USC new Coach: Who will it be??

[Flystripper]

Meaning no disrespect (I always cheer for USC when they play a team from the Midwest or East, and often in other cases) but why do fans on a Cougar-Ute board care about USC anyway?

I can only speak for myself but SC is my second favorite college football team.

[TheBYUGuy]

Meaning no disrespect (I always cheer for USC when they play a team from the Midwest or East, and often in other cases) but why do fans on a Cougar-Ute board care about USC anyway?

In recent years it seems like BYU and Southern Kal have gone head-to-head over big recruits as much as BYU and Utah have.

[Surfah]

Meaning no disrespect (I always cheer for USC when they play a team from the Midwest or East, and often in other cases) but why do fans on a Cougar-Ute board care about USC anyway?

Personally I like the style of football USC plays. I think they're the closest thing in college to an NFL team on both sides of the ball. I also like that they have lots of Polys. I grew up in LA Co and knew and followed some of the HS kids who went to SC. They also had in Reggie Bush, the most spectacular college football player I have ever seen. And I didn't want to miss a game when he played.

[TripletDaddy]

Some interesting highlights from yesterday's Kiff presser:

1. Kiff and Ed O going guerrilla to get some of their top 10-S.E. recruits to come over to SC. TJ Simers was raking Kiff over the coals trying to find out exactly whether Ed O had called recruits to get them to not enroll in class. The strange thing about that line of questioning is that there is nothing in the rules that prevents this. The other strange thing about this line of questioning is that for the past 5 days, loads of coaches across the country have been calling SC commits to get them to de-commit and go to their schools. All's fair in love and HS recruiting. The February War is in full effect.

2. Kiff is obviously not Pete when it comes to pressers. He is not animated and he is not overtly energetic. This is going to be an issue when dealing with fans, media, and alum. Yesterday was a good example....as the UC-LA Times was grilling him, he started to get agitated. Pete would have charmed the room. Kiff needs to work on that. He isn't in Knoxville anymore.

3. Ed O was interviewed by Lindsay Soto. Ed said that he received "several" phone calls from the families of HS commits, asking what they should do now that he (ed) and Kiff were going to SC. He also made some calls. Ed said he explained the NCAA rules to the families.....that if they went to class (or enrolled...not sure) they were officially committed to Tenn and the clock would start. If there was a desire to follow them to SC, he advised them to not enroll or go to class.

4. Kiff mentioned that as part of his separation from the school, he offered up to the AD to NOT actively recruit Tenn commits. However, if those commits contact his or his staff, then game on. Afterwards, the FSW guys said that such an offer wasn't necessary since there is no rule preventing coaches from contacting commits before signing day. The Dead Period allows them one phone call from each school.

5. MG confirmed that they want No-Cho. While he would not confirm an exact offer, he did confirm as accurate rumors of a $1-1.5M payday. That is some serious cash. This was done in an sidebar interview with Soto. In Kiff's official presser, he confirmed that they are still building out the staff but specifically stated that he would not confirm names publicly at this point. The reporters tried to get him to confirm No-Cho, but he wouldn't bite. However it is no real secret at this point, is it?

6. Soto interviewed several SC players, including Barkley. Apparently the consensus is an overall relief over the fact that much of what they do will remain the same. Also, the prospect of bringing back No-Cho has the offensive guys very stoked. The defense is allegedly thrilled with Monte being onboard. This is a time for the Sipi Bat Signal, though. I'd love to hear his take.

7. This HS class is shaping up to be sick and nasty. I am sticking with my prediction that it will be Top 5 when all is said and done. To do that after going to the Emerald Bowl and losing Pete is absolutely incredible....it shows that kids are buying into the program, not the persona.

Fight On! Beat the Warriors!

[scottie]

Some interesting highlights from yesterday's Kiff presser:

2. Kiff is obviously not Pete when it comes to pressers. He is not animated and he is not overtly energetic. This is going to be an issue when dealing with fans, media, and alum. Yesterday was a good example....as the UC-LA Times was grilling him, he started to get agitated. Pete would have charmed the room. Kiff needs to work on that. He isn't in Knoxville anymore.

Indeed. If based on pressers alone, Kiffin is a real prick.

[TripletDaddy]

Looks like No-Cho is pulling a bit of a diva act.....playing hard to get....nice! From Wolfie:

I heard earlier tonight that Norm Chow was leaning toward staying at UCLA. But I also heard that nothing was settled yet. I think this is going to boil down to how much Lane Kiffin can demonstrate he is committed to hiring Chow and whether he can show some contrition over the way Chow was cast aside five years ago.

I think what Wolfie meant to say was that Norm was waiting until SC offered him $1.6M instead of $1.2M.

Although it is quite possible that Norm would rather coach at fucla and hopefully finish bowl eligible next season again.

Btw, one other huge announcement from last night that I forgot to mention: NCAA will be meeting with SC the weekend of Feb 19-21 to discuss the Reggie Bush/OJ Mayo stuff. Looks like we will know one way or another at that time if this is going to be a wrist slap or something serious.

[SeattleUte]

Indeed. If based on pressers alone, Kiffin is a real prick.

IS he going to start making up lies about Sarkisian and Neuheisel just to keep USC in the media?

[TripletDaddy]

IS he going to start making up lies about Sarkisian and Neuheisel just to keep USC in the media?

They tried to goad him into saying something about Jim Harbaugh (all the reporters laughed at this) but Kiff gave a canned response..."We respect all the coaches and teams," or somesuch.

I am not aware of any bad blood between Kiff and Sark.

Everyone hates Hermie, so there is nothing new on that front.

PS if there is one thing LA teams do just fine on their own, it is to stay in the national spotlight. Has anyone even discussed Alabama since last week's game? I haven't really seen much of anything written or said about the national champs. It has been all SC all day. I guess I did read that Alabama was going to display their trophy at Wal mart.

[SeattleUte]

I guess I did read that Alabama was going to display their trophy at Wal mart.

College football fans making fun of this has struck me as lacking self-awareness.

[TripletDaddy]

College football fans making fun of this has struck me as lacking self-awareness.

Self-awareness in a Descartes sort of way? Or lacking self-awareness in a JohnnyLingo sort of way?

[cougjunkie]

Looks like Chow is staying at UCLA.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncf/news/story?id=4825852

[TripletDaddy]

boo!

[il Padrino Ute]

Btw, one other huge announcement from last night that I forgot to mention: NCAA will be meeting with SC the weekend of Feb 19-21 to discuss the Reggie Bush/OJ Mayo stuff. Looks like we will know one way or another at that time if this is going to be a wrist slap or something serious.

USC is one of the big boys. Does anyone really believe that any punishment for cheating will be anything more than a slap on the wrist?

[TheBYUGuy]

Whoops! Kiffin drops a "Southern Kal" in his goodbye speech to Knoxville. How embarrassing! He should know better.

(19 seconds in)
[ame="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4821021&categoryid=2378529"]Lane Kiffin Says Goodbye To Tennessee - ESPN Video - ESPN@@AMEPARAM@@flashvars.id = "4821021";@@AMEPARAM@@4821021[/ame]

[TripletDaddy]

That's old news. He also did it at HH Hall. Later he was asked about it by Lindsay Soto.

Bad move, Kiff.