What's up with players from USC?

[CtCardinals78]

USC gets TONS of media love, and maybe deservedly so, but it seems to me like a lot of the players have a hard time succeeding in the NFL. Is it the system at USC that made these guys look so good, or is it that the PR and hype machine for these kids at USC is pumping them so much. Maybe the "fallout" rate is normal considering how many guys get drafted from SC, but it just seems like they produce disappointing players. Maybe they have a good success rate, but when we hear things like Reggie Bush is "going to change the way the game is played", or Matt Leinart is the most "NFL ready QB in the 06 draft" or "Mike Williams is going to be a great WR" it makes one wonder what the driving force is behind the words are. This list is very subjective and just how I see things. If you disagree with any of my assessments please let me know. Here's a look at their picks rounds 1 & 2 from 2000

2000
Round 1 R. Jay Soward WR--- played 14 games in NFL (F)
Round 2 Travis Claridge G--4 seasons in NFL (D)

2001 & 2002 no first or second round picks

2003
Round 1
Carson Palmer QB--successful career (A)
Troy Polamalu S--One of the best safties in football (A)

2004
Round 1
Kenechi Udeze DE-- Retired Early due to illness had a decent career though (B)

Round 2---Jacob Rogers--T Out of NFL played 2 games. coach at Central Connecticut State University (F)

Round 2--Keary Colbert WR--Out of football since 2008 never materialized (F)

2005 Round 1

Mike Williams---WR never caught on with Lions (F)
Mike Patterson--DT starter for Eagles (B+)

Round 2
Shaun Cody--DE starter for Texans, pretty unspectacular career (D)
Lofa Tatupu--LB Very good career so far (A)

2006
Round 1
Reggie Bush--RB although not a bust career has been nothing more than mediocre (C)
Matt Leinart--QB Disappointing (F)

Round 2
LenDale White--RB on his third team in 5 years(D)
Winston Justice--G Pretty disappointing start, but starting to turn it around (C+)
Deuce Lutui--G solid guard (B)

2007
Round 2
Dewayne Jarett--WR has not panned out like the Panthers hoped (D)
Steve Smith--WR having a nice career so far, looks to be on the rise (B)
Ryan Kalil--C one of the better Centers in the league (A)

2008
Round 1
Sedrick Ellis--DT Ok (C)
Keith Rivers--LB Doing a good job so far with the Bengals (B)
Sam Baker--T starter last year, the Falcons seem to like him (B)
Lawrence Jackson--DT Seahawks traded him to the Lions (D)

Round 2
Chilo Rachal--G Doing ok (C)
Fred Davis--TE Nice year last year sharing time with Cooley, bust disappointing rookie year (C)
Terrelle Thomas--CB Played very well for the Giants last year (B)

2009
Round 1
Mark Sanchez--QB Despite the hype had ugly numbers last year with a limited playbook (C)
Brian Cushing--LB Had a monster rookie season, but tarnished by a failed drug test and allegations of PED use (A*****)
Clay Matthews--LB Nice season for the Packers (B)

Round 2
Rey Maualuga--LB Did well as a starter for the Bengals (B)
Fili Moala--DT Didn't see much time with the Colts

 

[Duckjake]

Teams should just stick with Texas players.

From 1999 through 2009 only 3 of 19 Texas players drafted in the first or second round are out of the NFL!

Ricky Williams resurrected his career with Miami.

Leonard Davis, Casey Hampton, Shaun Rogers, Q Jammer, Cedric Benson, Cedric Griffin, Mike Huff, Vince Young, Mike Griffin, Justin Blalock, and Brian Orakpo were all starters last season. Aaron Ross, Roy Williams and Derrick Johnson also started games last year. Tim Crowder was a decent backup in Tampa.

You might not get the super star you were hoping for but you'll get a lot of years of production out of them.

 

[kerouac9]

Shaun Cody's a good player; he just had a hard time being motivated playing for terrible teams like the Lions and Browns(?).

 

[Russ Smith]

It's a good question, I keep hearing people say Leinart's college career was the product of being surrounded by great players. That's what everyone thought but how great were they really?

Bush is a good NFL player, not nearly as good as expected coming in, Lendale White not so good, Winston Justice once gave up what 6 sacks in a single NFL game? Kalil is pretty good, Lutui is pretty good, remember people thought that OL was the best college line ever, Kalil is the only guy who might see a pro bowl from that group. Even the receivers were overrated, in fact the one guy who wasn't hyped on that team, Steve Smith, is probably the best NFL player from that offense.

I think Carroll had a lot of really good college players and when all put together they were such a good team everyone over estimated their NFL potential.

But I still say the most amazing thing of the whole USC situation was how in the hell did Pete Carroll lose that game to Stanford with Tavita Pritchard starting at QB for Stanford? Arguably the biggest upset in my lifetime, offense was loaded with talent, defense was loaded with talent but he lost to a Stanford team that IIRC didn't even have Gerhart(think he was hurt).

 

[splitsecond]

in sum, eventually all douchebags fail.

 

[AzCards21]

1% of all high school players will ever be starters in college, 1% of all college players will start in the NFL. Those are the stats. So by that reasoning USC will fare no better than any other school no matter what they accomplish on the bowl level.

 

[Solar7]

in sum, eventually all douchebags fail.

What makes them douchebags? That they went to USC? That's a pretty enveloping statement that seems unfounded.

 

[splitsecond]

What makes them douchebags? That they went to USC? That's a pretty enveloping statement that seems unfounded.

look at the names on the lost of failures, theres quite a few of them on there.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Most QBs struggle in their rookie seasons and I think Mark Sanchez will be a great NFL QB. LenDale White was looking good up to last year. I think Reggie Bush will become a great RB and can catch the ball very well as well as run the ball. I'm a bit surprised that Dewayne Jarrett has struggled so much, I remember thinking how much I'd like to see him on the Cardinals.

They had a great system under Pete Carroll no doubt, but some players just have a harder time adjusting to the NFL than others. USC has had quite a few players drafted and some have adjusted quite well, while others have not.

 

[vince56]

Most QBs struggle in their rookie seasons and I think Mark Sanchez will be a great NFL QB.

I would disagree based on his attitude. He hangs his head and pouts when things don't go his way. They had a hole segment on Hard Knocks where the coaches are trying to get him to look up and admit when he makes a mistake.

He might be a technically good player, but I doubt he'll ever be great with a defeatist personality.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I think it's the atitude at USC. By that I mean, they are all treated like superstars and can do no wrong, they win, they get paid, they think they are celebrities, then, they get back to the real world of the NFL where these are making their living and it's a culture shock. It takes a while to get out of those bad habits and some never do.Thus, they struggle. I think Kiffin, with his dad there, will change that because they know how tough it is at the NFL level. Carroll also knew but his personality catered to the college player. That's why he was getting everybody to come there. Well, that and a checkbook that makes SEC teams jealous.

 

[Southpaw]

I think it's the atitude at USC. By that I mean, they are all treated like superstars and can do no wrong, they win, they get paid, they think they are celebrities, then, they get back to the real world of the NFL where these are making their living and it's a culture shock. It takes a while to get out of those bad habits and some never do.Thus, they struggle. I think Kiffin, with his dad there, will change that because they know how tough it is at the NFL level. Carroll also knew but his personality catered to the college player. That's why he was getting everybody to come there. Well, that and a checkbook that makes SEC teams jealous.

Bingo. Good analysis. USC had a great run under Carroll, but prior to him, they were bad, for a long time. I think Carroll created a weird culture there and it self destructed.

BTW, Joe McKnight is a good example of what you outlined. IMHO, Sanchez gets exposed this year. He was covered up last year and had a very bad statistical year. He is what he is.

I love watching Pac 10 games. They love to play to basketball scores, but don't play a lick of defense. Lots of shoot outs.

 

[BW52]

I think it's the atitude at USC. By that I mean, they are all treated like superstars and can do no wrong, they win, they get paid, they think they are celebrities, then, they get back to the real world of the NFL where these are making their living and it's a culture shock. It takes a while to get out of those bad habits and some never do.Thus, they struggle. I think Kiffin, with his dad there, will change that because they know how tough it is at the NFL level. Carroll also knew but his personality catered to the college player. That's why he was getting everybody to come there. Well, that and a checkbook that makes SEC teams jealous.

And Ohio state is such a place of honesty and integrity.LMAO

 

[Russ Smith]

The whole argument for years by USC fans was that Carroll was a great recruiter who had this tremendous attitude of competing, they would have a 5th string RB who could start for most of the other Pac 10 teams. They'd have 3 5 star QB's on the roster at the same time, backup OL's who were drafted all sorts of examples of that. The argument was the atmosphere of competition is what drew those players to USC, they wanted to compete with the best to be the best.

The whole idea was that USC players would be better prepared for the NFL because they had competed with other great talent while they were in college, they had to compete just to get on the field. Which is why the idea that so many of them seem to have underachieved in the NFL is intriguing.

Of course lots of people felt all along that it wasn't that competition that lured those kids to USC it was all the perks that came with being a USC player the alleged payments and the you're above the law mentality that came with it.

They certainly put a lot of kids into the NFL.

 

[Dback Jon]

Their pro careers peaked when they were playing against college kids

 

[JeffGollin]

Forget about specific players and how they turned out later , and instead focus on the W's & L's. USC continues to win most of their games and more than their share of bowl games and championships within the context of a high-profile schedule.

How did USC get that way?

Start with the recruiting. (How do they do it? Are there guys on the staff who are really good at it? Do they have a good geographic-base to work with plus some reach and appeal outside their immediate region)?

I think USC has been really really good at this. They were then very good at organizing all that talent so that it was able to win a lot of games against tough competition and continue to build their high-profile rep.

But while it's better to have more athletic talented and skill than less athletic talent and skill to make it in the NFL, another key component is attitude and "wanna." My perception is that some guys coming out of USC (who've had it pretty good from the time they were in PeeWee) feel "entitled" and lack the necessary competitiveness and drive you need to fight for/hang onto roster positions.

Ironically, Notre Dame used to sort of be that way, but now that they've been down for a number of years, you find a larger number of their former players (many not that well-known) showing up on NFL rosters (i.e. they've become the guys with "wanna").

 

[DemsMyBoys]

I think it's the atitude at USC. By that I mean, they are all treated like superstars and can do no wrong, they win, they get paid, they think they are celebrities, then, they get back to the real world of the NFL where these are making their living and it's a culture shock.

Another bingo. There is an golden aura that has been created around USC. You can drive through all types of neighborhoods in So Cal and see USC banners flying from houses. USC fans are truly fanatics to the point of not being able to see straight. You cannot have a decent conversation about football with a rabid SC fan. Their players are the BEST. Their coaches are the BEST. (There's a reason I asked one poster if he went to SC.) It is the Cult of USC.

Players ARE treated like superstars. So when they are back in the real world, playing against and with men who are equally talented it's a bit of a shock to the system. I've watched Polamalu and I think he's handled the change the best. Notice too he's a religious, family man who never bought into the whole "celeb" thing when he was at SC.

I went to a high school that modeled itself after USC. Same songs, same "V" sign, same "fight on". Same plays. Carroll was interviewed on TV before one of his Seattle games and he flashed the "V" sign and actually said "Fight on". They NEVER give it up.

 

[Russ Smith]

I went to a high school that modeled itself after USC. Same songs, same "V" sign, same "fight on". Same plays. Carroll was interviewed on TV before one of his Seattle games and he flashed the "V" sign and actually said "Fight on". They NEVER give it up.

Oh absolutely true. Look at Mike Garrett, after the whole probation thing comes down Garrett is at a USC fundraiser event in the Bay Area and is interviewed on the record. The reporter asks him what he has to say about the probation and after he claims it was unfair he says if you sit down and read the report you can read between the lines and all you see is jealousy, they all wish they were Trojans, that's what this is about. It was one of the most monumentally stupid commnents I've ever seen made in sports. Mike Garrett the now former AD at USC actually told a reporter on record that the reason they were on probation is the NCAA was jealous of USC and the investigators wished they had gone to USC.

And in his mind he believed it was true.

 

[Southpaw]

Oh absolutely true. Look at Mike Garrett, after the whole probation thing comes down Garrett is at a USC fundraiser event in the Bay Area and is interviewed on the record. The reporter asks him what he has to say about the probation and after he claims it was unfair he says if you sit down and read the report you can read between the lines and all you see is jealousy, they all wish they were Trojans, that's what this is about. It was one of the most monumentally stupid commnents I've ever seen made in sports. Mike Garrett the now former AD at USC actually told a reporter on record that the reason they were on probation is the NCAA was jealous of USC and the investigators wished they had gone to USC.

And in his mind he believed it was true.

Pete and Mikey must have shared the contents of the same punchbowl.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

I'm going to be watching how Pat Haden handles Garrett's old job. Everyone hailed Haden as the new "savior". Then he promptly appointed J.K. McKay as associate athletic director. That was absolutely not a shocker. Haden lived with McKay's family in high school. And, of course, McKay's dad was Coach John McKay. It just goes on and on like some family with a horrible inbreeding problem.

(The fact that Haden and McKay played for my high school's most bitter rival, and beat us in the championship, twice, and broke my teen-age heart, has absolutely NOTHING to do with my feelings for the two of them. )

 

[Southpaw]

USC Blog. I am trying to determine if it is flattering or embarassing

http://usc.ocregister.com/2010/08/12/usc-ad-hadens-tough-first-10-days/44737/#more-44737

USC AD Haden’s tough first 10 days


August 12th, 2010, 11:05 am · 5 Comments · posted by MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER


Perhaps Pat Haden should have stretched and warmed up more before the former USC quarterback took on the strenuous job as the new athletic director/new sheriff in Troy.

Consider how eventful and challenging his tenure has been so far. Today is just Day 10. Here’s the painful blow-by-blow:

Use the following link for a full read.


http://usc.ocregister.com/2010/08/12/usc-ad-hadens-tough-first-10-days/44737/#more-44737

 

[AzKarl]

Excellent Analysis

I think it's the atitude at USC. By that I mean, they are all treated like superstars and can do no wrong, they win, they get paid, they think they are celebrities, then, they get back to the real world of the NFL where these are making their living and it's a culture shock. It takes a while to get out of those bad habits and some never do.Thus, they struggle. I think Kiffin, with his dad there, will change that because they know how tough it is at the NFL level. Carroll also knew but his personality catered to the college player. That's why he was getting everybody to come there. Well, that and a checkbook that makes SEC teams jealous.

These 5 star recruits have been told they were stars since grade school. USC had a great system stocked with 5 star athletes and many times simply were more talented than the opposition. These athletes in many cases have had little adversity in their time at USC and when the going gets tough some of them just aren't used to having to deal with tough times.

 

[CaptTurbo]

its why college football sucks in general. A couple of talented players playing against future mcdonalds managers.

 

[JeffGollin]

its why college football sucks in general. A couple of talented players playing against future mcdonalds managers.

Whoah, Nellie!

This past weekend, I watched ECU beat Utah with a hail Mary on the final play of the game (after watching the two teams run up and down the field like a Madden game with all the offensive ratings set to 99).

Then there was TCU. And how about Boise State.

And sometimes I like lopsided games - was it Oregon or Oregon State that ran up 60+ points in the 1H?

One other thing about college football - there's less of a heard mentality than there is in the NFL when it comes to formations and play-calling.

Plus - when you have a couple of really great athletes, you can actually see how great they are playing along side & against mere mortals.

 

[Duckjake]

its why college football sucks in general. A couple of talented players playing against future mcdonalds managers.

I agree but for different reasons. 80-90% of the non conference games are ridiculous mismatches. Lose a game and unless you are one of about 10-15 teams your season is over. Lose two early and the rest of your games are meaningless. But if you are one of those elite teams you can play nobody go 11-1 and play to be the "National" Champion.

Or even worse you can win one big game and then go play a conference schedule consisting exclusively of teams the bigger Conference schools schedule for Homecoming and still be in the mix for a National Title.

Scrap the BCS and go back to the old system where teams were excited about playing in a bowl game and it was all about having a great time in San Antonio, or New Orleans, or LA, or Miami or Glendale. And lift a middle finger to the Associated Press who messed everything up in the first place.