Go Fetch: Tirebiter’s Morning Byte Of USC Trojans News

When Matua first arrived at USC as a freshman there was debate over where he would play. He was a spirited and intense competitor with a defensive lineman’s mentality — which would have fit well with defensive coordinator Ed Orgeron — but the USC coaches wanted to bring that kind of attitude to the offensive line, so Matua began his career there. USC Hall of Fame writer Loel Schrader commented at the time, “Fred doesn’t care which side of the ball they put him on, he’s just gonna kick the ass of the guy across from him.”

USC fans know all too well that the notion of due-process is in name only. The NCAA can and does move the goalposts as they see fit….but this is a big reach. I won’t even try to figure out specifically what PSU/Paterno et al are all guilty of. I am more concerned at Emmert’s power grab. Now that the NCAA has gone down this road what is the next “case” they rule against? I hate morality police. The NCAA is scary at best in enforcing its own rules on amateurism, does anyone have faith when they step out of that comfortable realm. The other thing that stands out to me is the intentional lack of communication with the whole PSU BoT.

After narrowing his list down to five teams in LSU, USC, Missouri, Creighton, and Oklahoma State, four-star point guard Kendal Harris has committed to the USC Trojans. He is one of the top 80 recruits in the nation, as well as the seventh best recruit in the state of Texas. Harris should be regarded as a top 15 point guard due to his excellent distribution skills as both a passer and ball-handler, as well as his leadership.

At safety, Starling would appear to have a jump on Wright by virtue of his experience — Starling’s USC bio does say he “will start for his third season at strong safety as a senior in 2012” — but he didn’t comfortably emerge over Wright in the spring. And Bowman is an athletic, instinctive and intriguing prospect who could become major-college ready in a couple of months, which could mix everything up.

The guys over at Mason and Ireland, from ESPN Los Angeles, had the USC head coach on their program to discuss the entire Silas Redd hullabaloo. Kiffin talks about how he made his big push for the Penn State running back. That push included a presentation, meeting current Trojans players, a private jet and a lot of truly convincing Redd of why USC should be his next move.