Gearing Up for Next Level - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
...Ryan Kalil was running...between the "Swim with Mike" fundraiser at USC's McDonald Swim Stadium and the end-of-spring Trojans football scrimmage next door at Howard Jones Field. Just another whirlwind day...Kalil took time to catch up with what it's like to make the switch from a college kid to a pro athlete...

...Q: Has anything surprised you about any of this?

A: Well, they really do put a lot of emphasis on the numbers, especially at the combine.

Q: Everyone says it's your quick feet and hands that make you special.

A: Again, that's Coach Carlisle. It's all about movement...

Also, Satele, Lucas on list of top NFL center prospects - Honolulu Advertiser

[Dodd] Backfield bonanza: USC stacked at RB, enjoying the Booty - CBS Sportsline
...Just another day in Southern California paradise which, of course, begs the question: Why would any quarterback or tailback in his right mind come here?

Except, of course, for the parade.

To say the depth chart at those positions is stocked for the preseason No. 1 is to say it's quite a show on the quad on this warm spring day. Which it is. That's when the question hits Pete Carroll. Why would another possible super talent want to come here just to battle for playing time?

"I didn't want to hear it that way," USC's coach said.

The truth hurts...

[Veltrop] The ultimate job interview - Sporting News
Landing that first job out of college is a big deal. It's the chance to start making money and show you're ready to move on with your life -- and not back into your parents' basement.

Now imagine if the job you're seeking is that of a professional football player and you have to convince an NFL team to spend a high draft pick -- and millions of dollars -- on you. Before an organization can justify doing that, it will analyze and scrutinize your every movement on and off the field.

Dwayne Jarrett is in that very position...

Jack Williams, 85; Hollywood stuntman known for his horse-riding skills - LA Times
Jack Williams, a top Hollywood stuntman who got his first taste of stunt work on a horse at age 4 — he was tossed from one rider to another in the 1926 silent film "The Flaming Forest" — and later worked his way through USC riding horses and doing stunts in films such as "Gone With the Wind" and "Dodge City," has died. He was 85.

Williams, a charter member of the Stuntmen's Assn. of Motion Pictures and an inductee of the Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall of Fame, died of heart failure Tuesday...

...Beginning with "The Charge of the Light Brigade" in 1936, Williams performed stunts in dozens of films over the next six decades...

The Bounce: 7 new Pac-10 offensive coordinators - Tucson Citizen
...The Trojans, a team comfortable with lining their quarterbacks directly under center, will put John David Booty in the shotgun from time to time to add a twist to their running attack.

"Every offseason we look at a number of things. This is a just a wrinkle we're looking at to see if we want to incorporate it," new USC coordinator Steve Sarkisian told the Los Angeles Times...

...USC hopes the shotgun can cut down on passes being knocked down at the line of scrimmage, which led to losses to Oregon State and UCLA last year.

"You seldom get blindsided," Booty told reporters about avoiding pressure in the shotgun....

Couple makes tough choices - Kerrville Daily Times
...Heywood sold her home...and many of her possessions...and began paring down...finally to a horse trailer that helped make taking care of her dying husband, Ralph, a little bit easier...

...Heywood worked hard all his life. Even with a football scholarship to [USC], he took a job as a busboy at a sorority...

...A two-way end...a captain on the 1943 USC team...played just five games before being drafted...

...played professional football for the Chicago Rockets, Detroit Lions...returned...to serve in Korea in 1952...to command the 26th Marine Regiment in Vietnam, making him the only player in NFL history to serve in three wars...the Naval Attaché to the Dominican Republic...An accomplished horseman...a black belt in karate and trained jet pilot...acted in some movies, played tennis with Charlton Heston...and a golfing buddy of Bob Hope...

Also, Ralph Heywood, 85; former USC end later served as a Marine - LA Times

[O'Hara] As draft approaches, Lions must cut ties with Mike Williams - Detroit News
...Mike Williams: File the papers, Matt Millen. Divorce is inevitable, so get on with it. Make it a clean, no-fault separation, and the Lions and Williams can go their separate ways...

...Skipping the camp, with the media present to count noses, had to be a calculated move by Williams to show the Lions and everyone else that he wants out of Detroit.

So now they know for sure. He doesn't want to be here. Williams has size and talent, but he hasn't shown much on the field in two years...

...Williams has been heavily fined for being overweight. Maybe he will get energized by being with another team...

Also, [Kowalski] Mike Williams' career in Detroit is all but over - Ann Arbor News
Lions fed up with Williams, likely to cut him before season - Ann Arbor News

With Saban gone, Wright happy to be back - Palm Beach Post
The Miami Dolphins' first mini-camp post-Nick Saban looks to be a new beginning for one player.

Defensive tackle Manny Wright, who left the team last summer during training camp after a clash with the former Dolphins coach, said he's happy for a fresh start under new head coach Cam Cameron.

Wright, a talented player in college at USC, is glad he chose to continue playing football. But Wright, who turned 23 on Friday, is happy he didn't have to play again for Saban.

Asked if he'd have been at mini-camp if Saban had not left to coach Alabama, Wright laughed and said, "I'm not going to answer that one."...

Also, Dolphins' Manny Wright thankful for second chance - Miami Herald
Clean slate for Wright - Ft Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
Wright wants to show he's ready - Florida Today

Pete Carroll speaks - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
...TOPIC: USC has had a top five recruiting class in each of the last five seasons and this season's class includes top out-of-state players from Arkansas, Louisiana, Arizona and Michigan. The Trojans have had unprecedented recruiting success in the face of opponents who are known to commonly tell prospects any of the following: "Carroll is going to leave for the NFL; USC will end up on probation; You won't get any playing time."

Carroll: "We don't do that (recruit negatively), we don't ever want to open ourselves up to that so we don't get into that at all. Our philosophy is that we have so many good things to talk about that once you start badmouthing or talking about other stuff, you depart from the philosophy...

Booty says receivers still trying to catch on - OC Register
USC is plugging John David Booty for the Heisman Trophy while holding workouts to replace his two favorite receivers. At times this spring, the gap between expectations and reality has shown.

A young corps of receivers trying to replace Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith has struggled intermittently. Redshirt freshman David Ausberry dropped two passes that hit him in the numbers Thursday. Receivers have also made mistakes running their routes.

Booty conceded that the early practices with a new group...haven't always gone smoothly.

"Some of these guys were on the scout team last year. Now, they're being fed everything, being asked to recognize defenses and hots and everything," Booty said...

Also, McFadden, Booty have exposure - Arkansas News

NCAA says Bush investigation to continue - LA Times
As Reggie Bush strolled across USC's campus this week, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner casually dismissed an NCAA investigation into whether he received improper benefits from marketing agents...

..."Dead subject," he said. "That's what it is."

But Pacific 10 Conference and NCAA officials said Friday that they are continuing to pursue their nearly 1-year-old investigation despite a settlement that could keep some of the parties from cooperating.

"This has not gone away by any means," said Ron Barker, the Pac-10's associate commissioner of governance and enforcement.

The probe has moved forward recently, Barker said, because "new people" have spoken with investigators...

Also, Deal reached in Bush family case - San Diego Union-Tribune

Dennis finishes strong before injury - LA Times
...tailback Hershel Dennis showed once again that old school could be in vogue when the Trojans start training camp...

...Seven scholarship tailbacks are scheduled to return and three more will enroll in June. Dennis...will be the most experienced tailback if the NCAA grants him a sixth season of eligibility.

"I've been able to compete and showed the coaches what I can do," Dennis said. "By the time fall camp comes, I'm going to be 110%, so I'll be even a little more impressive..."

After delivering a couple of big plays, Dennis was on the trainers' table with what he said was a calf strain...

Also, Depth Chart not Settled - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise

Defense shows great promise - OC Register
At one point in Saturday's USC scrimmage, safety Taylor Mays — all 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds of him — caught the team's speediest receiver, Travon Patterson, from behind and horse-collared him to the ground...

...That might have been the defining moment of the spring...this defense has a chance to be the best in the Pete Carroll era.

Carroll is reserving judgment, but he thinks it has a chance to surpass the group led by Lofa Tatupu, Shaun Cody, Matt Grootegoed and Mike Patterson.

"I've got to tell you — I couldn't be more pumped up about this group," Carroll said...

Also, Competition stiff at safety - OC Register
Safety first for Pinkard - LA Daily News

[Weber] Trojans looking better than a year ago - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
The top two centers, five of the top seven tailbacks, four potential starters in the secondary and an All-American linebacker were among the missing at Saturday's practice, because of injuries or other commitments. And the show still went on pretty much as usual.

That's a good illustration of how much better situated the Trojans are than when they headed off to summer workouts in the previous two seasons. When they return in August, it's almost certain they'll own the No. 1 preseason ranking.

"We got a lot of stuff done," Coach Pete Carroll said in summing up the spring.

That's because there are so many more players to do things with. A year ago USC had to call spring practices off early when the Trojans ran out of bodies...

Also, Trojans' talent, depth have Coach Carroll feeling upbeat - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
Trojans put on a show - LA Daily News
Up and running - LA Daily News

Patterson shines in last spring practice - Daily Trojan
For the second straight weekend, wide receiver Travon Patterson stole the spotlight for the USC receiving corps at Saturday's full-contact scrimmage, the last practice of the spring.

With fellow wide receivers Vidal Hazelton (death in the family) and Jamere Holland (collarbone) absent for the final spring scrimmage, Patterson made the most of his opportunity to shine...

...This followed up a three-touchdown performance at last Sunday's Trojan Huddle, in which he also returned a punt for a touchdown.

"Travon Patterson continues to really impress everybody," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "He's had a great finish to his spring."...

Swim-a-thon makes funding splash - Daily Trojan
The 27th-annual "Swim With Mike" swim-a-thon, featuring comedian and USC alumnus Will Ferrell, raised $940,000 in scholarship funds for physically disabled athletes Saturday.

The money, which broke the previous record of $825,000, will be used to cover the cost of tuition, housing and books for physically challenged student athletes...

...Swim With Mike has raised more than $6 million...

...Ferrell turned out to support the event and faced off against Trojan football coach Pete Carroll in a head-to-head "Ferrell-Carroll challenge," to the surprise of the event's attendants...