APUSC may be our (and the Associated Press’) preseason No. 1 team, but it’s becoming harder to ignore the depth problems hurting the Trojans before the season even kicks off.
Specifically, the defensive side of the ball has taken an unnecessary hit or two. Defensive end Devon Kennard suffered a torn pectoral muscle during a weightlifting session last month that could sideline him for the entire 2012 season. While Kennard’s status is ultimately TBD, the fate of cornerback Isiah Wiley is more definite.
And it’s not good, either. Wiley has been ruled academically ineligible for the 2012 season.
(There was some good news, as linebacker Marquis Simmons and cornerback Brian Bauchman have been ruled academically eligible.)
Wiley came on in the second half of last season and finished with 39 tackles — 11 of which came against Stanford — and a fumble recovery. He was getting serious looks during fall practices and was likely going to starter for the Trojans.
The injuries on the defensive side of the ball are on top of the scholarship restrictions USC is facing from the NCAA. On offense, Robert Woods is coming back from a linger ankle injury and George Farmer has been dinged up lately.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m starting to get a little apprehensive about the Trojans’ hype. Every team has injuries to deal with, but not every one has a 75-scholarship cap.
Wiley was playing great in the spring. This hurts slightly. Luckily, Secondary is where USC actually does have depth. Not just depth, but it seems that the No. 1s and No. 2s in the secondary could start on any team.
What a disappointment. Get your school work done! Does this mean that there’s no longer a need for anyone to give up a scholly to accommodate Silas Redd?
Did the dude fail his ballroom dancing class? Goodness, get the kid some crayons.
Pre-season injuries hurt and having a player academically ineligible as Wiley more muscle then brains,hurts to lose a starter.Maybe another walk-on from Penn st with a hardship and play this season.
Come on Wiley, you were going to breakout this year!!!!!!!!!
Hey Norcalirish – IRT “Did the dude fail his ballroom dancing class? Goodness, get the kid some crayons.”
Ha ha ha. Let me know when the Notre Dame Football program becomes relevant again. This is a team that had lost 10 of its last 12 bowl games and dropped nine of its last 10 to USC. What does USC think of Notre Dame Football? After last year’s game here’s a quote by Matt Barkley “”They did give up. I wouldn’t have wanted to be on that sideline.”
Not to offend anyone, but a religious, rigorous institution in cold, rural Indiana who’s football team is at best mediocre is not a destination for top athletes anymore.
Funny that Ben is “starting to get a little apprehensive about the Trojans’ hype” when the organization he writes for is one of the hypers. Pre-season rankings are all about selling copy and have very little connection with the real world. Looking good on paper while being restricted to 15 less players than everyone else has a built-in downside, but if any school can overcome that handicap it’s USC.
And despite moronic comments from lame Notre Dame fans, USC has quite high academic standards. A lot of four- and five-star athletes end up at other schools simply because they can’t meet USC’s requirements. Being academically ineligible at USC doesn’t take much. Wiley would still be eligible at about 80% of the D1 schools out there.
Notre Dame is so cold and irrelevant that it took one of your running backs! Leading your turd of a coach to poach a RB from a down school. Classy coach! About as nice as the neighborhood surrounding your school. ND might be cold but at least the players won’t get robbed or shot should they venture off campus…
Silas Redd is a running back for USC because of child abuse, and someone on the USC roster lost a scholarship and is walking alone outside the USC locker room because of it. Why can’t we have a story about that person, the guy without a number, another victim of the Sandusky scandal?
As for USC, getting Silas Redd was apparently within NCAA guidelines. But for me this is why I dislike USC. They are legally correct but morally above us all. It is like being convicted of a heinous crime like rape, then serving your time, getting out of jail, then the first person you date is a rape victim.
USC is a moral vacuum – absent of the nerve endings that make for a better society. Insensitive and self absorbed. Fight on trash!
Lot of jealous haters crying on here. Sounds like the ex wives club more than college football fans. Which makes sense seen as Notre Dame seems to play like a bunch of unorganized little girls. Go try out for the kicker spot on LSU’s roster
In a perfect college football world, there would be no transferring between universities/programs – the school is bound to the player and the player is bound to the school.
Today – it is what it is – ‘poaching’ is in the eye of the beerholder.
@coastalduck
I like where your head is at and I see your point but thankfully we live in America. The land of the free. Not some communist place like China. I want my Trojans to be proud to play at USC but eternal commitments are made with God and nothing and nobody else… in my opinion
Hey OldF. While Coach Kiffin has elected not to share any scholarship info with the media if you had read the article it’s about the guy who no longer has the scholarship that can be used by Redd.
Lol. Love Trojan pain!
Southern Cal might be getting a visit from Nkemdiche,imo they should try and save a scholarship just in case.I dont believe he`s very happy at uncle Clem but we`ll see.
@kozbee
I’m thinking Nkmediche is a long shot. Have you heard otherwise or anything else? I heard he was interested in taking a visit but he just doesn’t seem too gung ho about USC. I know he was telling Clemson that he wants them to offer his high school buddies. that’s also something USC won’t really be able to do with limited scholarships. Sure would like to see Nkmediche in cardinal and gold though!
@ papa
He`s talking visits out to the west and Southern Cal was the first team mentioned.I would rather see him in the west then at Clemson.Goodluck getting him..