"Should have the same impact...as Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Michael Floyd or DeAndre Brown did as true freshmen" "He is the type of wideout that does not have to be open to make a catch" - Barry Every (Rivals)
"...mammoth wide receiver with a frame that has yet to even fill out." "possesses possibly the longest wingspan of any receiver in this class" "Displays supreme body control, can adjust to poorly-thrown balls and makes acrobatic catches look easy." "He is a guy that at first glance does not run very well, but once he gets into the open field shows adequate speed for his size. He is not a screamer by any means" "He is a red-zone nightmare for defensive backs. Excellent prospect." - ESPN/Scouts Inc.
I mentioned this yesterday, and I think It's worth noting again that Prater is already enrolled at Southern California. That gives him a valuable head start over the other freshman and judging by the buzz surrounding him, it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see him pick up some playing time in 2010. Check back tomorrow to meet another new Trojan, FIGHT ON!
For Pete's Sake - Changes Everywhere As USC Football Enters The Offseason
2010-02-15 13:02:23
Yup, I'm back. Again. My final year of university is keep me as busy as ever and it's been incredibly difficult to justify sports writing and website work in my limited free time. And the truth is that I was forced into a bit of a gut check when I got an email from my hosting provider saying that the domain expired in 30 days. Long story short, I came to the conclusion that of course, I have to keep this puppy going. If I only have 45 minutes or an hour per day, which surely I can find somewhere, then I'll post up some daily comments/videos/photos/links to keep a more consistent streak going.
Suffice to say, a lot has happened lately:
- The Trojans finished the season on a high note with a 24-13 win over Boston College in the Emerald Bowl.
- Our beloved head coach, Pete Carroll, saw a career opportunity that he couldn't resist in Seattle, ending the most successful coaching reign ever at Southern California.
- Lane Kiffin, meanwhile, returned from his short SEC stint at Tennessee to take over as head coach of the Trojans, bringing with him Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron.
- According to the RipsIt blog, John Morton, Todd McNair, Brennan Carroll, Jethro Franklin, and Justin Mesa are still at USC. While Jeremy Bates, Ken Norton, Rocky Seto, Brian Schneider, Kris Richard, and Chris Carlisle all went to Seattle with Pete.
- Aaron Corp transferred to Richmond.
- The new staff put together a sensational recruiting class, especially considering the time that they were given, and the difficult situation that they were thrust into.
- Two 5-star recruits, Dillon Baxter (RB, 5-11 187, San Diego) and Kyle Prater (WR, 6-5 205, Hillside IL), are already enrolled and practicing with the team.
- Another 5-star recruit, Seantrel Henderson (OL, 6-8 301, Saint Paul MN) who is "considered by most analysts to be the nation's top high school football recruit in the nation", is waiting see what happens when USC will appear before the NCAA infractions committee later this week.
- Oh, and uhh, we also got a committment from a 13 year old Steve Clarkson protege named David Sills.
Personally, I'm very excited for the season ahead. There is potential all over this Trojan coaching staff and team. And remember, everyone is undefeated in the offseason. Fight on Trojan fans!
The Sound Of San Francisco: USC Will Play Boston College In Emerald Bowl
2009-12-06 16:02:43
The bowl selection show on Fox isn't for a couple more hours but Ted Miller over at ESPN is reporting that USC will play Boston College (8-4) in the Emerald Bowl on December 26th.
The Eagles finished second in the ACC Atlantic, led mostly by a strong defense and a non-conference schedule that reads Northeastern, Kent State, and Central Michigan.
Here's the early report:
USC (8-4) will meet Boston College (8-4) in the Emerald Bowl game at AT&T Park on Dec. 26 at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.
Quote from Trojans coach Pete Carroll:
"There are a lot of things to look forward to with this game. We're playing a team with a strong tradition and it looks like it's a good matchup across the board. I know (Boston College coach) Frank Spaziani and he's done a nice job with that program. Congratulations to him, his staff and his players. Also, we get to stay in California, and that's good for our fans, as it will be easy for them to get to the game. Most of all, we get to play one more game this year. We're disappointed with the way we played the last half of this season, so the Emerald Bowl gives us a chance to finish the year on a positive note. We'll work hard to send our seniors out in the fashion they deserve. And it'll give our younger players some extra practice time that will pay off in the future."
Update: Ted Miller's prelimary thoughts on Boston College:
Raise your hand if you predicted the Emerald Bowl for USC in the preseason?
You are not alone -- the Trojans surely didn't see this for themselves either after seven consecutive BCS bowl games as Pac-10 champions.
A four-loss season feels bad around Heritage Hall, but a five-loss one would feel worse, and that could happen if the Trojans take the Golden Eagles lightly.
BC can play D. It ranks 23rd in the nation in total defense and 18th in scoring, giving up just 19 points per game. It held Notre Dame to just 20 points in a loss.
USC's defense has played well at times, and the Eagles don't have much of an offense, ranking 71st in scoring and 97th in total offense.
Quarterback Dave Shinskie threw two interceptions in the first five games. He threw 11 in the next seven, including four in a loss to North Carolina.
Of course, Trojans freshman quarterback Matt Barkley faded badly late in the season, and the USC offense was decidedly mediocre by most measures over the final five games.
The most important element might be who wants it more. This is a long trip for BC, but it likely will be excited to test USC. Hard to say if the Trojans will match that excitement.
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