That appearance of impropriety - San Diego Union-Tribune
Even at rest, Reggie Bush remains elusive. He provides straight answers at roughly the same rate he runs straight lines.

He is all cutbacks and curlicues, a rhetorical dervish disposed to deliberate misdirection and exasperating evasion. USC's Heisman Trophy running back surfaced yesterday long enough to assert that everything was in order concerning the Spring Valley house his family abruptly departed over the weekend.

Just not long enough to provide any proof...

Also, Transcript: Bush is tied to New Era - San Diego Union-Tribune
Source: Bush was in dark - LA Daily News
New Link in Bush Case - LA Times
[Simpson] 'SC would take hit if Reggie broke rules - Tucson Citizen
[McGrath] At the end of the day, shed no tears for shifty Bush - Tacoma News-Tribune
[Brewer] Reggie Bush adept at setting smokescreens - Louisville Courier-Journal

Top 20 Recruiting Classes - Athlon Sports
...No. 1 USC (25 signees)
For the third consecutive year the Trojans have landed the nation’s top overall recruiting class. The Trojans...had some major rebuilding to do. Pete Carroll responded nicely by landing running backs Stafon Johnson, Emmanual Moody, Stanley Havili, Kenny Ashley, Josh Tatum, and C.J. Gable to replace White and Bush...Southern Cal also addressed their future need at wide receiver...The Trojans landed receivers Vidal Hazelton, Jamere Holland, David Ausberry, Travon Patterson, and Anthony McCoy. The Trojans addressed their defensive needs by signing LB Allen Bradford, DL Butch Lewis, DB Taylor Mays, LB Michael Morgan, and DB Antwine Perez. The Trojans only signed one offensive lineman in Zack Heberer. The Trojans signed 12 PrepStar 100 players, seven PrepStar All-Americans, five PrepStar All-Regional selections, and one junior college transfer in TE Gerald Washington. Despite the talent he lost, Pete Carroll re-tooled his team very nicely.

Earth to Jets: Grab Leinart any way you can - CBS Sportsline
...The Jets need a franchise quarterback like Terrell Owens needs an audience, and, unless there's something we're missing about Patrick Ramsey or you believe Chad Pennington somehow overcomes two surgeries in one year to the same shoulder, there's no choice here.

You take the quarterback, and that quarterback should be Leinart.

He's the best quarterback in this year's draft, and he would have been the first choice, period, in last year's draft. Critics question his arm strength. Critics question his mobility. Critics question his commitment.

So question this: 37-2.

That was Leinart's record at USC...

...I say you solve the position now. You take Matt Leinart.

Historical Debate ... Position U. - College Football News
...2. USC O-Line
The Flag-Bearer – Anthony Munoz...

...5. USC DBs
The Flag-Bearer – Ronnie Lott...

...If you’re keeping score at home, yes, USC has been cited in each of the eight parts of this Position U. series...

...7. USC Backs
The Flag-Bearer – O.J. Simpson...

...9. USC Linebackers
The Flag-Bearer – Junior Seau...

Also, Historical Debate ... D-Back U. - College Football News

Historical Debate ... Linebacker U. - College Football News
...1. USC
The Flag-Bearer – Junior Seau
The Ensemble – Clay Matthews, Chip Banks, Richard Wood, Rod Martin, Chris Claiborne, Jack Del Rio, Duane Bickett, Dennis Johnson, Willie Hall, Riki Ellison, Larry McGrew, Garry Cobb, Keith Browner, Matt Grootegoed, Scott Ross, Kurt Barber, Brian Williams, Marcus Cotton, Adrian Young and David Lewis

If producing a steady wave of big, explosive defenders constitutes Linebacker U, then the Trojans belong in the pole position. Over the last 35 years, USC has rarely gone more than a year or two without a top-notch, sideline-to-sideline linebacker to help anchor the defense...Led by Matthews’ whopping 19 seasons, ten Trojans have spent at least a decade playing professionally...

Also, Historical Debate ... D-Line U. - College Football News

Workloads being handed off - Miami Herald
Where have you gone, Earl Campbell?

The image of Campbell rumbling through defenders on carry after carry is an indelible one for veteran NFL fans. Campbell turned the notion of workhorse running back into a Hall of Fame career.

But as the NFL prepares for its annual draft this weekend, the concept of one player carrying the load is a fading one...

...The trend has even hit at the college level. This year, Bush and LenDale White are expected to be taken in the first round after working together so well in USC's high-powered offense...

Lutui is dreaming big - Arizona Republic
When he was just a kid, Taitusi Lutui wrote in his journal about his dream of playing in the NFL, and no one in his family laughed or teased or patted him on the head.

In the Lutui family, you could dream big, even when circumstances and fate made it difficult enough to just get through a day, a week or a month.

But during the NFL draft this weekend, Taitusi Lutui's boyhood dreams will come true. Nicknamed "Deuce" by his brothers, the 6-foot-4, 330-pound Lutui, a guard from Southern California and Mesa High, likely will be a second- or third-round choice. He could end up playing for his favorite team, the Cardinals.

His family is not surprised...

NFL Draft Diary with Darnell Bing - Fox Sports
I am optimistic on how things will turn out on April 29, the first day of the NFL draft. I am also happy to be going into the last stretch in what has been a long process...

...Right before I hit the plane to come back to California, I got a call from my agent saying the Raiders were very interested in me and they wanted to have a last minute private workout on Saturday morning. I was a little tired, but I sucked it up and managed to have an incredible workout...

Bush: No wrongs, no details - San Diego Union-Tribune
Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush yesterday sidestepped specific questions about his family's former residence in Spring Valley, but promised “we did absolutely nothing wrong” and said details would come at a later date...

Also, Reggie Bush inquiry report - LA Daily News
USC: Reactions are mixed - LA Daily News
Bush Says Family Did Nothing Wrong - LA Times
Bush says 'nothing wrong' - OC Register
Bush: `We've done nothing wrong' - Miami Herald
Investigators home in on Bush - Boston Globe
[Robinson] 'Absolutely nothing wrong' - Yahoo Sports

[Russell] Between the Bushes - Sporting News
...Reggie Bush, his parents and the agents involved are not going to face the wrath of Myles Brand and his bunch of henchmen.

It's going to be the University of Southern California, in a way that will be determined as time unfolds. As long as USC did not sanction or know about this, it's a crying shame that they would be subjected to NCAA penalty and sanctions because of something that a slimy agent and starry-eyed parents did...

...I don't know who should take the "hit" outside of Bush paying some sort of financial reparations or his parents, but USC should not be held responsible for something like this...

[Dodd] Accountability an issue BCS should review - CBS Sportsline
...Because the NCAA essentially does not control postseason football, potential wrongdoing by a sitting national champion seems to be the responsibility of the BCS.

Would the BCS strip a national champion of its title in the case of major violations? The issue came up Monday following the first day of the annual BCS meetings...

...Currently, the Pac-10 is the only conference with an enforcement arm that investigates its member schools. Other conferences defer solely to the NCAA.

"I'm not going to deal in hypotheticals that don't exist for us," Slive said. "The NCAA has a structure for dealing with these issues. The BCS doesn't have a structure that is governmental in nature."

[Maisel] Cloudy forecast remains for NCAA compliance issues - ESPN
...when you think about it, the gray area is bigger than the London skyline...

...in the last year, the athletic department went over the compliance do's and don'ts with Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, and his stepfather, LaMar Griffin. Bush's parents were a noticeable presence around the football team. LaMar Griffin could usually be found in the Trojan postgame locker room.

But the source also said that USC has no formal educational process set up for all parents, "though that may change now."...

Spotlight on the Draft: Taitusi Lutui - Official Buccaneers Website
...Once again, Lutui had handled sudden change with aplomb.

Then again, that’s a lesson he learned early in life.

When Lutui was six years old, he survived a serious car accident that killed his sister and disabled his father. He still had his parents and other siblings after the tragedy, but he also had an added dose of responsibility. His family’s native tongue was Tongan, and his parents’ grasp of English wasn’t great. One of young Deuce’s main responsibilities was helping his parents pay the bills and understand America’s economic system...

...Lutui expects to help his parents in an even larger way soon. That’s one of the things that motivates him, perhaps one of the reasons scouts say he is a hard-worker on the field...

A bid for Justice - Kansas City Star
...“It was hard, really hard, especially watching your team win a national championship without you,” Justice said. “It kind of makes you wonder, ‘Do they really need you? Should I come back to SC when they just won a national championship without me?’ I made a good choice, coming back to SC.”

Justice reclaimed his starting right tackle position last year, and the Trojans extended their winning streak to 34 straight games before losing to Texas 41-38 in the national championship game at the Rose Bowl. Justice protected Leinart’s blind side and opened running lanes for Bush and LenDale White as the Trojans led the nation in total offense...

...“Boxing helped me so much with my hands and my footwork. I think that translated a lot into my football game, too. You need quick hands to box, and you need quick hands for football, too. I boxed for a whole year while I was out. I sparred against different guys.”...

Also, USC's Justice could be first-round pick - Dayton Daily News

Lawyer issues statement on Reggie Bush - Miami Herald
..."Mr. and Mrs. LaMar Griffin previously leased a house in the San Diego area from a San Diego businessman, Michael Michaels. They are no longer living in the house," David Cornwell wrote in a statement that was sent at 2:40 a.m. on Monday after stories about the family's living arrangement were published in multiple sources Sunday.

"Reggie Bush was a full-time student at the University of Southern California and never lived in the house. As is the case with most 20-year-old college students, Reggie was not aware of personal or financial arrangements relating to his parents or their house...

Also, USC's Bush under scrutiny - Miami Herald

Reggie Bush inquiry report - LA Daily News
...The Pacific-10 Conference said Sunday it would begin an investigation into whether the reported arrangement would violate NCAA rules prohibiting athletes or their families from getting extra benefits...

...If they lived in the home for free or paid a rent substantially discounted from the value of the property, it could be construed as a violation of NCAA statutes. The family lived in a Spring Valley apartment before moving into the house.

Bush isn't likely to be affected. The NCAA's reach does not extend to professional athletes, though the ordeal could damage his previously squeaky-clean image for potential endorsements...

Also, Inquiry Set in Bush Family Residence - LA Times
Pac-10 to probe housing situation linked to Bush - OC Register

[Robinson] Reggie Bush's family home - Yahoo Sports
In this sprawling hilltop community with a breathtaking view of Sweetwater Lake, it was no secret who lived in the 3,000-square-foot house at the corner of Apple Street and Luther Avenue.

That home, residents would tell you, was where Reggie Bush's family lived.

That is, until this weekend, when the family abruptly packed up and vacated the residence – less than 24 hours after Yahoo! Sports approached Bush's mother about information linking the property to Michael Michaels, a man who is alleged to have tried to play a role in steering Bush toward an agent and who also has ties to a sports marketing company...

...Bush's mother, Denise Griffin, was approached in the driveway of the house on Thursday, but declined to comment.

"I have absolutely nothing to say," Griffin said...

Dedeaux Honored by USC - LA Times
...Said Fred Lynn, the former Trojan outfielder who went on to become a nine-time All-Star: "He believed that every guy that put on a Trojan uniform was the best at his position, and he let you know that. In my 17 years in the big leagues, I never played for a better baseball man than Rod Dedeaux. In my three years at USC I learned more about how to play baseball the right way than I did my entire big league career."...

...Lasorda, rarely at a loss for words, told the crowd before the game that he found it difficult to speak about the loss of "a tremendous friend, my idol."

"When he went up to the pearly gates and the big Dodger in the sky shook his hand and said, 'We've been waiting a long time for you. We're happy to have you,' " Lasorda said, "Rod looked at him and said, 'Thank you, Tiger.' "

Analysts say that no matter how you stack it, Bush still No. 1 pick - Orlando Sentinel
...Running backs the likes of Bush come around once every few decades. Think Barry Sanders, only with more all-around skills. And just ask the Buccaneers how their first-round pick last year, tailback Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, impacted an offense with a bad offensive line and an inexperienced quarterback.

And Bush is in an altogether different stratosphere...

Both QBs at USC, Hart, Leinart pursue different dreams - Houston Chronicle
On Saturday afternoon at Radio City Music Hall, amid the hustle of midtown Manhattan, Matt Leinart will stand with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue as a first-round draft choice, a millionaire-to-be and the Next Big Thing among NFL quarterbacks.

A couple of hours later and a few hundred miles to the south, hard by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the breathtaking dogwoods of southern Virginia, Billy Hart will arrive at Salem Memorial Stadium to stretch, take batting practice, then take the field at third base for the Salem Avalanche, the Astros' Class A farm club.

And both, happily, will be exactly where they want to be...

Also, Hart hopes to join Bush in Houston - Houston Chronicle

They Make It a Risky Business - LA Times
LenDale White never started a game for USC last season, but he was good enough to lead the nation in scoring and, at times, steal the thunder from Heisman Trophy-winning teammate Reggie Bush.

But what White has done — or hasn't done — in the last few months is enough to make pro coaches very uneasy about making him an early selection in next weekend's NFL draft...

A Leading Man, Leinart Remains Down to Earth Despite Stardom - NY Times
..."Have you eaten?" Leinart asked. "You want to come have dinner with us?" The driver thanked him but said no, he was fine. "You sure?" Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, said.

Earl Douglas, who was hired by Fox Sports to transport Leinart to and from an appearance on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period," said he had been ferrying famous people for decades.

Later, after dropping off Leinart and his passengers in front of Leinart's downtown apartment, Douglas said: "I'll tell you the truth. In the several, several years I've been doing this, he is the third person to offer me an invitation like that."

The other two? Diahann Carroll and Connie Stevens, Douglas said...

Gil Kuhn, 91; USC Football All-American in 1930s, War Hero - LA Times
Gil Kuhn, 91, a former All-American who captained the 1936 USC football team and earned a Distinguished Flying Cross during World War II, died April 12 of natural causes in Anaheim.

Born in Placentia in 1915, Kuhn was a graduate of Fullerton Union High School, where he made All-Coast League center. He attended USC on a football scholarship and was captain of the 1936 team under Coach Howard Jones.

While piloting B-17 bombers on more than 40 missions over Germany during the war, he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel...

Arbogast Loses a Job - LA Times
...Pete Arbogast, the USC football radio play-by-play announcer, has in recent years also worked for USC flagship station 1540 in other capacities.

With 710 having recently acquired the rights to USC sports, Arbogast, who will remain as the football voice, finds himself out of a job, having been let go by 1540.

"I'm on my way to the Glendale unemployment office," Arbogast said when reached by phone Wednesday...

'SC alumna, Thurmond's child, speaks at Doheny - Daily Trojan
Essie Mae Washington-Williams, the illegitimate biracial daughter of late Sen. Strom Thurmond, shared the story of her life and also read excerpts from her book, "Dear Senator: A Memoir by the Daughter of Strom Thurmond," Thursday at Doheny Library.

A 1972 USC graduate with a master's degree in education, Washington-Williams was a guest speaker at a literary luncheon hosted by The Friends of the USC libraries...

For Texans, it's Bush unless his agent asks for too much - Ft Worth Star-Telegram
...What it has come down to in Houston is this: If Reggie Bush’s agent, Joel Segal, prices his client out of the first pick, then the Texans will take Williams.

The problem with that is, while Texans fans can stomach their team taking Bush over native son Vince Young, they would not be happy with Williams over Bush AND Young no matter how good Williams is.

Surely, Segal and the Texans will come to some agreement that makes Bush the first overall pick as he should be...

Chief Justice - Yahoo Sports
Norm Chow looked at the tackle he left behind at USC, and he saw a player ripe with possibility.

"An athlete is an athlete, and Winston Justice is that," the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator said at USC's pro day on April 2. "Left tackle, right tackle – he can play anywhere you want to put him. As an athlete, you can't put those limits on him."

That may not be an assessment shared by every team in the NFL, but it's clearly a perception that has picked up steam.

Once projected to be a tackle bound for the mid-to-late first round, Justice has seen a spike in his stock since the scouting combine in February. Questions about character issues have evaporated, and the remaining vacuum has been filled with rave reviews.

"He's going to be a great tackle for whoever gets him," Carolina Panthers coach John Fox said. "I think he's shown more than teams expected going into [the evaluation process]."

In the realm of numbers, Justice hasn't disappointed, out-measuring every tackle in the draft in almost every category – even Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who is widely considered a top-five pick. But there aren't pro days and stopwatches for character, and getting over some of Justice's red flags has had little to do with what he's done on the field.

No. 1 USC Caps Off Home Stretch Against No. 13 UC Santa Barbara - USCTrojans.com
THIS WEEK: The top-ranked Women of Troy finish off the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation regular season with one last home match for 2006. USC will put its 23-game win streak up against No. 13 UC Santa Barbara at 5 p.m. on Friday (April 21) at McDonald's Swim Stadium.

RANKINGS: USC (23-0, 11-0 MPSF) is the nation's top-ranked team for the 10th straight week. UC Santa Barbara (14-15, 3-8) holds a No. 13 ranking in the latest poll. USC is poised to be the top seed in the upcoming MPSF Tournament at UC Irvine from April 27-30, while UCSB currently is 11th in the MPSF standings.

WEEKEND RECAP: The nation's top-ranked team offense came up against No. 5 Hawai'i -- which boasts the MPSF's top scorer -- last week. The Women of Troy posted their 23rd straight win with a 14-7 victory over the Rainbow Wahine. USC went on an 8-0 run across the second and third periods to pump up its lead on the way to the win, with freshman Kami Craig leading all scorers with three goals and a total of eight Trojans scoring in the game.

USC VS. UCSB: USC is 19-14 all-time against UC Santa Barbara, having won the past six games against the Gauchos. UCSB is led in scoring by Alaina Whitaker with 48 goals this season and has goalie Rosey Redailli averaging 5.55 saves and 5.82 goals against per game.

Leinart Replaces Steinberg With Condon - ESPN.com
Veteran agent Tom Condon, who represents many of the NFL's premier players and whose clientele includes a bevy of high-profile quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Drew Brees, Marc Bulger, Byron Leftwich and Chris Simms, on Tuesday added another potential star to his galaxy.

Condon confirmed Tuesday afternoon that he has been hired by Southern California quarterback and 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart to represent the Trojans star in his first NFL contract negotiations.

"They basically informed us at breakfast this morning that we were hired," Condon said. "Obviously, we're excited about the opportunity."

Track Star Felix is Cat-Quick - Kansas City Star
You know those old tales about an aspiring performer being discovered at the corner drugstore? Allyson Felix, who grew up not far from Hollywood, is the track superstar who was discovered while running past fence posts.

If you watch Felix taking her long, perfectly paced strides, you sense this is nature’s way of saying, “Here you have it, folks: a born sprinter.” Nobody realized that, though, until Felix was in ninth grade in her native Los Angeles.

Back home in California, Felix’s mother, Marlean, teaches third grade, and her father, Paul, is a minister and professor at The Master’s Seminary. Felix, who turned 20 last November, is working on a degree in elementary education at the University of Southern California.

She doesn’t run for the Trojans’ track team, however, as she turned pro before attending college. It was at Los Angeles Baptist High School that her track talent was first revealed.

Darfur Statement Released - USC will not invest in companies linked to the Darfur genocide, the statement reads. - Daily Trojan
USC does not and will not hold direct investments in four companies that support the government of Sudan, according to a statement released April 13 by the university's Chief Financial Officer Dennis Dougherty.

The statement was given to members of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur, after members of the group asked the university to divest from companies supporting the Sudanese government.

"Under normal circumstances I wouldn't support divestment because usually it's a lifeline to developing countries," said Stephen Gordon, vice president of the USC STAND chapter and a sophomore majoring in international relations.

USC STAND requested a meeting with USC President Steven B. Sample and asked for clarification on Dougherty's statement, which read, "The University will exclude from its direct investments companies whose business activities can be shown to be supporting and facilitating the Sudanese government in its continuing sponsorship of genocidal actions and human rights violations in Darfur."

USC Beats UCLA in Dramatic Fashion - Daily Trojan
The No. 3 women's tennis team beats No. 15 UCLA, 4-3, in thriller.

Start with two longtime rival tennis teams. Add to that a stadium packed with fans shouting so loud that you could barely hear the balls ricochet off the players' rackets. Mix in weeks of anticipation after two rain delays prevented match play and you've got all the ingredients for a highly contested tennis match.

USC's Lindsey Nelson and Luana Magnani, ranked No. 22 as a doubles team, maintained a one-game lead throughout most of their set. The No. 2 duo broke at 6-5, giving Nelson the chance to serve out the match. An error from the Bruins at 40-30 gave USC the set, 8-5.

At No. 3, Amanda Fink and Judy DeVera kept their solid lead by controlling the net and outsmarting UCLA's Tracy Lin and Ashley Joelson. At match point, UCLA failed to execute a lob, giving USC the set, 8-3, and the doubles point.

"We wanted to win," DeVera said. "Getting the doubles point is great. We gain a bit of confidence, and it's a great way to start off singles."

Jets Look at Leinart - New York Post
One day after treating Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler to an 18-inch New York strip steak in Nashville, the Jets' brass yesterday moved on to L.A. to take a long look at USC QB Matt Leinart.

According to someone who was at the private workout, Leinart threw passes to Reggie Bush while Jet head coach Eric Mangini, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and GM Mike Tannenbaum looked on.

Leinart was scheduled to dine with Mangini, Schottenheimer and Tannenbaum last night.

White visits Steelers - Pittsburgh Tribune Review
(Lendale)White, 6-foot-1, 238 pounds, might fall to No. 32 in the first round -- the spot held by the Steelers -- and it might put the team in an intriguing position. White is reportedly slipping on draft boards due to a hamstring injury and concerns about his work ethic. But if Steelers coach Bill Cowher was convinced yesterday White is worth selecting in the first round, the former USC star could fill the void left by the retired Jerome Bettis.

Leinart, Young to meet with Raiders - Contra Costa Times
Leinart is regarded by many as the top-rated quarterback. Young, though, bolstered his stock by guiding Texas to a come-from-behind victory over Leinart and USC in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 4 for the national title. Also, Cutler has drawn raves from scouts who have watched his predraft workouts.

Chuck Price, one of Leinart's agents, confirmed Oakland's interest in Leinart, who is scheduled to visit with New Orleans today. The Saints own the No. 2 pick.

"They called and asked if Matt was available after he finished in New Orleans," Price said of the Raiders. "I'm going to assume from that that they might have some interest in trading up for Matt."

Timetable is right on for Thomas - LA Daily News
The day Kevin Thomas signed his name and faxed a letter of intent to USC, he said that he planned to spend one year learning the ropes and then start in his second season.

High aspirations, considering his reason for going to USC was that the Trojans get the best of the best prep recruits, and he wanted to be considered among them.

But the former Rio Mesa player participated in USC's final spring practice Tuesday as a starting cornerback on the Trojans' final spring depth chart.

"That was my plan," Thomas said...

Bush in 2006? - NY Daily News
A contingent of Jets officials, continuing their cross-country, pre-draft star search, got a rare, up-close view yesterday of two Heisman Trophy winners on the same field - Southern Cal quarterback Matt Leinart and running back Reggie Bush.

GM Mike Tannenbaum, coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer flew to Los Angeles with the intention of interviewing and working out Leinart, and only interviewing Bush, but Bush agreed to an impromptu workout. Mostly, he caught passes from Leinart in a 45-minute throwing session, according to a source...

[Pierson] Potential gives Bush upper hand - Chicago Tribune
...Few players come into the NFL with the fanfare of Bush, the Heisman Trophy winner who has been compared to Gale Sayers, Marshall Faulk and Barry Sanders before he has signed a contract.

Bush is expected to become only the eighth running back since the 1967 merged AFL-NFL draft to be selected first. If the Texans pick him No. 1, he will break a string of five quarterbacks...

Tuesday Question - College Football News
...Q: Your NFL team stinks. Do you want to build with Matt Leinart, Vince Young, or Jay Cutler?...

[Fiutak]...I have an unabashed, non-sexual man crush on Leinart. I think he's going to be a bigger, left-handed Joe Montana who'll surgically carve up NFL defenses for years...

[Cirminiello]...Of this year’s three big draft-eligible quarterbacks, Leinart is the clear-cut safest choice...

Why is this team different from all the other teams? - Daily Trojan
...the Trojans' defensive backfield is deep because freshman safeties Antwine Perez, Taylor Mays and Allen Bradford all figure to contribute and could take over starting duties once the season begins. The only problem is that the defensive backs are young - all of them are sophomores or younger except Pinkard, who is a junior.

All of the other starters that Carroll named actually will start the first game at Arkansas, but the other position that maintains some interest is linebacker.

The Trojans are legitimately nine deep at the position so it really doesn't matter who starts, because all will figure to make huge contributions throughout the game while being kept fresh.

The fall should answer all of the questions that the spring created, and if it does, the Trojans might be headed down the same road they traveled in 2003.

Ranking the running backs - Florida Today
...1. Reggie Bush (6-0, 200), USC.
A home-run threat every time he touches the ball. Bush can hit top speed in a flash and combined with great change of direction, field vision and receiving skills, he's a dynamic wonder who appears to be the No. 1 overall pick...

...4. LenDale White (6-2, 238), USC.
We won't know until draft day how much White's poor showing the past few months will affect his pocketbook. Major questions about his weight and maturity. He added six pounds from the NFL combine to his early April pro day, which was hardly impressive...

Eberhardt Rechtin, 80; Helped Develop U.S. Space Technology - LA Times
...Rechtin, of Rolling Hills Estates, was chief executive of El Segundo-based Aerospace Corp. for 10 years, chief engineer of Hewlett-Packard Corp. and director of the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, among other positions that placed him at the forefront of U.S. national security. He later joined the faculty at USC, creating the school's first program in aerospace architecture...

...He retired from Aerospace and joined USC in 1988. He wrote several books on the problem of how to design and develop massive aerospace systems, such as worldwide networks and space stations...

[Dodd] Trojans might be beatable -- or not - CBS Sportsline
For the first time in five years USC appears vulnerable...

...Are these signs of legitimate concern? Maybe. The toughest stretch on the schedule -- three in a row against Oregon, Cal and Notre Dame -- are all home games. The defense, particularly the linebackers, will be significantly improved. Center Ryan Kalil and offensive tackle Sam Baker are All-America caliber. The top two receivers return.

OK, maybe vulnerable isn't the right word. The last time USC lost a game, it then won 34 in a row...

[Schefter] Draftees are up, down and all around - NFL News
...there is legitimate reason to think that USC running back Reggie Bush is not going to be wind up in Houston...

...This does not come from one source or from one team. This comes from multiple sources, from across the league, without any agenda to push.

The mounting evidence includes this:

As of Monday, the Texans had not had any contract discussions with Bush and his representatives. None.

Yet the Texans have approached North Carolina State defensive end Mario Williams...

Acceptance rate dips to all-time low - Daily Trojan
Freshman applicants to the class of 2010 faced a challenge that no other incoming class has faced before - the lowest acceptance rate in USC history...

...even some highly qualified USC applicants are feeling the effects of these college admissions challenges...

Bush is best among backs - Buffalo News
...Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush is reluctant to put himself in the class of other great running backs.

"I don't like comparing myself," Bush told reporters at the Indianapolis scouting combine, "especially to guys already in the NFL who have done so much, just because they're at a whole 'nother level and I'm still trying to get to that level."

OK, Reggie. We'll do it for you.

The Southern California sensation just might be a cross between Marshall Faulk and Gale Sayers...

[Fiutak] Historical Debate ... Running Back U. - College Football News
...1. USC...Even if you didn't take players from the 1960s like O.J. Simpson and Mike Garrett, USC would still be number one with Heisman winners Reggie Bush, Charles White, Marcus Allen and should've-been-winners Ricky Bell and Anthony Davis...You know a list is strong when Sam Cunningham, who would've made the top five of almost every other team on this list, doesn't come close to cracking the USC elite.

USC's five greatest running backs...O.J. Simpson...Charles White...Marcus Allen...Anthony Davis...Ricky Bell...

Also, Historical Debate ... Receiver U. - College Football News
Historical Debate ... Quarterback U. - College Football News

[Cirminiello] Historical Debate ... O-Line U. - College Football News
...1. USC...The Flag-Bearer – Anthony Munoz...

...Known better for their flashy Heisman-caliber backs and receivers, the Trojans have developed elite linemen at an alarming rate since the mid-1960s. Their tackles alone would place the school somewhere in the Top 5. The evidence over the past 40 years has been staggering; 17 first-round draft choices and 20 All-Americans, including a ridiculous stretch from 1969-1989...

Also, Historical Debate ... Receiver U. - College Football News
Historical Debate ... Running Back U. - College Football News
Historical Debate ... Quarterback U. - College Football News

Race Is On for New 400 King - LA Times
...senior Jamere Holland is a freak of nature. As Taft football Coach Troy Starr puts it, "His talent is from another planet."

How Holland was able to run a meet-record 10.36 100-meter time at Arcadia last week despite being out of shape and overweight is stunning. That makes him the fastest teenager in America.

"That speaks to the talent he has," Watts said.

Don't anyone feel sorry for USC football Coach Pete Carroll....Holland had better not give up track because there's no reason he can't win a gold medal one day...

[Bisheff] Loss of Leinart and Bush very tough on Carroll, USC - OC Register
...don't count out flashy C.J. Gable, from Sylmar, or Emmanuel Moody, from Texas, or even Kenny Ashley, out of Venice. Huge Ryan Powdrell, one of the happy surprises of the spring, is likely to wind up at fullback, although he could play some tailback around the goal line.

"We'll be running the heck out of the ball in fall camp," Carroll said. "We're looking for the guy who gives us the most shake and bake."

At both quarterback and tailback, it's clear the talent is there.

But come September, it will even more obvious that Leinart and Bush are not.

Bush set in stone as the No. 1 pick - Detroit News
...Reggie Bush and the Houston Texans have been brought together this year by virtue of the NFL's worst team in 2005 being rewarded with the opportunity to select the best college player of 2005.

This is one marriage that could be made in draft heaven.

When the draft begins shortly after noon on April 29 at Radio City Music Hall in New York, it is certain the Texans will use the first pick -- earned with a league-worst 2-14 record in 2005 -- to draft Bush...

USC's White to visit Valley Ranch - Ft Worth Star-Telegram
A player once thought to be unavailable to the Cowboys, who pick 18th overall in the NFL Draft later this month, might be there for the taking at a position the team once thought it had filled.

USC running back LenDale White, who was once considered a top-15 selection, is scheduled to visit the Cowboys on Tuesday at Valley Ranch...

...the Cowboys have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Emmitt Smith in 2001...

Also, RB looking to bounce back - Ft Worth Star-Telegram