After what transpired over the summer, with near-historic sanctions levied on the football program, the last thing USC wants or needs right now are the words “agent” and “contact” being associated with any of their current players.
Yet, that’s exactly where the Trojans find themselves this evening.
Head coach Lane Kiffin, appearing in a video interview on the school’s official website, announced Friday night that freshman running back Dillon Baxter will not make the trip with the Trojans to Corvallis for their game against Oregon State. And the reason for Baxter staying behind would have to at least send a minor shiver up the spine of those inside the school’s athletic department.
According to Kiffin, Baxter was walking across campus Thursday and was given a ride in a golf cart by a couple of students. As it turns out, one of those “students”, Kiffin said, “might be an agent.” Kiffin said Baxter was unaware of the “student” being a possible agent.
“Obviously, we take this very serious,” Kiffin said, adding that they’ve turned information on the “incident” into the NCAA.
On the surface and at the moment, it appears this is nothing but an inadvertent misstep that will likely have no repercussions for either the school or the player. Then again, Baxter’s not exactly been a beacon of truth and forthrightness since coming to school -- and he’s had his fair share of run-ins with the staff already -- so we’ll wait and see if this issue stops at the self-reporting on the part of the Trojans or if Reggie Bush v2.0 on the field takes on any off-field similarities.
UPDATED 11:12 p.m. ET: USC athletic director Pat Haden has addressed the Baxter situation.
“We did the right thing and we hope to have him eligible by next week,’” Haden said. “These guys don’t represent anybody from what I was told. We’re doing what the rules require.”