USC's most important targets No. 6-10 
December, 28, 2011
12/28/11
5:00
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By
Erik McKinney | ESPN.com
10. WR Nelson Agholor (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep) -- A dynamic two-way player will likely begin his career as a wide receiver. He drops on this list because he doesn't play a position of huge need in this class and he won't end up in the Pac-12 if he doesn't sign with USC. He remains on the list because he is a potential game-changer and the Trojans could be forced to face him every year, as Notre Dame is high on his list.
9. ATH Davonte Neal (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) -- Another two-way standout, Neal would give the Trojans a big-time cornerback and outstanding special teams returner in this class. Cornerback is definitely a need position, but if the Trojans miss on Neal, he could very well be headed out of the conference.
8. DT Aziz Shittu (Atwater, Calif./Buhach Colony) -- The USC coaches would like to add a couple of defensive tackles in this class, and Shittu has been a target for some time now. He is athletic enough to play any of the four positions along the line and would give USC tremendous flexibility in working with a depleted roster. On top of that, grabbing Shittu would keep him away from Pac-12 competition in Stanford, California and UCLA.
9. ATH Davonte Neal (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) -- Another two-way standout, Neal would give the Trojans a big-time cornerback and outstanding special teams returner in this class. Cornerback is definitely a need position, but if the Trojans miss on Neal, he could very well be headed out of the conference.
8. DT Aziz Shittu (Atwater, Calif./Buhach Colony) -- The USC coaches would like to add a couple of defensive tackles in this class, and Shittu has been a target for some time now. He is athletic enough to play any of the four positions along the line and would give USC tremendous flexibility in working with a depleted roster. On top of that, grabbing Shittu would keep him away from Pac-12 competition in Stanford, California and UCLA.
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Analysis: Pac-12/Big Ten partnership
December, 28, 2011
12/28/11
1:04
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By
Garry Paskwietz | ESPN.com
It was announced Wednesday that the Pac-12 and Big Ten conferences will form a “collaboration” for future scheduling that will involve all sports, with the football collaboration starting with the 2017 season.
The conference commissioners described the process as getting many of the benefits of expansion without the hassles involved. In all honesty, that logic makes a lot of sense. There’s probably going to be another major shift in the college sports landscape in a few years -- be it a super-conference or something else -- so the conferences get to explore this option to see where it goes in the meantime.
There’s no real need for the Pac-12 to expand beyond its current number of teams and media contract right now. There are a lot of good natural rivalries that have been structured in the new conference -- plus a lot of money -- and it makes sense to let things settle for a while before looking at expanding even more.
The conference commissioners described the process as getting many of the benefits of expansion without the hassles involved. In all honesty, that logic makes a lot of sense. There’s probably going to be another major shift in the college sports landscape in a few years -- be it a super-conference or something else -- so the conferences get to explore this option to see where it goes in the meantime.
There’s no real need for the Pac-12 to expand beyond its current number of teams and media contract right now. There are a lot of good natural rivalries that have been structured in the new conference -- plus a lot of money -- and it makes sense to let things settle for a while before looking at expanding even more.
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Bond with Kiffin helped bring Barkley back
December, 28, 2011
12/28/11
7:45
AM PT
By
Garry Paskwietz | ESPN.com
In the week since Matt Barkley’s announcement that he would return to USC, there have been plenty of stories written about the reasons for his decision.
There has been talk of unfinished business, of national titles and Heisman Trophy runs. But one important reason has been left out of most discussions, and it’s the one which could impact his football career the most -- his relationship with Lane Kiffin.
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Shaq Thompson nearing decision day
December, 28, 2011
12/28/11
7:38
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By Greg Biggins | ESPN.com
Shaq Thompson (Sacramento, Calif./Grant) is a little over a week away from making his college choice but will take one more unofficial visit in January before completely closing the door on his recruitment.
Thompson, the No. 2 rated player in the state and the No. 3 ranked safety in the nation, committed last spring to Cal but re-opened his recruitment. He took official visits to Washington, Oregon, Notre Dame, Cal and Arizona State with the Bears holding a pretty solid lead throughout the process.
USC and UCLA also got involved late but it would be a surprise if Thompson grabs anything but a Cal hat at the U.S Army All-American Bowl January 7.
Thompson, the No. 2 rated player in the state and the No. 3 ranked safety in the nation, committed last spring to Cal but re-opened his recruitment. He took official visits to Washington, Oregon, Notre Dame, Cal and Arizona State with the Bears holding a pretty solid lead throughout the process.
USC and UCLA also got involved late but it would be a surprise if Thompson grabs anything but a Cal hat at the U.S Army All-American Bowl January 7.
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Greenberry solid, will take another visit
December, 28, 2011
12/28/11
7:38
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By Greg Biggins | ESPN.com
Although still very solid with Notre Dame, athlete Deonte Greenberry (Fresno, Calif./Washington Union) said he has two visits left and plans to take each of them.
His first stop will be a return trip to Los Angeles.
Greenberry, a four star prospect and ranked the No. 14 player in the state, has already visited Arizona State, Notre Dame and USC. He’s quick to say he’s solid with the Irish but does want to continue to take his visits.
His first stop will be a return trip to Los Angeles.
Greenberry, a four star prospect and ranked the No. 14 player in the state, has already visited Arizona State, Notre Dame and USC. He’s quick to say he’s solid with the Irish but does want to continue to take his visits.
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Howard sets official visit to Florida
December, 27, 2011
12/27/11
7:12
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By
Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Four-star cornerback prospect Tracy Howard (Miramar, Fla./Miramar) will take his fifth and final visit to Florida at the end of January. Howard had previously considered visiting USC with his final visit but decided on Gainesville instead.
Howard's mother, Shaiy, confirmed the plans on Monday. Howard, who will participate in the U.S. Army Bowl on Jan. 7, already has visited Florida State and West Virginia. In addition to the Florida visit, Howard also will visit Alabama and LSU.
Howard's mother, Shaiy, confirmed the plans on Monday. Howard, who will participate in the U.S. Army Bowl on Jan. 7, already has visited Florida State and West Virginia. In addition to the Florida visit, Howard also will visit Alabama and LSU.
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With Matt Barkley returning, Robert Smith thinks USC will be in the hunt for a national championship.
College GameDay's Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit think Matt Barkley returning to USC puts the Trojans among the nation's elite in the 2012 college football season
The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday that senior point guard DeWayne Russell (Peoria, Ariz./Peoria H.S.) has given Southern Cal a verbal commitment.
"I just feel like it's a good fit for me," Russell told the paper.
"I just feel like it's a good fit for me," Russell told the paper.
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USC, which finished this season 10-2 and ranked No. 5, will have 19 starters returning in 2012 including both specialists and a guy by the name of Matt Barkley.
The Trojans welcome back their top rusher, top three receivers, four starting offensive lineman and a guy by the name of Matt Barkley.
Also back in 2012: The Trojans' top four tacklers. And five of their top six. And a first-team All-Pac-12 kicker. And a guy by the name of Matt Barkley.
The Trojans looked like a preseason top-10 team a month ago. They looked like the preseason Pac-12 South Division favorites. But when Barkley announced Thursday, "I have not yet finished my journey as a Trojan football player," it sent a shockwave across the college football landscape.
Remember that little girl staring at the TV snow in "Poltergeist"? All together now: "They're baaaaack!"
Barkley makes USC a national title contender. Barkley makes things around Heritage Hall feel like it's 2002-2008 all over again. Barkley means Trojans fans can stop thinking about the injustice it suffered when the NCAA whacked it with severe sanctions and start dreaming of BCS bowls again.
Just FYI: Miami on Jan. 7, 2013. What happened the last time the Trojans played in South Florida with big stakes?
Ah, the Oregon fans have just arrived. To borrow a phrase: Not so fast, my friend.
The Ducks are the three-time defending Pac-12 champions. They've got a whole bunch of key guys coming back in 2012, too. They, too, are a certain top-10 team, perhaps top-five. They will be the overwhelming favorites to win the North Division.
Both have highly favorable schedules. USC's nonconference schedule: Hawaii (with head coach Norm Chow!), at Syracuse and Notre Dame. Oregon's is, well, pitiful: Arkansas State, Fresno State and Tennessee Tech.
Oh, then there is this little date for both in LA next year. The Pac-12 schedules aren't official yet, but the conference confirmed to the Pac-12 blog that USC and Oregon will play in the Coliseum next fall. That regular-season game, not hard to project as a matchup of top-five teams, very likely could lead to a rematch in the Pac-12 title game, which could be a gateway to the national title game for the winner.
Ducks and Trojans: Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
Meanwhile, Barkley, by passing up a chance to be a top-10 NFL draft pick as Matt Leinart and Andrew Luck did before him, immediately established himself as the leading 2012 Heisman Trophy candidate. His status as front-runner is only slightly less firm than Luck's was last year when he announced a shocking return.
And that point -- thump -- should provide a speed bump of moderation for our foray into admittedly hysterical hyperbole about Barkley and USC. Just about every time you try to write a college football season's story before it plays out, you end up being wrong.
Preseason predictions can be completely off: Oklahoma was the consensus preseason No. 1 this year. Or they can be slightly off: Luck and the overwhelming Heisman favorite in August. Or they can fall just short in the end: USC as the best team in college football history in 2005.
Or, then again, sometimes they are spot-on: USC in 2004 was preseason No. 1 as well as the postseason national champion.
Still, while grand scenarios are merely reasonably conceived potential endings for something that is a year away and laden with unforeseen variables, there is no downside on this day for USC. In fact, it spiderwebs positives throughout the program, from making the future at QB more secure, to bolstering the present recruiting effort, to getting USC fans excited and reinvested again, ready to fill up the Coliseum next fall.
By the way, USC folks aren't the only ones smiling. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is grinning ear-to-ear. He sees another bright, articulate Heisman Trophy candidate who conducts himself with class acting as the face of the conference, as Luck did this past fall. He sees two big ticket national title contenders in 2012, just as the conference's new TV contract kicks in. He's got broadcast partners -- ESPN and Fox -- as well as a new Pac-12 Network that are going to be thrilled that the conference's ratings-driving bell cow is back under the klieg lights in LA.
Toss in four new, high-profile coaches, and there are plenty of sexy story lines for the Pac-12 in 2012.
The week started with USC fans slapping their foreheads over Ohio State's middling NCAA sanctions for severe infractions. It was a frustrating reminder of the seeming cosmic forces that conspired to end the USC dynasty, including Pete Carroll skipping town back to the NFL.
But the week ends with an early Christmas gift for USC. Matt Barkley telling it, "I am staying because I want to finish what I started."
Yes, college football fans across the country pricked up their ears Thursday and thought, "Drat. I hear those darn "Tribute To Troy" drums again."
The Trojans welcome back their top rusher, top three receivers, four starting offensive lineman and a guy by the name of Matt Barkley.
[+] Enlarge
Kelvin Kuo/US PresswireMatt Barkley's decision to return to USC next season makes the Trojans a contender for the national championship.
Kelvin Kuo/US PresswireMatt Barkley's decision to return to USC next season makes the Trojans a contender for the national championship.The Trojans looked like a preseason top-10 team a month ago. They looked like the preseason Pac-12 South Division favorites. But when Barkley announced Thursday, "I have not yet finished my journey as a Trojan football player," it sent a shockwave across the college football landscape.
Remember that little girl staring at the TV snow in "Poltergeist"? All together now: "They're baaaaack!"
Barkley makes USC a national title contender. Barkley makes things around Heritage Hall feel like it's 2002-2008 all over again. Barkley means Trojans fans can stop thinking about the injustice it suffered when the NCAA whacked it with severe sanctions and start dreaming of BCS bowls again.
Just FYI: Miami on Jan. 7, 2013. What happened the last time the Trojans played in South Florida with big stakes?
Ah, the Oregon fans have just arrived. To borrow a phrase: Not so fast, my friend.
The Ducks are the three-time defending Pac-12 champions. They've got a whole bunch of key guys coming back in 2012, too. They, too, are a certain top-10 team, perhaps top-five. They will be the overwhelming favorites to win the North Division.
Both have highly favorable schedules. USC's nonconference schedule: Hawaii (with head coach Norm Chow!), at Syracuse and Notre Dame. Oregon's is, well, pitiful: Arkansas State, Fresno State and Tennessee Tech.
Oh, then there is this little date for both in LA next year. The Pac-12 schedules aren't official yet, but the conference confirmed to the Pac-12 blog that USC and Oregon will play in the Coliseum next fall. That regular-season game, not hard to project as a matchup of top-five teams, very likely could lead to a rematch in the Pac-12 title game, which could be a gateway to the national title game for the winner.
Ducks and Trojans: Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
Meanwhile, Barkley, by passing up a chance to be a top-10 NFL draft pick as Matt Leinart and Andrew Luck did before him, immediately established himself as the leading 2012 Heisman Trophy candidate. His status as front-runner is only slightly less firm than Luck's was last year when he announced a shocking return.
And that point -- thump -- should provide a speed bump of moderation for our foray into admittedly hysterical hyperbole about Barkley and USC. Just about every time you try to write a college football season's story before it plays out, you end up being wrong.
Preseason predictions can be completely off: Oklahoma was the consensus preseason No. 1 this year. Or they can be slightly off: Luck and the overwhelming Heisman favorite in August. Or they can fall just short in the end: USC as the best team in college football history in 2005.
Or, then again, sometimes they are spot-on: USC in 2004 was preseason No. 1 as well as the postseason national champion.
Still, while grand scenarios are merely reasonably conceived potential endings for something that is a year away and laden with unforeseen variables, there is no downside on this day for USC. In fact, it spiderwebs positives throughout the program, from making the future at QB more secure, to bolstering the present recruiting effort, to getting USC fans excited and reinvested again, ready to fill up the Coliseum next fall.
By the way, USC folks aren't the only ones smiling. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is grinning ear-to-ear. He sees another bright, articulate Heisman Trophy candidate who conducts himself with class acting as the face of the conference, as Luck did this past fall. He sees two big ticket national title contenders in 2012, just as the conference's new TV contract kicks in. He's got broadcast partners -- ESPN and Fox -- as well as a new Pac-12 Network that are going to be thrilled that the conference's ratings-driving bell cow is back under the klieg lights in LA.
Toss in four new, high-profile coaches, and there are plenty of sexy story lines for the Pac-12 in 2012.
The week started with USC fans slapping their foreheads over Ohio State's middling NCAA sanctions for severe infractions. It was a frustrating reminder of the seeming cosmic forces that conspired to end the USC dynasty, including Pete Carroll skipping town back to the NFL.
But the week ends with an early Christmas gift for USC. Matt Barkley telling it, "I am staying because I want to finish what I started."
Yes, college football fans across the country pricked up their ears Thursday and thought, "Drat. I hear those darn "Tribute To Troy" drums again."
Head coach Lane Kiffin has announced the signings of Norco (Calif.) High School outside linebacker Scott Starr and Santa Monica (Calif.) High School offensive tackle Chad Wheeler, according to a release on the University's official site. Both players will graduate from high school early, enroll at USC in January, and participate in spring practice.
Starr, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound four-star prospect who committed in May, registered more than 200 tackles and eight sacks over the course of the last two seasons. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Wheeler, a three-star, originally committed to Arizona State before switching to USC in September.
The high school pair joins two junior college players who also signed with the Trojans; Pierce College (Woodland Hills, Calif.) safety Gerald Bowman and Diablo Valley Community College (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) defensive end Morgan Breslin, a UCLA decommitment.
Kiffin commented on those signings, "We are thrilled to add both Gerald and Morgan into our program in January. Gerald was the nation's No. 2-rated junior college player and we look forward to him making an impact on our team over the next two years. Morgan's last-minute decision to change to USC was very critical to us because Nick Perry left early to go to the NFL. After an extremely productive two-year junior college career, he will raise the competition level on our defensive line."
Starr, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound four-star prospect who committed in May, registered more than 200 tackles and eight sacks over the course of the last two seasons. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Wheeler, a three-star, originally committed to Arizona State before switching to USC in September.
The high school pair joins two junior college players who also signed with the Trojans; Pierce College (Woodland Hills, Calif.) safety Gerald Bowman and Diablo Valley Community College (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) defensive end Morgan Breslin, a UCLA decommitment.
Kiffin commented on those signings, "We are thrilled to add both Gerald and Morgan into our program in January. Gerald was the nation's No. 2-rated junior college player and we look forward to him making an impact on our team over the next two years. Morgan's last-minute decision to change to USC was very critical to us because Nick Perry left early to go to the NFL. After an extremely productive two-year junior college career, he will raise the competition level on our defensive line."
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McDonald leads big day for the Trojans
December, 21, 2011
12/21/11
6:14
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By
Garry Paskwietz | ESPN.com
What a great day it was for USC fans on Wednesday.
First there were the verbal commits from a pair of junior college players in safety Gerald Bowman from Woodland Hills Pierce College (Calif.) and defensive end Morgan Breslin from Diablo Valley College (Calif.).
Both players are expected to step into the defensive rotation right away. Breslin will help fill a void left by the early NFL draft entry of Nick Perry, while Bowman was ranked among the top junior college prospects in the nation -- a player good enough to be projected as a potential replacement if T.J. McDonald also decided to declare.
First there were the verbal commits from a pair of junior college players in safety Gerald Bowman from Woodland Hills Pierce College (Calif.) and defensive end Morgan Breslin from Diablo Valley College (Calif.).
Both players are expected to step into the defensive rotation right away. Breslin will help fill a void left by the early NFL draft entry of Nick Perry, while Bowman was ranked among the top junior college prospects in the nation -- a player good enough to be projected as a potential replacement if T.J. McDonald also decided to declare.
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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.