. It was the type of publicity that gave Lane Kiffin and his coaches the opening they needed to hit the road and make their pitch.
There had been a lot of speculation that USC would be focusing more on local athletes during the restrictions – especially considering that local young talent served the team so well last season. One of the side effects of the 10-2 record, however, has been increased interest from national recruits.
Suddenly, the USC program that was expected to be suffering through the sanctions is now one of the hottest teams in the country, with more expected next season. Matt Barkley's announcement that he was returning for his senior season served as free advertising. It was the type of publicity that gave Lane Kiffin and his coaches the opening they needed to hit the road and make their pitch.
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Wide out Bryce Treggs (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco) took his official visit to UCLA over the weekend.
Did the Bruins do enough to make things interesting with longtime favorite Cal?
“I’m still committed to Cal, but I have a lot to think about,” Treggs said. “The visit to UCLA was great, I had a lot of fun hanging out with the other recruits and the players on the team were great to me. It’s a close knit group, and I fit in really well with them. I think the highlight for me was just spending so much time with Coach [Eric] Yarber, who I said before is my favorite receiver coach.
Did the Bruins do enough to make things interesting with longtime favorite Cal?
“I’m still committed to Cal, but I have a lot to think about,” Treggs said. “The visit to UCLA was great, I had a lot of fun hanging out with the other recruits and the players on the team were great to me. It’s a close knit group, and I fit in really well with them. I think the highlight for me was just spending so much time with Coach [Eric] Yarber, who I said before is my favorite receiver coach.
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While this weekend gave USC coaches the opportunity to sway six uncommitted official visitors, it also presented a chance to put the finishing touches on the recruitment of committed tight end Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (Rocklin, Calif./Whitney).
Cope-Fitzpatrick verbally committed to USC this past summer, but continued to hear from other schools. Most notably, Colorado made a strong late push and hosted the tight end on a January official visit. Heading into this weekend, Cope-Fitzpatrick was armed with more than a few questions. By the time USC tight end coach Justin Mesa was finished answering them, Cope-Fitzpatrick was pleased enough to give the Trojans staff an answer in return.
"I sat down with coach Mesa and we talked about about four hours, strictly about football," Cope-Fitzpatrick said. "I'm leaving here feeling very comfortable coming to USC."
Cope-Fitzpatrick verbally committed to USC this past summer, but continued to hear from other schools. Most notably, Colorado made a strong late push and hosted the tight end on a January official visit. Heading into this weekend, Cope-Fitzpatrick was armed with more than a few questions. By the time USC tight end coach Justin Mesa was finished answering them, Cope-Fitzpatrick was pleased enough to give the Trojans staff an answer in return.
"I sat down with coach Mesa and we talked about about four hours, strictly about football," Cope-Fitzpatrick said. "I'm leaving here feeling very comfortable coming to USC."
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Zach Banner (Lakewood, Wash./Lakes) took his fifth and final official visit this past weekend to USC. The lineman had earlier checked out Michigan, Notre Dame, Washington and Oklahoma.
“This trip was the most fun for me out of any of the visits,” Banner said. “It was pretty eye opening to see USC up close and see all the opportunities I could have if I attended school there. The highlight was just being around the players on the team, those are some real cool guys. With all these trips, my goal is to see, for 48 hours, what it would be like to attend school there and I definitely got a great vibe at USC.
“I got a campus tour, spent a lot of time with the academic people and saw the new football facilities that they’re building. I’ve been to USC twice before but this was my first time visiting the Coliseum. It was awesome, they turned the scoreboard on for us and they had our names on the scoreboard, it was really cool.”
“This trip was the most fun for me out of any of the visits,” Banner said. “It was pretty eye opening to see USC up close and see all the opportunities I could have if I attended school there. The highlight was just being around the players on the team, those are some real cool guys. With all these trips, my goal is to see, for 48 hours, what it would be like to attend school there and I definitely got a great vibe at USC.
“I got a campus tour, spent a lot of time with the academic people and saw the new football facilities that they’re building. I’ve been to USC twice before but this was my first time visiting the Coliseum. It was awesome, they turned the scoreboard on for us and they had our names on the scoreboard, it was really cool.”
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After verbally committing to USC immediately upon receiving a scholarship offer, fullback Jahleel Pinner (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) has been locked into becoming a USC Trojan for the better part of a year. Pinner had just one official visit scheduled and took it this weekend to check out his future home.
"It was great," Pinner said of his visit to USC. "I had no clue what we were going to do on the trip, but I'm glad I came down here. I had a good time meeting all the players."
Pinner said it was the time he spent with the coaches that put the visit over the top for him. While he has had brief contact with several members of the staff through the recruiting process, this was the first time he was able to speak in depth with every coach.
"It was great," Pinner said of his visit to USC. "I had no clue what we were going to do on the trip, but I'm glad I came down here. I had a good time meeting all the players."
Pinner said it was the time he spent with the coaches that put the visit over the top for him. While he has had brief contact with several members of the staff through the recruiting process, this was the first time he was able to speak in depth with every coach.
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Heading into the weekend, the USC Trojans were scheduled to host eight official visitors.
Sunday, news spread that a ninth visitor was on campus, as Washington quarterback commit Cyler Miles (Denver/Mullen) joined the festivities. Miles is the No. 10 quarterback in the country and has been a Huskies commit since early June.
Sunday, news spread that a ninth visitor was on campus, as Washington quarterback commit Cyler Miles (Denver/Mullen) joined the festivities. Miles is the No. 10 quarterback in the country and has been a Huskies commit since early June.
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ABOUT WE ARE SC
Garry Paskwietz
Garry Paskwietz is the publisher and founder of WeAreSC.com and has covered the Trojans since 1997. Send him an email at garry@wearesc.com.
Blair Angulo
Blair Angulo covers USC Trojans recruiting. He joined ESPNLA.com in 2010 and also interned at the Los Angeles Daily News. Email him at blair.angulo@gmail.com.