JOHNNY TAKES - NY Post
THE most famous actor-director combo in Hollywood history is celebrated in the splendid box set "The John Wayne-John Ford Film Collection" (Warner, $80), due out Tuesday on DVD.

The two met in 1926, when Wayne was a USC student working as a prop boy on the Fox lot. Ford gave the young man - then known as Marion Morrison - bit parts in several films and recommended the Duke for his first major role in the Western epic "The Big Trail" (1930), directed by Raoul Walsh, who changed the actor's name to John Wayne...

Kreuter moves on; Hill moves up - Modesto Bee
When Chad Kreuter took over as manager of the Modesto Nuts in December, he spoke of having two career goals. He said he either wanted to manage in the big leagues or be the head coach of a top-notch college program...

...On Friday, USC named Kreuter as the fourth head coach in the storied history of Trojans baseball...

..."This just fell in my lap," Kreuter said. "Here I am managing the Nuts and trying to figure out how we're going to jump over San Jose before the all-star break. We're winning and this drops in my lap, so what am I to do?...

..."USC called me during the day and asked me if I was interested in taking over the program," Kreuter said. "I told them I was interested in being a candidate, and they told me I was their only candidate."...

Also, Kreuter gets job at USC - LA Daily News
Kreuter leaves Nuts to Hill - San Bernardino Sun

USC baseball coach Gillespie retires - OC Register
USC baseball coach Mike Gillespie, who won one national championship and reached the College World Series four times in 20 seasons, retired today...

...Gillespie retires with a 763-471-2 (.618) record, and his teams reached an NCAA regional 15 times. The Trojans won the College World Series championship in 1998, and he was selected as the national coach of the year that season...

Also, Gillespie retires, Kreuter hired - OC Register
Gillespie Retires - LA Times
USC's Gillespie Hands Reins To Kreuter - Baseball America

Sanchez won't face sexual assault charges - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
...Prosecutors said in a charge evaluation worksheet that the issue of force could not be determined from medical exams on Sanchez and the alleged victim, making the case "essentially a one-on-one allegation."

"I am grateful to the Los Angeles District Attorney's office and the LAPD detectives for their diligence in pursuing the truth and taking the time necessary to make the right decision," Sanchez said.

USC coach Pete Carroll has contended since the arrest that Sanchez would be found guiltless of the alleged crime.

"I'm glad to hear that this is behind Mark and that he has been exonerated," Carroll said...

Also, USC football: Sanchez will not face charges - LA Daily News
Sanchez Won't Face Charge - LA Times
USC players just keep beating the legal system - Lindy's

Fans love Trojans - Washington Times
...Arizona, long the NFL's poorest draw, sold out for the season -- aside from the 3,000 seats that will be sold on a single-game basis in new Cardinals Stadium -- after drafting Leinart.

Meanwhile, the Saints, who took Bush No. 2 overall, have set a franchise record with more than 55,000 season tickets in their return to New Orleans after splitting the post-Katrina 2005 season between Baton Rouge and San Antonio. That's amazing with a fan base still reeling from the hurricane and in the wake of a 3-13 season...

Northeastern's choice - Boston Globe
"URBANE" is not a term usually associated with Northeastern University, but that word fits Joseph Aoun, its president-elect, who was introduced to the university community yesterday. His selection promises to move the university toward its goal of becoming an outstanding center of learning...

...a decade or two ago, someone with Aoun's talents and experience would have stayed far away from the commuter campus on Huntington Avenue. His selection and his acceptance of the presidency show that Northeastern is developing a worldwide reputation.

USC Plans 45,000-SF Credit Union - GlobeST.com
The University of Southern California has broken ground on a new 45,000-sf headquarters for its credit union. The building is the first branch of the USC Credit Union that is not located on campus, according to CB Richard Ellis...

...The site for the new Italian Romanesque style office building is on the east side and across the street from the USC campus at 3720 S. Flower St. in Downtown Los Angeles. This will be the third location housing the nonprofit, member-owned financial cooperative, which maintains its other offices on USC's University Park Campus and its Health Science Campus...

Gillespie may be retiring - LA Daily News
USC could announce as soon as today that baseball coach Mike Gillespie is stepping down after 20 seasons, according to sources.

The move may come after the Trojans lost 19 of their final 22games this season, including their last 10 and finished with a 25-33 record.

Gillespie, a Saugus resident, revitalized a USC program that grew dormant in the 1980s, with just one postseason appearance in the eight seasons prior to his arrival.

He won a national championship in 1998, made four appearances in the College World Series, five trips to the Super Regionals and won five conference titles. Overall, USC reached the postseason in 15 of his 20 seasons.

Gillespie was a left fielder on USC's 1961 championship team...

Athlon's 2006 All-America Defense - Athlon Sports
...Defensive Line
Lawrence Jackson, USC
6'5", 265, Junior

As a redshirt freshman in 2004, Jackson started all but one game and was a first-team Freshman All-American. Last season, he registered 13 tackles for a loss, including 10 sacks, and made first-team All-Pac-10 and third-team All-America. Over his two-year career, Jackson has racked up 24 tackles behind the line and 16 sacks...

Justice getting the hang of things - Trenton Times
...The Eagles have to hope he will be in a much nastier mood on the field when training camp officially begins July 20 at Lehigh University.

"It's good for a player like me, who fell in the draft and had some off-the-field issues, to come here," Justice said after yesterday's light workout designed for younger players and those returning from injury. "Because now it's all about playing football. It's only natural as a player when people tell you that you are a first-rounder and you slip that far in the draft. But that's in the past, and it doesn't matter what I've done in the past. It matters what I do now, and I think the better I play the more people will forget about all that. Being drafted is only the beginning and I intend on having a great career."...

Lawyer: FBI probes firm that tried to sign Bush - San Diego Union-Tribune
The attorney for Reggie Bush and his parents said the FBI has contacted him to request interviews with his clients as part of a federal investigation into New Era Sports and Entertainment...

David Cornwell, the Bush family attorney, said the FBI didn't specify which potential crimes it was investigating but said yesterday the thrust of the inquiry was “certainly the activities regarding (Brian) Watkins' clients' threats against my client and his family.”...

...The NCAA and the Pac-10 are investigating the case to determine if the Bush family received impermissible benefits from a prospective agent, which could cause USC to forfeit games...

Also, FBI Looks at Firm That Courted Bush - LA Times
Prime Numbers - LA Times

Rookie corner trying to defy odds - Arizona Republic
...While Leinart and Lutui carry higher profiles, a third USC player, cornerback Justin Wyatt, has flown into camp under the radar. He is among a group of undrafted rookie free agents hoping to defy the odds.

Coach Dennis Green always is looking for that extra edge, and if a player like Wyatt can provide it over a draft pick or perhaps a veteran, so be it. The team had seven undrafted rookies on its roster during the 2005 season.

Wyatt smiled when reminded of Green's vigilance.

"I've done my homework, believe me," Wyatt said. "I feel that this would be the best situation for me. I think I have a chance to make it. This team is going to be good."...

Fan taunting Jones gets earful from player's mom - Chicago Tribune
It has been a tough first two months at Wrigley Field for new Cubs right fielder Jacque Jones...

...In Friday's game, Jones lost a ball in the sun during the seventh inning that ruined Carlos Zambrano's no-hitter. In the bottom of the inning, Jones was called out on strikes and a fan allegedly yelled, "The sun must have gotten in your eyes."

According to witnesses, the fan was berated by a finger-wagging woman wearing a replica of Jones' No. 11 jersey. It turns out the woman was Jones' mother, Linda Faulk, sitting two rows away. Jones admitted the incident happened but was reluctant to go into details.

"She took care of it," he said. "She took care of it how every parent should...

US moves into fast lane with first full-time head coach - The Australian
The thing that the sport in Australia has always dreaded has happened.

The world's No.1 nation, the US, has realised that it is an under-achiever at international level.

The historic appointment of highly regarded University of Southern California coach Mark Schubert as the first full-time head coach of the US team should sound warning bells in Australia's ranks...

...Schubert's job, as he sees it, is to mobilise his coaches to access the untapped power of the American system.

"It's really difficult for the US to have a head coach from the point of view of dictating a program, so I see my role as creating competition opportunities and consistency in the national team...

[Carucci] Vic Carucci's Tuesday Huddle - NFL News
...It makes sense that Tom Coughlin would give Rob Johnson, whom he brought into the league at Jacksonville, a shot to be a backup quarterback with the New York Giants. Something tells me that, although he hasn't played in two years, Johnson will look good enough during offseason and training camp workouts to land a spot on the roster. Johnson always looks good in the perfect conditions of the practice field. He has superb mechanics and a great understanding of the technical aspects of playing quarterback. It is his inconsistent performance during games, where perfect conditions rarely exist, that has kept Johnson from making his mark as a top-flight starter...

Former NFL Player Heading Local Mortgage Firm - The Chattanoogan
A former pro football player living in Chattanooga has been tapped to head the local office of a major mortgage lending firm.

"I actually managed my own investments while I played football and worked in the financial industry during the off-season," said Bradford Banta, who heads the newly established local office of JP Morgan/Chase...

...Mr. Banta played with the Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills before suffering a broken shoulder in December, 2003...

...Although the former tight end and long snapper has a new job, he's not new to Chattanooga. He and his wife Amy and their two girls moved here from Detroit two years ago...

Let the Chips Fall Where they May - Edmonton Sun
..."That is how we pass time," said wide receiver Ed Hervey, one of the poker ringleaders.

''It is part of our bonding. Most people who see it would probably question it (because) of the gambling.

"But usually it is just a couple of dollars thrown in a pot. It is just a chance for all of us to get to know each other and talk."

The ante is actually $20 to get in the game - and Hervey is definitely one of the card sharks in the group...

Top 50 players: Fleeting moments of glory - CBS Sportsline
...5. Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals: He's coming off knee surgery, which is a concern, but he has made big strides in his recovery. He had an amazing season in 2005 and we can expect many more...

...23. Troy Polamalu, S, Steelers: He became a force for the Steelers defense in 2005. He seemed to be all over the field. He does need to improve in coverage before he moves higher up this list...

He gets a kick out of Europe - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
An all-expense-paid, three-month trip to Europe: That would have been one way to look at it.

But that wasn't how Norco's Ryan Killeen looked at his first season in NFL Europe, a year removed from his record-breaking -- but somewhat under the radar -- three years as a USC kicker.

"It's 11 game films," said Killeen, now a free-agent signee with the Seattle Seahawks after first signing with and then being released by the Detroit Lions last spring...

New Bird content to wait in wings - Philly Inquirer
LaJuan Ramsey is used to being on a stage with stars...

...It wasn't until his senior season that he finally moved into the starting lineup for the Trojans.

"I was behind three first-rounders," Ramsey said.

Actually, it was two first-rounders (the Eagles' Mike Patterson and Minnesota's Kenechi Udeze) and an early second-rounder (Detroit's Shaun Cody), but you get his point...

NU is set to appoint USC dean as president - Boston Globe
Northeastern University's next president will be a dean from the University of Southern California who helped the school vault into top national rankings, a move Northeastern aspires to make, sources familiar with the university's decision said yesterday.

Later this week, Northeastern's board of trustees plans to announce the selection of Joseph Aoun , a linguist and dean of USC's College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the sources said yesterday.

Professors and community leaders in the Los Angeles area describe the 53-year-old Aoun as a savvy and dynamic leader of the university's largest school...

White remains patient while rehabbing hamstring - Nashville City Paper
The Tennessee Titans might not see the real LenDale White until training camp begins in late July.

White, the team’s second-round pick out of Southern Cal, should be able to do some limited work in June, but chances are he won’t be fully ready. White is still recovering from the torn hamstring that cost him being able to run a 40 time at his pro day and ultimately contributed to his falling out of the first round of the NFL Draft.

“He’s going to be behind physically when he gets to camp, only because of the setbacks,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. “Hopefully, we can close the gap and get him going.”

While White is at a physical disadvantage for the time being, he does have an edge in that he should be up to speed on the Titans’ offense. With the exception of a few tweaks here and there, it is the same system he ran under Norm Chow at Southern California...

Another tight end signs contract with Rams - St Louis Post-Dispatch
The Rams have added to their growing stable of tight ends by signing free agent Alex Holmes, who played in eight games for the Miami Dolphins last year as an undrafted rookie. Holmes, who suffered a shoulder injury in the preseason, had one catch for 2 yards. The Dolphins released him earlier this month.

Holmes, 24, is a 6-foot-1, 265-pound native of Sherman Oaks, Calif. He was used mainly as a blocker at the University of Southern California, where another Rams tight end, third-round draft choice Dominique Byrd, played his college football...

Athlon's 2006 All-America Offense - Athlon Sports
...Wide Receiver
Dwayne Jarrett, USC
6'5", 210, Junior

The big, athletic Jarrett is a mismatch for any defensive back. His 61-yard catch and run on 4th-and-9 against Notre Dame last year, keeping the Trojans’ winning streak and Rose Bowl run alive, is an immortal moment. He set the Pac-10 on fire as a freshman in 2004, and last year he caught 91 passes for 1,274 yards and 16 touchdowns. In only two years at USC he has 146 catches for 2,123 yards and 29 TDs...

...Offensive Line
Sam Baker, USC
6'5", 305, Junior

After redshirting his first year at USC, Baker has been the Trojans’ starting left tackle ever since. He was a consensus first-team Freshman All-American and second-team All-Pac-10 in ’04; first-team all-conference and third-team AP All-America in 2005...

Ex-Wilson star Perez knows what is important - Cherry Hill Courier-Post
It's not the prom, really. It's not the graduation ceremonies.

Antwine Perez is home for a few days after beginning his college football career at USC...

...Here's what he describes as "important" during his homecoming: Perez took the time to speak on Wednesday at a local community center, talking to kids who've had scrapes with the law or seen trouble in their young lives. He used to do this sort of thing fairly regularly when he lived here, and he returned to it when he came home...

Pirates' Cousins tackles his hearing impairment - Port Huron Times-Herald
For John Cousins, bouncing around to different colleges before finding the right fit was a challenge.

Playing professional football, that's a challenge.

Overcoming severe hearing issues to be able to excel on the football field? No sweat.

"Until (I was) just reminded, I forgot that I'm hearing impaired," Cousins said. "I don't really think about that. ... I take all the challenges the same way, and overcome them."...

Representatives fail to serve best interests of Reggie Bush - San Diego Union-Tribune
For someone so proficient at running to daylight, Reggie Bush seems hopelessly trapped in the dark when it comes to the performance of his agent, Joel Segal, and his marketing rep, Mike Ornstein.

The last time a top-five draft choice received worse representation was 1999, when fellow San Diego County Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams signed with rapper Master P's fledgling sports company, then agreed to an eight-year contract with the Saints that was short on guaranteed money and long on incentives.

It's now starting to look as if Team Bush is equally negligent when it comes to protecting the client's best interests...

Prior a loser in rehab start - Chicago Sun-Times
Mark Prior said his strained right shoulder is starting to feel closer to normal after a rehab start Monday for the Class A Peoria Chiefs.

The 25-year-old right-hander threw 44 pitches, 28 for strikes, topping out at 90 mph in two innings against the Oakland Athletics' Midwest League affiliate, Kane County, on a 95-degree day at O'Brien Field.

Prior, who took the loss in the 8-2 decision, had three strikeouts and gave up three runs, two earned, and four hits.

"It got loose obviously pretty quick out there," Prior said of his throwing shoulder.

Rossier ends undergrad program - Daily Trojan
The USC Rossier School of Education has decided to phase out its undergraduate teaching program, instead encouraging students interested in becoming teachers to enroll in its recently implemented 13-month Master of Arts in Teaching program.

The decision was made in response to changing federal laws governing teacher training requirements, as well as the relatively late point in their academic careers at which many students decide to become teachers...

[Silver] Road to recovery - CNNSI
The message was one of many received by Carson Palmer in the dizzying two days between the severe knee injury he suffered against the Steelers in January and reconstructive surgery -- "So many," the Bengals quarterback recalls wryly, "it was like I was dying of AIDS" -- and it stood out only because it came from the sole NFL passer who'd had a better statistical season in 2005.

Then Peyton Manning called again, and again. When the two quarterbacks finally spoke, Palmer thought, Wow, he must really want to get a hold of me. Why is he taking time out of his day to call a young punk like me?

Manning, who knows Palmer only on a casual basis, had his reasons for being supportive during the young Cincinnati star's moment of crisis...

Also, SI cover boy Palmer joins club workouts - Cincy Enquirer
[Daugherty] Palmer? A softie? Hardly - Cincy Enquirer
Report: Manning gave Palmer a call - Cincy Post
[Starkey] Foote fires back at Palmer - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Cody gets to use lessons from '05 - Detroit News
Shaun Cody will miss Dan Wilkinson's presence, but he welcomes the opportunity to step into Wilkinson's starting job.

Cody spent his rookie season with the Lions as an understudy to Wilkinson at nose tackle. Cody learned some of the nuances that made Wilkinson an effective starter for 12 NFL seasons.

The starting job became available when Wilkinson was released Monday.

For Cody, it is time to put into action some of the things he learned and observed as a rookie in 2005...

..."Shaun Cody is a good, young 310-, 312-pound kid who can really move. It's not just hold the point in a one-gap system. He's got to be a good rusher, and he's got to be able to play the field laterally a little bit. Balance always has been a good key for me."...

Charity ball: McAfee gives Bush No. 25 - Biloxi Sun-Herald
...Bush has said he will donate 25 percent of his jersey royalties to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Fred McAfee agreed to give it up the number in lieu of half of the 25 percent of what the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner earns through jersey sales.

In turn, McAfee will take that money and donate it to a charity of his choice...

..."Despite initially being disappointed, to wear 25 will help keep everyone aware of their struggles. And I thank Fred for making it available.".

"With this deal, many more people can benefit from the sale of the jersey," said McAfee. "This allows me many more options to help more people...

..."I look forward to donating my part of the proceeds to charities. And I think Reggie should be commended for making that commitment."

Also, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER - New Orleans Times-Picayune
[Demasio] All eyes on Bush - CNNSI

Check-Out Time for Leinart - LA Times
..."I feel like I'm less in the spotlight," the former USC standout said in a phone interview Thursday, after the Cardinals concluded rookie workouts. "I was just so happy to get out of L.A. I love SC, and I'm from Orange County, so leaving my family was tough. But I've never been more ready just to go and experience something new, just get on with my life in the NFL."

Leinart gave a weary sigh when asked about recent reports linking him with hotel heiress Paris Hilton. He said they are simply friends, nothing more.

"It's so dumb, because if it was any other person … " he said. "If a group of friends goes out to lunch, and we're in that group, then all of a sudden we're an item? It's so ridiculous."...

Also, Cards' rookies take 1st steps - Arizona Republic
Here come the rookies - East Valley Tribune
Leinart should heed lesson of Lachey's - San Antonio Express-News

Kelly convinced he can contribute - Regina Leader-Post
Rookie receiver Kareem Kelly is supposed to be intimidated by his first CFL training camp with the Saskatchewan Roughriders -- right?

Think again...

..."I've been in the big scenes before and I played in a lot of big games in college," continued Kelly, 25, who was drafted by the New Orleans Saints (sixth round, 2003) and had subsequent tryouts with the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens. "I don't have much NFL experience but just being out there with Pro Bowl-calibre guys (in practice) has kind of helped me relax and understand the game itself. There aren't too many nerves (in Riders camp). It's more just focusing in, concentrating and executing my assignments."

Kelly is already proving to be a quick study...

Parks cheered by NFL study - LA Daily News
...Parks said he will pursue an explanation from the University of Southern California, which has been a tenant at the Coliseum since it opened in 1923. In a letter sent Friday to owners, but made public only on Tuesday, USC officials urged the league not to sign a lease with the Coliseum Commission until the university had signed its own sublease.

"Frankly, I'm confused," Parks said. "Two years ago, when I was chairman of the Coliseum Commission, I went to USC officials and they said they wanted to negotiate on their own with the NFL. We said fine.

"On May 18, I talked with the USC president and asked how things were proceeding in their negotiations and he indicated everything was satisfactory. Then he sent this letter on May 19."...

Also, USC claims NFL Coliseum team would hurt program - LA Daily News
Will the Coliseum Forsake USC for Pros? - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
Raiders say SI story about sale is 'fiction' - Contra Costa Times
Rumor mongers working overtime - Oakland Tribune

Cat to the rescue - Hamilton Spectator
Tiger-Cat offensive line prospect Malcolm Woolridge is a life-saver. And that's before he even picks up the blitzing linebacker coming for a free shot at his quarterback.

In September 2000 while a member of the University of Southern California Trojans, Woolridge was one of four players involved in a rescue of a young woman who had fallen backwards out of a second floor apartment window and become impaled on the prongs of two wrought-iron security bars as she dangled six feet above the ground.

While two teammates sought help, the 6-foot-2, 330-pound Woolridge and Bernard Rily took turns supporting USC student Danielle Dauenhauer's 165-pound frame to keep the metal bars from penetrating any more than the four inches deep they had already imbedded into her body. Woolridge said the ordeal lasted some 30 minutes before paramedics reached the scene. Dauenhauer lost a ton of blood but had her life saved by Woolridge's actions...

No. 3: New talent takes over at USC - Athlon Sports
Let’s review the last four years at USC, shall we? A record of 48–4, including a 34-game winning streak. A still-active 27-game home winning streak. Four BCS Bowl appearances. Four AP Top 4 finishes. Four Pac-10 titles. Two national titles. And rivers of talent rolling in...

...The Men of Troy travel to Arkansas to open the season, followed by a visit from Nebraska in Game 2. The late season slate shows consecutive home games against Oregon, California and Notre Dame before the finale at UCLA.

Athlon’s Pick: Pac-10 champions...

2006 Heisman 100 - College Football News
...11. QB John David Booty, USC ...Such is life these days at USC, where the supporting cast, media crush and league titles are practically built in to a quarterback’s candidacy...

...21. WR Dwayne Jarrett, USC – ...USC’s biggest star now that Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White have departed. He...has quickly made Trojan fans forget Mike Williams...

...31. RB Chauncey Washington, USC – ...The star tailback of USC should be in the top ten, but there's a whole slew of next-level caliber freshmen coming in to take away time...

...37. RB Stafon Johnson, Emmanuel Moody, Kenny Ashley or Stanley Havili, USC – The early departures of Reggie Bush and LenDale White and season-ending knee injury of Hershel Dennis mean one of the Trojans’ talented quartet of incoming freshmen could immediately be a new star if something happens to Chauncey Washington...

USC to Focus on U.S.-China Ties - LA Times
USC plans to open in September the first research institute dedicated to the study of United States and China relations, college officials announced during a trip to Beijing on Tuesday.

University officials, who are on a weeklong tour of China, said USC is an ideal location for such an institute, with California boasting some of the largest populations of Chinese Americans in the nation.

"We have a lot of students in and from China. We have leadership relations in China," Associate Vice Provost Howard Gillman said Tuesday in Los Angeles. "The institute just seemed like a natural extension."

Although numerous institutions focus broadly on Asian studies, Gillman said USC's institute, with about 30 scholars, will be the first one dedicated to studying the relationship between the United States and China...

USC wins Lexus Gauntlet award - Daily Trojan
USC has been awarded the prestigious Lexus Gauntlet trophy given to the victor in the famed USC-UCLA rivalry. Outscoring UCLA by 10 points, 60-50, USC was presented the trophy in a ceremony featuring USC athletic director Mike Garrett.

The trophy weighs 150 pounds, is cast in pewter and will be on display for the next year in Heritage Hall. This is the third time in five years USC has been declared the winner of the prized trophy...

Baseball loses three-game series with Wichita State - Daily Trojan
No. 25 Wichita State shocked the unranked USC baseball team, completing a non-conference weekend series sweep after rallying for a 10-8 victory at Eck Stadium in Wichita, Kan.

Brandon Hall tapped Trojan closer Paul Koss for a two-run, bases loaded single into left field in the eighth, which proved the winning margin. The Shockers entered the inning down by a run, but Koss walked in a run after Brian Spear worked a full-count. Koss had recorded two strikeouts after loaded the bases with no outs. He pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits...

...All-American ace Ian Kennedy was credited with four of seven runs in 6 1/3 innings in the loss.

The Trojans (25-29) would have to win its four remaining games - last night's match-up with No. 2 Cal State Fullerton and the three-game weekend series against unranked Arizona - to be considered for the postseason.

Safety Harris out for season - LA Daily News
USC safety Will Harris tore knee ligaments for the second time during a pickup basketball game and will be out for the season.

Harris originally tore knee ligaments last fall and underwent surgery. He was expected to return in the fall before suffering the injury. Harris appeared in only three games last season and will use next year as his redshirt year.

Harris, a sophomore, was listed as the No. 2 free safety following spring practice...

[Maisel] Coaching visits guided by unwritten protocol - ESPN
...Edsall said he had been turned down only once. When he first got to Connecticut in 1999, he wanted to visit the New York Jets camp. Head coach Pete Carroll told him no, because Edsall had been an assistant for then-Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin, and Carroll didn't want to risk that any information would trickle down to an AFC rival. Edsall understood...

...Now that Carroll is at USC, he allows no outside coaches to visit. Not even legends.

"I talked to Pete a couple of years ago," Bowden said. "I said, 'I sure would like to go out there and talk to Norm Chow. He said, 'We don't do that.'"...

Reduction for increased production - Detroit Free Press
Wide receiver Mike Williams has made such progress this off-season, the Lions have changed their expectations of him. They had told him to report to training camp at 230 pounds. Now they're telling him to report at 220...

...he has given up bad habits like eating late and staying up late, he said recently.

"They were all things that weren't good for me," he said. "Now I come to work, I've got energy. I'm excited to be here, excited to learn this offense and get out there and go."

Williams is under 230 -- 227 or so -- and he can feel the difference...

Also, Soward feels for Williams - Toronto Sun

[Robinson] Looking for the next L.J. - Yahoo Sports
...If he's healthy, don't be surprised if LenDale White wins the Tennessee Titans' starting running back spot. The Titans think White can play tougher than either Chris Brown or Travis Henry and still stay healthy. As it stands, White is expected to be a big part of red-zone packages, but his role could increase exponentially if he fares well in training camp. The big concern is getting him onto the field in time to learn the pass-protection packages. Since rookie minicamp, White has been weighing around the high 230s consistently – a weight the team has deemed acceptable as long as he dedicates himself to the weight room...

Bush's decree cuts against NFL fabric - New Orleans Times-Picayune
Reggie Bush's "decree" last week he had instructed his agent to get his contract done by the start of training camp was refreshing, and it gained a good deal of national attention.

But it was hardly a guarantee, and it may have been taken too literally by some. The Saints rookie was simply responding to a specific question when asked how important it is for him to be there for the first day of training camp.

"Very important," Bush answered. "I told my agent I wanted to be here in camp on time, and whatever it takes I want to be in camp on time. I don't want to get caught up in holdouts and things like that.

"I think it is important to start off on a good foot and a good note, not only with the team but with the city."

His heart is in the right place. But time will tell...

Also, If Saints train here, they better bring Bush - Jackson Clarion-Ledger
[Barnhart] Parents stepping over the line - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Bush star in collectors show - Houston Chronicle
City jazzed about Saints - Ft Worth Star-Telegram
Bush Says He Was Advised Not to Talk to Investigators - LA Times
[Grant] Make Bush Pay for Five - ESPN

Relaxed and ready to go - Honolulu Advertiser
Life has been good recently for University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones...

..."Reggie Bush is the perfect guy for my (four-wide) system. He's not the perfect guy for a normal NFL system."...

...On Bush's USC teammate, quarterback Matt Leinart, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner:

"He's not a real mobile guy. And his arm strength, I mean, on a scale of 1 to 10, it's 6. I don't think it's a real powerful arm."...

Coaches focus on academics - USA Today
Southern California wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett has never had a problem excelling on the football field. Excelling in the classroom is another story.

Jarrett says he always did just enough to stay eligible to play football at New Brunswick (N.J.) High School. But he began to realize his academics weren't going to be good enough for him to play at an NCAA Division I-A school.

The National Football Foundation's Play It Smart program got Jarrett started on the way to improving his grades.

"Because of the Play It Smart program, I took school more seriously and (developed) my study habits,"...

Family, friends say goodbyes - Baton Rouge Advocate
More than 1,000 “best friends” of slain Southern California basketball player Ryan LeChanc Francis packed the Greater King David Baptist Church on Saturday to bid farewell.

USC head coach Tim Floyd said the 19-year-old man known for his respectful and unselfish nature made coaches, teammates and everyone he came in contact with feel like they were his best friend.

“All of us were wrong because his best friend is sitting right here,” Floyd said pointing to Francis’ mother...

Also, [Fambrough] Hard to make sense of Francis tragedy - Baton Rouge Advocate
Man denies killing Francis - Baton Rouge Advocate
Francis friends agonize - Lafayette Daily Advertiser
Francis remembered for class on and off court - New Orleans Times-Picayune
USC's Francis Mourned - LA Times
Suspect says he did not shoot Francis - LA Daily News