Changing of the QB : Razorbacks won’t have to face three NFL draftees

Arkansas’ defense won’t have to worry about facing quarterbacks Jay Cutler, Matt Leinart and Brodie Croyle on consecutive Saturdays in September as was the case last season.
Vanderbilt’s Cutler, Southern California’s Leinart and Alabama’s Croyle all were picked in this year’s NFL Draft and no longer can terrorize college opponents.
Leinart and Cutler were first-round picks, No. 10 and No. 11 to Arizona and Denver. Croyle was a third-round pick by Kansas City at No. 85 overall.
“When you go against a triggerman who’s been there, especially in the SEC or a program like USC, you’ve got problems,” Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt said of facing Cutler, Leinart and Croyle. “Because they know what they’re doing. They’re leaders and they’ve seen it all.
“ I’m glad they’re gone. But I’m sure they’ve got good quarterbacks coming in, too.”
USC, Vanderbilt and Alabama, which all again play Arkansas in September of 2006, spent the spring trying to find capable replacements for their departed star quarterbacks.
The Trojans’ quarterback situation is uncertain because of junior John David Booty’s back surgery in March and redshirt freshman Mark Sanchez’s arrest April 26 on a charge of sexual assault.
USC Coach Pete Carroll said Sanchez has been indefinitely suspended from the team while police conduct an investigation.
Sanchez took the majority of snaps with the first-team offense in USC’s spring practice, which ended four weeks ago, but Booty was still listed as the No. 1 quarterback after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disc.
Carroll said in a postspring news conference that Booty appears on course for recovery and should be ready to practice in August.
“Everything looks great, and he feels terrific. He has no pain at all at this time,” said Carroll, a former Arkansas graduate assistant coach whose Trojans play the Razorbacks on Sept. 2 in Fayetteville. “When John David comes back, that will be huge at camp. He will jump to the reps at the front, and we will try to get him caught up and see if he can hold on to his
“ Certainly he would win [the job ] right now if he wasn’t hurt. He would have the lead position at the quarterback spot just based on his experience.”
Vanderbilt and Alabama appeared to find starting quarterbacks in the spring with redshirt sophomores.
The Commodores’ likely starter is Chris Nickson for the SEC opener against Arkansas on Sept. 16 in Nashville. Alabama, which plays in Fayetteville on Sept. 23, closed spring practice with John Parker Wilson as the starter.
“It’s just a fact of life in college football,” Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson said of finding a new starting quarterback. “When one of them ’ve to get somebody else ready.
“ It happens every year to some program. Some of them it works out a little bit better than others, sometimes it doesn’t.”
Johnson said he’s confident in Nickson, who is a threat as a passer and runner.
“Jay Cutler, as a senior, it will be hard to replace that level of play,” Johnson said. “But when Jay started as a redshirt freshman, he had some growing pains. That happens when you have a new quarterback.
“ Chris Nickson, we think, is an excellent football. He’s very mobile, but he also has a good arm.
“ He didn’t get a lot of playing time last year because we were in a lot of close games and we had a great quarterback in there playing for us. But we’re confident he can come in and do the job.”
Nickson played in five games off the bench last season, the same number Wilson played for Alabama.
“John Parker didn’t play as much as we would have liked, but did a nice job when he came in and got some snaps at the end of games,” Tide Coach Mike Shula said. “I think he just needs to go play.”
Wilson completed 21 of 31 passes for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns in Alabama’s spring game, but also threw two interceptions.
“He’s going to make some plays for us, and he’s going to make some mistakes because he’s young,” Shula said. “But I think he’s going to get better with experience and I think our football team feels comfortable with him right now.”
At Tennessee, which is back on Arkansas’ schedule this season for the first time since 2002, junior Erik Ainge appears ready to become the full-time starter at quarterback after splitting snaps a year ago with departed senior Rick Clausen.
Coming off shoulder surgery, Ainge played inconsistently last year, resulting in a quarterback shuffle with Clausen that plagued the Vols throughout their 5-6 season.
“It was really a strange, strange year,” Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer said. “I think a lot of things contributed to Erik not having the kind of sophomore year that we all expected him to have.”
Fulmer said he believes David Cutcliffe’s return as the Vols’ offensive coordinator “had a calming effect” on Ainge.
“I think Erik worked really hard in the spring to regain the confidence of his teammates and his coaches,” Fulmer said. “It was reflected in his numbers during the course of the spring. He was very productive.
“ I think we all saw the talent that he has and I think he’s much closer to being that kind of player.”
Junior JaMarcus Russell started 12 games for LSU last season, but missed the Tigers’ 40-3 Peach Bowl victory over Miami and all of spring practice because of a shoulder injury.
Sophomore Matt Flynn, who replaced Russell against Miami and was MVP of the Peach Bowl when he completed 13 of 22 passes for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns, worked as the starter in spring practice. Redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Perrilloux also got a lot of spring practice snaps.
“I really feel like they both made cases for playing time in the fall,” LSU Coach Les Miles said. “I think we go into the fall with a little bit more competitive position, but we’re going to play the best guy certainly.
“ JaMarcus, if he returns to health, may well be that guy. But I think with what Matt has proven, and with Ryan’s ability, I just see the competition benefiting us.”
Miles might want to talk to Fulmer about that.
Tennessee seemed to be in good shape at quarterback going into last year with Clausen having replaced an injured Ainge and been the Cotton Bowl MVP in the Vols’ victory over Texas A&M.
But Ainge and Clausen spent the season replacing each other and the quarterback situation never became settled.
A similar problem could develop at LSU if Miles isn’t firm on his starter in 2006.
“I would only hope everybody’s rooting for the guy who’s taking the starting snap,” Miles said. “I certainly hope there’s a strong thread of team unity.
“ I’d be the first one to tell you I think we look at the guy who won 10 games a year ago first,” Miles added, referring to Russell. “But I would feel very confident there are some other quality quarterbacks that may play and deserve to play.”
Among the other SEC teams on Arkansas’ 2006 schedule — Auburn, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Mississippi State — only the Rebels don’t return a quarterback who started games for them last season.
Junior college transfer Brent Schaeffer, the Rebels’ projected No. 1 quarterback, has starting experience in the SEC, but as a freshman at Tennessee two years ago.
Schaeffer played in seven games, including three starts, in 2004, before sustaining a broken collarbone. After being suspended for disciplinary problems, he transferred from Tennessee to College of the Sequoias in California and earned junior college All-American honors after passing for 40 touchdowns and 2, 970 yards.
While Schaeffer didn’t go through spring practice with the Rebels, there is no doubt he’s expected to be the starter. Seth Adams, a junior walk-on, worked with the first-team offense in the spring.
“We tried to turn it into a positive and get our secondteam quarterback ready,” Ole Miss Coach Ed Orgeron said of Schaeffer’s absence in the spring. “But you could see the speed of the offense wasn’t what we needed and what we expect with Brent.”

Fitness center to be dedicated in honor of Principal Tom Klepper

The late Vandenberg Middle School principal Tom Klepper, who was instrumental in getting a new fitness lab up and running at the school, will be honored Friday when the facility is named after him.
Klepper died of a heart attack shortly before school Oct. 19, 2005. He had helped furbish the new fitness center, which once was a weight room, by requesting help and donations from Vandenberg Air Force Base, said VMS head counselor Peggy Faulk, chair of the Tom Klepper Memorial Committee.
“We have a fitness lab that Tom Klepper was instrumental in bringing together, and last year he was able to secure all of the equipment in the fitness lab,” Faulk said. “We're dedicating the lab to be called the Thomas Klepper Fitness Center.”
The memorial ceremony will involve district board member Kris Andrews reading a resolution honoring Klepper. Klepper's wife Mary and their three children are expected to attend and will receive gifts from the faculty related to the University of Southern California, which Klepper attended. A USC alum, Klepper had a love for Trojans football and decorated his office with Trojans memorabilia.
A plaque in Klepper's honor will also be unveiled at the fitness center. Faculty also prepared a journal containing their personal memories of Klepper, which they will present to the surviving Klepper family.
The center can accommodate about 40 students and houses stationary bicycles and even a rock-climbing wall. The refurbished fitness center began operating this school year, as part of a district initiative to get kids to keep fit.
“There has been a big push in our district for children to be physically fit and our physical education department has been outstanding in trying to find all sorts of physical activities for our students,” Faulk said. “The fitness lab is a way for students to learn about life long fitness activity.”
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Faulk said Klepper's legacy at VMS “is going to be his concern for fitness for everyone.”
“He was such an awesome man,” she said. “He cared about relationships with people whether it was the staff, students or parents.”

Rating the Top Quarterbacks

Last week, during a session with New York reporters, Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi said that, as a fan, this year's draft is "going to be fascinating." Why? Because of the quarterbacks. "[Vince] Lombardi said, 'If you made a mistake on a player, you lose some games. If you make a mistake on a quarterback, you get fired,' " Accorsi said. "They are crucial, franchise-turning decisions. And it is going to be very fascinating to see, I think."
Here's a look at the three quarterbacks expected to be off the board by the end of the first round.
Matt Leinart: 6-foot-5,
224 pounds, Southern California
There are few major concerns with Leinart, the Heisman Trophy winner in 2004. In 39 starts for the Trojans, Leinart went 37-2, the second-best winning percentage in NCAA history among quarterbacks who started 25 games. He threw for 10,623 career yards and 99 touchdowns, and his interception percentage of 1.84 is an NCAA Division I-A career record. Only Vince Young's amazing performance in the Rose Bowl kept the Trojans from winning a third consecutive national title in January.
One NFC South scout likened Leinart, a pure pocket passer, to Peyton and Eli Manning. "They do it with their minds, as well as their ability," the scout said. "Leinart is like that. He has football savvy." Despite some concerns about his arm strength, he should be able to make an immediate impact.
Vince Young: 6-5, 228 pounds, Texas
No player was hotter in January than Young, who led the Longhorns to their first national championship since 1970 with the victory over USC. That game was classic Young, as he improvised with his athletic ability, his vision, and his fearlessness. With the size of a linebacker and the speed of a sprinter, Young went 30-2 as a starter at Texas. This season, he became the only player in NCAA history to pass for 3,000 yards (3,036) and rush for 1,000 (1,050) in one season. Young led the Longhorns to come-from-behind victories eight times when Texas was tied or trailed at halftime; he directed six fourth-quarter comebacks.
One major question arose at the NFL Scouting Combine when Young reportedly scored a 6, out of 50, on the Wonderlic test, which the NFL uses to gauge a player's intelligence.
Even so, Young is a tremendous talent. Several scouts said they anticipate it will take him time to learn a pro-style offense - Texas does not run one - but the consensus is that, over time, Young will be the best quarterback of the 2006 class.
Jay Cutler: 6-3, 225 pounds, Vanderbilt
A four-year starter at Vanderbilt, Cutler was punished by opposing defenses who tore through the Commodores' offensive line. Cutler started 45 games over four seasons, and finished his career with 21 school records, including career marks for passing yards, total offense, completions, attempts and touchdown passes. In 2005, after completing 59.1 percent of his passes for 3,073 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions, Cutler became the first Vanderbilt offensive player since 1967 to earn an Southeastern Conference player of the year award.
Although there has been speculation that Cutler could jump ahead of either Leinart or Young, one NFC scout said he was concerned that Cutler endured six consecutive losses last season. "He's a guy who's never won," the scout said. "It just scares you."

USC's Booty has Surgery to Repair Bulging Disc

John David Booty, the leading candidate to replace quarterback Matt Leinart at Southern California, had surgery Friday to repair a bulging disc in his back and will miss the rest of spring practice.
Booty has struggled with back problems since high school and was sidelined by spasms on the first day of spring workouts last week.
Friday morning, he underwent a procedure called a microscopic discectomy.
"It went really well," Trojans coach Pete Carroll said. "The doctors made a point that it was something that they had to do."
Carroll said Booty will be out of action for eight to 12 weeks, but is expected to be ready for training camp in August.
The coach said he will not announce a starting quarterback at the end of spring practice as he has every other year of his tenure at USC.
Redshirt freshman Mark Sanchez -- Booty's main competition for the starting job -- has been taking snaps with the first team during spring practice.
"I don't have to make any decisions because when we started out, John David was well ahead of Mark," Carroll said earlier in the week. "It couldn't happen at a better time."
Booty, who will be a fourth-year junior in the fall, graduated from Evangel Christian Academy in Louisiana a year early to join the Trojans. He has spent three seasons on the sidelines watching Leinart lead the team to a 37-2 record and a pair of national championships.
He decided to have the surgery after meeting with Dr. Robert Watkins on Wednesday.
"Dr. Watkins felt that having surgery was the best option at this point, so we didn't want to wait any longer," Booty said in a statement before the procedure. "We have a great team and I wish I could've been out there practicing with them this spring. Now I'm just going to focus on starting my rehab, getting better and returning to the field as soon as I can."

Low Profile, Top Pro File

Reggie Bush won't be running a 40-yard dash at this week's NFL scouting combine, but it's clear that the wheels in his head are turning at top speed.The former USC running back met with reporters at the RCA Dome on Thursday and didn't hesitate a moment when asked what he knows about Houston, owner of the No. 1 pick in April's draft.
"No state tax," he said, easing into a big smile.But to realize that colossal payday — more than $20 million guaranteed for the first player chosen — Bush knows he needs to concentrate on the now. That's why he has passed on more than a dozen marketing opportunities since the Rose Bowl, opting to focus his attention on securing a place with the Texans atop the draft."He could have had a million dollars in his pocket already," said Reebok's Mike Ornstein, an advisor to Bush's marketing team. "He's concentrating on football, getting ready for the draft."Matt Leinart, Bush's quarterback at USC and another potential early pick, has been more in the public eye during the last month. Although Leinart too has made preparing for the draft his full-time job, he has made some high-profile appearances since the Rose Bowl, among them a promotional trip to Detroit and an NFL Network commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.Bush said he has had similar opportunities, but "the limelight is not as important to me as being the No. 1 draft pick.""That doesn't go to say that Matt's not focused," he said. "But I just felt to accomplish this goal those were some of the things I needed to cut out. Because I've had every opportunity possible to be on TV, be in commercials. … At the end of the day, I've got to be focused, and that starts now."Bush, Leinart and Texas quarterback Vince Young, each of whom could be the first player picked, all opted not to work out at the combine. They are, however, here to undergo physical and psychological examinations and be available for interviews with individual teams. Their workouts are being saved for their colleges' pro-timing days. USC's is April 2, and — in part because other Trojan prospects will be working out too — figures to draw coaches, scouts and executives from every NFL team.Bush said one of his main objectives is to convince skeptics that, despite his size, he has what it takes to be an every-down back in the pros."I can still carry the load and be in there when the game is on the line," he said. "Obviously, I'm going to want the ball in my hands. I'm a playmaker."But in a few critical situations during the Rose Bowl, it was LenDale White — not Bush — carrying the ball for USC. Bush said people have asked him about that a lot since that game, a 41-38 loss to Texas."We have so many talented guys, so many guys on the team that are able to go in there and break the game open at any time," he said. "They just felt like LenDale could take care of the job at that time. It has nothing to do with me not being able to do it; they just wanted him in there."Obviously, when the game's on the line, like I said, I want the ball. I'm a competitor. … It's the coach's decision ultimately, and it would have been completely wrong for me to go in there and make a fuss about it."It would be "almost an impossibility" for the 5-foot-11, 201-pound Bush to carry the ball 20 to 25 times a game for an entire season, said Phil Savage, general manager of the Cleveland Browns. But Savage, whose team has the 12th pick, said Bush could be a rookie star if he's put in the right situation."Whichever team takes Reggie at the top of the draft, if they utilize him in the right way he can still be a Heisman Trophy winner at the pro level, even if he's only touching the ball 10 or 15 times a game," he said.Bush said that during the last month he has focused his efforts on getting bigger and stronger, and that in the coming weeks he plans to shift his attention to improving his already blistering-fast 40 times. He knows teams also are interested in how well he can block blitzing defenders."I feel like I can, and it's something that I'm going to work even harder on to make sure that I'm fundamentally sound in that part of the game," he said. "Coming from USC, we played in a pro-style offense, so we had to know our blitz pickup. I'm pretty familiar with it, obviously not to the extent of the NFL, but I have a pretty good knowledge of what it takes."Should he be selected No. 1, it would be the second consecutive year in which a player from Helix High in La Mesa, Calif., went first overall. A year ago, quarterback Alex Smith, a high school teammate of Bush's, was chosen No. 1 by San Francisco."I think it would be great if that could happen," Bush said. "It'd be great for our school, our high school, and San Diego. But obviously … this is a dream. I remember talking about this day when I was a little kid in Pop Warner football."In the last 25 years, only three running backs have been selected No. 1 overall: George Rogers, Bo Jackson and Ki-Jana Carter.Rogers had a decent career; Jackson was spectacular but lasted only four seasons; Carter was an injury-prone bust.Bush is confident he can reverse that trend."I know what I can do," he said. "… I don't know what happened to the other past running backs and why they weren't successful and what they did, but I know that I'm going to be successful and I won't fail."

USC Trojans in the Super Bowl

As the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks square off in Super Bowl XL on February 5, two of Troy’s favorite sons, Pittsburgh strong safety Troy Polamalu and Seattle middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, figure to be major impact players in the game, which will be played at Ford Field in Detroit. Both were dominant All-American players under Pete Carroll at USC, and it didn’t take long for either to become important factors on their respective defenses.
Polamalu was a consensus NFL All-Pro in 2005 and was selected to his second-career Pro Bowl. Tatupu, whose father Mosi played in Super Bowl XX, immediately stepped in as a rookie starter and led the Seahawks in tackles during the regular season. He will also have the rare opportunity of trying to win a national championship and a Super Bowl in consecutive seasons.
Their presence on the field continues a proud Trojan tradition. To date, 61 former Trojan players have been on the roster of teams matched in the Super Bowl. Of those, three (San Francisco’s Ronnie Lott and Pittsburgh’s Gerry Mullins and Lynn Swann) had the distinction of playing for four Super Bowl winners. New England's Willie McGinest has played in four Super Bowls, winning three, and Minnesota’s Ron Yary also started four Super Bowls for the Vikings, but unfortunately found himself on the losing side each time.
Two Trojans have earned Super Bowl MVP honors as part of their Hall of Fame careers. Pittsburgh’s Lynn Swann in Super Bowl X and the Raiders’ Marcus Allen in Super Bowl XVIII both set single-game yardage records. Only two times in the game’s history (Super Bowl III and Super Bowl XXXIII), did neither team feature at least one Trojan player on the roster.
The Super Bowl has been filled throughout its history with spectacular plays and memorable performances. It is no surprise that many Trojan greats were responsible for many of those Super Bowl moments. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights of Trojans in the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl I – Green Bay Packers 35, Kansas City Chiefs 10In what was then known as the AFL-NFL Championship, it was a homecoming for a pair of Trojans who suited up for the historic game, which was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. With only 17 yards on six carries, Kansas City rookie running back Mike Garrett was unable to recreate his Heisman-winning heroics against the Packers’ defense, which was led by free safety Willie Wood, who recorded the first interception in Super Bowl history, which he returned 50 yards to set up a touchdown in Green Bay’s win.
Super Bowl II – Green Bay Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14While Wood once again lined up in the Packers’ defensive backfield, a big surprise in the game was Ben Wilson, who had signed as a free agent earlier in the year. The starting fullback for Green Bay, Big Ben was the game’s leading rusher with 62 yards on 17 carries. The 1962 Trojan team captain became the first USC player to win both a national championship and a Super Bowl.
Super Bowl IV – Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7In the last clash before the AFL-NFL merger, Mike Garrett scored the Chiefs’ first touchdown on a five-yard run midway through the second quarter to key Kansas City’s victory over the Vikings, who featured right tackle Ron Yary and left guard Jim Vellone in their starting lineup.
Super Bowl V – Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13In a mistake-filled game, left outside linebacker Ray May had a solid performance with seven total tackles (six solo) in the Colts’ victory.
Super Bowl X – Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17Wide receiver Lynn Swann was the first Trojan to be named Super Bowl MVP, catching four passes for 161 yards, including the game-clinching 64-yard scoring pass with just over three minutes remaining.
Super Bowl XI – Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14Fittingly played at the Rose Bowl, Super Bowl XI featured an all-time high nine Trojans in uniform, including a record five starters. Raiders running back Clarence Davis turned in the third-best single-game rushing performance in Super Bowl history up to that point, rushing 16 times for 137 yards. Leading the way for him was right tackle John Vella, while linebacker Willie Hall helped lead the Raiders’ defense. Quarterback Mike Rae, running back Manfred Moore and defensive back Charles Phillips all saw reserve action for the Silver-and-Black. Contending with the ferocious Raiders defense was Ron Yary, starting his fourth Super Bowl at right tackle, bookending with fellow Trojan Steve Riley at left tackle.
Super Bowl XIII – Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31While Gerry Mullins started his third Super Bowl at right guard, Swann had a team-high seven catches for 124 yards, including his soaring 18-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that remains a staple of NFL Films highlights. Backup rookie cornerback Dennis Thurman recovered a key onside kick for the Cowboys to spark their furious fourth quarter comeback that fell just short of victory.
Super Bowl XIV – Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19Also played at the Rose Bowl, the game featured Gerry Mullins ending his NFL career with a fourth Super Bowl ring. Swann also earned a fourth Super Bowl ring, catching five passes for 79 yards, but suffered a concussion on his 47-yard touchdown reception at the beginning of the third quarter and missed the rest of the game. For the Rams, offensive lineman Bill Bain and tight end Charle Young both saw action as reserves.
Super Bowl XV – Oakland Raiders 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10Oakland linebacker Rod Martin turned in an MVP-worthy performance, intercepting a Super Bowl record three passes to lead the Raiders to victory. Bob Chandler started at wide receiver, catching four passes for 77 yards, and reserve linebacker Mario Celotto also saw action. For the Eagles, backup quarterback Rob Hertel did not play.
Super Bowl XVI – San Francisco 49ers 26, Cincinnati Bengals 21Charle Young became the first Trojan to play in Super Bowls with two different teams, and caught one pass for 14 yards for the 49ers. Rookie cornerback Ronnie Lott was also a starter and had three tackles. The Bengals rallied in the second half, as Anthony Munoz fought off 49er defenders from his left tackle position.
Super Bowl XVIII – Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9In only his second year in the NFL, Marcus Allen electrified the Tampa Stadium crowd with a Super Bowl-record 191 yards on 20 carries. He also scored two touchdowns in the third quarter, including a spectacular 74-yard run from scrimmage, which remains a Super Bowl record. Rod Martin had six tackles, including a sack. Rookie offensive tackle Don Mosebar also saw action in the game for the Raiders.
Super Bowl XX – Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10Bears right tackle Keith Van Horne paved the way to victory for Chicago. Matching up with him on the Patriots defense was right inside linebacker Larry McGrew. Mosi Tatupu saw action at running back and special teams, and was a team captain for New England.
Super Bowl XXIV – San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10Former defensive backfield teammates Ronnie Lott and Dennis Smith led their respective teams to the championship game, with Lott becoming the third Trojan after Mullins and Swann to collect four Super Bowl rings. Broncos reserve tight end Paul Green also played in the game.
Super Bowl XXVI – Washington Redskins 37, Buffalo Bills 24Despite not starting, rookie running back Ricky Ervins led the Redskins in rushing with 72 yards on 13 carries. Bills backup cornerback Chris Hale was also in action.
Super Bowl XXIX – San Francisco 49ers 48, San Diego Chargers 29The 49ers’ winning effort was led on defense by strong safety Tim McDonald, while guard Derrick Deese helped San Francisco roll up nearly 500 offensive yards. That performance came at the expense of the Chargers defense, led by All-Pro linebacker Junior Seau.
Super Bowl XXXI – Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21Brian Williams started at right outside linebacker for the victorious Packers and had five tackles and an interception in the fourth quarter, and offensive tackle John Michels and linebacker Lamont Hollinquest both saw action as reserves. Rookie quarterback Kyle Wachholtz was inactive for the game. The Patriots defense was led by right defensive end Willie McGinest, who had six tackles and a sack.
Super Bowl XXXIV – St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16Playing in his 17th NFL season, perennial All-Pro Bruce Matthews played in his first Super Bowl for the Titans at left guard. The Rams had defensive tackle Matt Willig on the roster, but he did not play in the game.
Super Bowl XXXVI – New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17Willie McGinest was not listed as a starter, but nevertheless specialized as a pass rusher and recorded four tackles, including a sack in the Patriots’ first-ever Super Bowl win.
Super Bowl XXXVII – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21The Buccaneers had two Trojans starting, with wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson leading the team in receptions with six catches for 69 yards. Brian Kelly started at left cornerback and had eight tackles.
Super Bowl XXXVIII – New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29Willie McGinest was the Patriots starter at right outside linebacker and had a sack. Panthers defensive tackle Matt Willig saw action during rotations, but backup quarterback Rodney Peete did not play in the game.

USC Football: Indecision for WR McFoy

He doesn't draw the attention of Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Winston Justice or Darnell Bing, but USC receiver Chris McFoy is also thinking of concluding his college career at the Rose Bowl.
But McFoy isn't thinking of turning pro. The redshirt junior will graduate this year and could decide to quit football and begin life after college.
He recently met with USC coach Pete Carroll to discuss his situation.
"I don't know yet. I talked to Coach Carroll about it and I'm trying to figure out what's going on," McFoy said. "After the bowl game, I'll decide. Coach Carroll just helped me figure out my options."
A main consideration with McFoy is playing time. McFoy caught 17 passes for 172 yards this season, but USC's other top three receivers (Dwayne Jarrett, Steve Smith, Patrick Turner) are expected to return, and the Trojans will probably add two of the top receivers in the state, David Ausberry of Lemoore and Travon Patterson from Long Beach Poly.
Autograph hounds: With swelling crowds attending practice and many onlookers seeking autographs, Carroll wants to clamp down on the situation next week when USC returns from its holiday break.
USC took the unusual step of locking the public out of Heritage Hall on Friday so that players could move freely through the building.
"I think it's time for the players to feel a little more focused coming and going (to the practice field)," Carroll said. "We can't do a lot signing every day. I'm going to control it."
No basketball Carroll issued an order to the players not to play basketball or engage in any activities over the break that might result in injuries.
"Everyone has assignments to do running over the weekend, but we don't want them to do anything risky," he said.
Mock game: USC scrimmaged for 99 plays Friday and Carroll praised receiver Patrick Turner, who missed the Fresno State and UCLA games with a pulled hamstring.
"Patrick Turner had one of the best days he's had," Carroll said.
Carroll added that linebacker Keith Rivers (hamstring) is also ready to play.
"There's no question he's one of our fastest defenders," Carroll said. "I don't care who is starting right now but I know he will split time."
No worries: Even though tight end Fred Davis has not been late coming back from Ohio during any breaks this season, Carroll still checked whether Davis would go home for Christmas.
Last year, Davis came back to Los Angeles late and was not allowed to attend the Orange Bowl.
"Fred's not traveling. Fred's not leaving the state," Carroll said.
Davis said he's going to visit relatives in San Diego instead of his hometown of Toledo, Ohio.
"I know there's a lot of snow," he said. "I'm just staying out here. The drive to San Diego is a lot less snow."

USC Football: Ruel is not a stranger to Texas

USC last played Texas in 1967, but the Longhorns hold a prominent place in the career of Trojans offensive line coach Pat Ruel.
Ruel faced Texas in the first game of his coaching career in 1973, as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Miami. Texas finished the previous season ranked No. 3 in the nation and was favored over the Hurricanes.
"They came down to Miami and we didn't have a very good team," Ruel said. "We beat them 20-15. That started the Sports Illustrated cover jinx, because they were on the cover the week of that game. That game also started my love for coaching."
Ruel also faced Texas in 1977, when he was an assistant at Arkansas. Texas was ranked No. 2 in the nation and Arkansas was No. 8.
"They threw a screen pass to Earl Campbell for about 60 yards and ended wining 13-9," Ruel said. "They knocked us off but we ended up going to the Orange Bowl."
Ruel was on the Arkansas staff with USC coach Pete Carroll, who was a graduate assistant in 1977.
"Pete's a pound lighter since then and I'm 25 heavier," Ruel said.
More numbers: USC has 11 plays from scrimmage this season that are 50 or more yards while Texas has 10. USC alsohas an 84-yard punt return from Reggie Bush, a 68-yard kick return from Darnell Bing and a 51-yard kick return from Desmond Reed.
Bush has 36 plays of 20-or-more yards and scored touchdowns 11 times but ironically, Bing owns the longest kick return.
All tied: The Trojans and Longhorns each have seven players with plays of 40-or-more yards from the line of scrimmage.
Two contrasts: Texas has held opponents scoreless on their opening drives in 11 games this season. USC last let an opponent score on its opening drive in two of its past five games.
Texas has not allowed a punt return for a touchdown in 84 straight games. USC allowed punt returns for touchdowns in two of its past nine games.

Davis Isn't Taking Chances

After putting his players through a 99-play situational scrimmage Friday, USC Coach Pete Carroll sent the top-ranked Trojans home for the holidays."We made it through without anyone getting nicked so we're in pretty good shape going into the break," Carroll said.Players are required to report to campus by late Tuesday. On Wednesday, they will begin weeklong preparations for the Jan. 4 Rose Bowl.Sophomore tight end Fred Davis said he would spend Christmas with relatives in San Diego rather than at home in Toledo, Ohio, so he can be assured of reporting on time."I'm trying to play in this game," Davis said, laughing.Last year, Carroll suspended Davis for the Orange Bowl after he failed to return to campus on time following a Christmas break.Davis was forced to watch on television as the Trojans demolished Oklahoma to win their second consecutive Associated Press national title."It's still fresh in my mind," Davis said. "I decided at that time to make sure it doesn't happen again. So this year I've been at everything I have to be at on time."Davis matured into a major contributor for the Trojans, starting three games and catching two touchdown passes."Freddie's come a long way," Carroll said.

Champions and challenges

Looking back at The Oregonian's sports pages from the first week of January 2005, we see that Maurice Cheeks' job as coach of the Trail Blazers was safe and Oregon State's football program was on the upswing. Oregon's was nowhere to be found.
The USC Trojans were the best college football team in the country.
On New Year's Day, Oregon's men's basketball team awoke to a 9-1 record; the Beavers were 9-3. Steroids had not yet risen to the level of congressional involvement. Vijay Singh was the No. 1 golfer in the world. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was given a vote of confidence.
The University of Portland's Christine Sinclair won the Hermann Trophy, awarded to the best women's college soccer player in the country.
What happened next?
These were the champions
(You knew them well)
USC began the year winning its 11th national championship, comically dismantling Oklahoma in the process. Then Michelle Kwan won her ninth U.S. Figure Skating Championship, at the Rose Garden in January.
The New England Patriots won their third Super Bowl in four years. And, sure, the national championship North Carolina won in basketball was coach Roy Williams' first, but it was the school's fifth, in its 16th Final Four appearance.

Coming up roses

THE 2002 ROSE BOWL REALLY stuck in Southern California's craw. The game had been a Big Ten-Pacific 10 affair since 1947, and we were accustomed to seeing sturdy Midwesterners, usually from Ohio or Michigan (though every so often from Iowa or Wisconsin). Our teams were USC, UCLA, an occasional Stanford, or one of those teams from the rainy Northwest or the dry Arizona desert.The 2002 game, Miami versus Nebraska, was a rude break with tradition. It came courtesy of the Bowl Championship Series, a flawed and confusing system designed to determine a national collegiate football champion. The title contest itself rotates among four existing bowls — Orange, Sugar, Rose and Fiesta.So in 2003, the Rose Bowl was stuck with Oklahoma beating Washington State. The 2004 game just happened to revert to a contest between the Big Ten and the Pac-10, with USC beating Michigan. But this past January, Texas came to Pasadena with that "Eyes of Texas" song, all that orange apparel and those drawls, and knocked off Michigan 38-37. OK, it was a great game. Meanwhile, in Miami on Jan. 4, undefeated USC drubbed undefeated Oklahoma to win its second consecutive national title.Next month, it's the Rose Bowl's turn to host the championship game. And one participant is that interloper Texas, ranked No. 2 in the country. But we won't complain too much because the other team is No. 1 USC, an extraordinary powerhouse gunning for its third consecutive national title. Both teams are undefeated. USC's offense ranks among the best in college football history, although it's difficult to try to compare it with, for instance, the Army teams of 1945 and 1946 or Oklahoma in 1971. In the past, USC suffered, perhaps unfairly — or was it a UCLA plot? — from the rap that it was just a football factory supported by a corps of fanatic fans and arrogant alumni. Gratefully, that seems to be in the past. This is a classy operation. And the Trojans seem to have fun playing the game.We still don't quite get the link to ancient Troy. (UCLA's Bruins, we know, can trace their roots to California's Bear Flag Republic.) And we cringe a bit when that big white horse stomps the turf and the mounted Trojan thrusts his sword skyward. But we'll take a magnificent horse over a sad-looking cow any day.

Are they ready for some football?

Southern California football coach Pete Carroll has 24 days to prepare for one day at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4. He will take one day this month to help five juniors prepare for the rest of their lives.
It's not long, but then not many college juniors are coached by a former head coach of two NFL teams. Carroll, who coached the New England Patriots and New York Jets, will lend his expertise during an all-day seminar in the middle of bowl preparations, covering everything from lifestyle to agents to expectations when youth is served early to the NFL.
But above all else, Carroll will cover what pulls players in the most: money.
After practice earlier this month, Carroll talked about "how important it is not to be swayed by opinions of people who don't control the draft, which is basically what everybody listens to. Because the draft guys don't talk. They don't let you know what's going on because it doesn't behoove them to."
If college football players thought the school they signed with was the biggest decision of their lives, it will seem like deciding where to eat lunch compared to leaving school early. How high would I go in the draft? How much money would it mean? If I stay another year, how much higher will I go next year? Should I risk staying and getting hurt?
In idle moments when they aren't thinking about Texas and the national championship, those are the questions circulating through the minds of five USC juniors considering an early jump. Tailbacks Reggie Bush and LenDale White, receiver Steve Smith, offensive tackle Winston Justice and safety Darnell Bingall are considered NFL caliber.The particular caliber? The only ones who know are NFL personnel people who sneak peeks at juniors while they're scouting seniors - the only players they're told to scout. Those personnel people aren't talking. It's the agents who talk, but Carroll tells the players not to listen.
"I've changed my number, like, three times," Bush said.
"I direct everybody to my uncle and brother," Bing said.
Every year, Carroll said he gets information from close contacts with 10 teams. None of it reaches the ears of anyone but his players.
"I had great information," Carroll said. "In fact, we've been very accurate."
The NFL has more information on seniors than juniors and Carroll said the league doesn't start serious evaluations of underclassmen until after the declaration deadline, which will be Jan. 15.
"They don't trust it as much because they don't have enough time in making their decisions," Carroll said of those late evaluations. "And that causes them to be more cautious, and these guys get devalued because of that. It happens all the time."
Carroll points to defensive end Kenechi Udeze. He was expected to go among the top 10 picks in 2004, but missed an evaluation by the San Francisco 49ers and started free falling through the first round. Carroll was on the phone with Scott Studwell, the Vikings' director of college scouting, that morning, prompting Minnesota to take Udeze at No. 20.
"His value plummeted," Carroll said. "He probably dropped $4-5, $8 million. Like that! They were panicking because something was wrong they didn't know about. Because he missed a 49er evaluation. He didn't have a bad evaluation. He missed it."
Conflict of interest
Some might argue there is an inherent conflict of interest in what Carroll tells his underclassmen. Carroll knows it will benefit him if all five juniors return to USC next year. However, he will advise a player to come out early under certain circumstances.
"If a player is the best player at his position," Carroll said, "it's hard to get any better than that in another year."
That's a question any underclassman must ask. Assuming Bush comes out, he likely will go first overall and probably will attract more than the $57 million deal San Francisco gave Utah quarterback Alex Smith as the top pick last spring.
Sure, USC quarterback Matt Leinart returned for his senior year after winning the Heisman and passing up the opportunity to be the No. 1 pick in the draft and ... Whoa! Wait a minute, USC offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said.
"I don't think anyone can even make that statement because nobody knows that," Kiffin said. "Once again, you're speculating what the media portrayed, or Mel Kiper. There's a ton of reasons he wouldn't have been the No. 1 pick."
Leinart had offseason elbow surgery. Who knows if he would have thrown at the NFL Combine in February or if more questions would have been asked about his already questionable arm strength.
While Bush evokes no such questions, White does. If Bush is the top tailback taken, where would White go? One NFL scout said White, a Chatfield High School graduate, likely would fall between the fourth and seventh running back taken.
In April, the top tailback taken, Auburn's Ronnie Brown, received a $33.67 million deal at No. 2 overall from the Miami Dolphins. The No. 4 tailback, California's J.J. Arrington, received a $3.22 million deal from the Arizona Cardinals.
If White stays, he'll be a Heisman contender next year with the entire USC offensive line coming back. Could he go No. 1 in 2007 and get Bush money? It's White's multi-million-dollar question.
"My situation is different from Matt Leinart," White said. "It's different from Reggie Bush. We all got different decisions and I'll talk it over with my family. Right now I'm 50-50."
If he talks to NFL players or certain agents, he might hear other stories. Denver-based Peter Schaffer is one agent who bristles at the stereotype that agents lurk around college housing trying to corrupt underclassmen.
"It runs the entire gamut," Schaffer said. "There are agents who are going to be honest with players and have resources and get real good information to players. Agents who are self-serving and tell players what they want to hear to secure a player will tell the player what he wants to hear."
Schaffer also debunks Carroll's theory that NFL teams don't have enough information on juniors and are scared to pull the trigger. There is information available, Schaffer said.
"The problem is teams don't make draftable decisions until after combines and workouts," he said. "Players have to make decisions before that. The NFL has this policy because they don't want to upset the apple cart by giving juniors grades, but that would alleviate agents being the sole sensor and resource sensor.
"Don't bury your head in the sand."
No looking back
Two Broncos who left college early have no regrets. Wide receiver David Terrell was close to his degree after only three years at Michigan and went eighth overall to Chicago in 2001. In 1997, Denver took defensive end Trevor Pryce 28th from Clemson. Pryce received conflicting reports before the draft.
"I was told I was going to be picked eighth, I was told I was going to be picked in the third round," Pryce said. "Everybody was dead wrong. But it's worked out for the best."
Pryce was starting in Denver by his second year and blossomed into a four-time Pro Bowler. In 2001, Schaffer helped Pryce negotiate a $60 million contract, including an $11 million signing bonus.
Terrell could be a guest lecturer on the NFL transition at Carroll's seminar. As a part-time starter his rookie season, he made 34 catches for 415 yards and four touchdowns. Then his production plummeted. A brief revival in 2004 didn't prevent him from being released in February, and the New England Patriots released him in training camp this year before the Broncos picked him up. He has been on the inactive list all season. What advice would he give the young Trojans looking at the NFL?
"It's a brutal league," he said. "You've got a lot of money. You've got a lot of decisions to make and a lot of times you've got to make them on your own."
To stay or not to stay. Five USC Trojans along with many other underclassmen nationwide have 35 days to answer that question.

Bush runs away with Heisman

Bush became the seventh Trojan to capture the illustrious award and the third in four years, after quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart took the trophy in 2002 and 2004, respectively. The other Southern California Heisman winners were all running backs -- Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. Simpson (1968), Charles White (1979), and Marcus Allen (1981). Bush, who received 784 first-place votes and 2,541 total points, easily outdistanced Texas quarterback Vince Young and Leinart for the award. "This is amazing," Bush said. "It's truly an honor to be elected to this fraternity of Heisman winners. "I've been in college for three years and this is the first time I'm getting invited into a fraternity. It's pretty good." On the season, the dynamic Bush has been one of the main reasons that USC (12-0) has won 34 straight games. The junior running back has rushed for 1,658 yards and 15 touchdowns on 187 carries while also hauling in 31 passes for 383 yards and two scores. Combined with his kick and punt returns, Bush has accumulated 2,611 all-purpose yards for the No. 1 ranked Trojans. In addition to winning the Heisman, the 20-year-old Bush also took home some other impressive hardware this season. He was named the Walter Camp Football Foundation's Player of the Year and won the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation's top running back. Bush became the first running back to win the Heisman since 1999, when Wisconsin's Ron Dayne took home the award. Young, a junior, is 182-of-285 for 2,769 yards with 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season for the Longhorns (12-0), who have won 19 straight games. The mobile QB, who picked up 79 first-place votes and received 1,608 total points, has also rushed for nine touchdowns and 850 yards on 136 carries. Despite not winning the Heisman, the 22-year-old Young did receive other honors this season. Young captured the Maxwell Award as the nation's top college football player and also won the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback. Leinart, who was trying to join Archie Griffin as the only two-time winner of the Heisman Award, finished a distant third. The senior signal-caller, who earned 18 first-place nods and 797 total points, has completed 254-of-391 passes for 3,450 yards and 27 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. The 22-year-old Leinart did not repeat in his Heisman bid, but did capture the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually to the nation's top senior quarterback. "His decision to come back this year has changed my life so much," Bush said of Leinart. All three players will also be in action on January 4, as the country's top two teams will do battle for the national championship at the Rose Bowl. Southern California will be attempting to capture its third straight national title, a feat never before accomplished, while Texas will aim to win a national championship for the first time since 1969. Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn finished fourth in the Heisman balloting, while Penn State signal-caller Michael Robinson rounded out the top five.