[Dwyre] He is in hog heaven at USC - LA Times
..."It just got to the point where I knew it wasn't going to work out there," Mustain says. "Not this year, not ever."

Now, he is a Trojan, bringing to mind the theory that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em...

...It also means that Pete Carroll, the father of mother-lodes, keeps the quarterback feast coming, even though, about this time next year, he could be in for a tough decision on his next Heisman Trophy candidate...

...when '08 arrives and it is Sanchez's time, there will be Mustain, with a pedigree...and one more year of eligibility than Sanchez.

As Dick Enberg would say, "Oh, my!"...

Looking ahead: USC TROJANS - Seattle P-I
...Guess what? The Trojans should be even better this season. The defense is already being touted as one of the best ever with 10 returning starters from the '06 team. (Three others also saw some starting action.)

The linebacking corps is just sick. Brian Cushing, Rey Maulauga and Keith Rivers? You've got to be kidding me...

...Don't think just because the middle of the field will be abuzz with activity that the other facets of the defense aren't stacked, as well...

...WHAT THE HUSKIES CAN EXPECT: I'm wondering when was the last time the Huskies got shut out at home… Nov. 6, 1976. Cal beat UW 7-0 in Don James' second year...

Still No. 1 - Tuscaloosa News
...last summer, as part of our countdown to the 2006 season, The Tuscaloosa News’ Best College Football Rankings attempted to measure the top programs in every imaginable way...

...Naturally, it created a stir, but provided fodder for attempting to answer the sport’s ultimate question: “Which school really has the best program?” or “Who’s No. 1?”

Last summer, our answer was Southern California...

...Rankings...Recruiting...Attendance...Pro potential...Academics...Bowl appearances....Associated Press national championships...The All-Time Associated Press Poll...College Football Hall of Fame inductees (players only)....Coaching legacy...

...So who’s No. 1?

Once again, it’s Southern California...

[Paris] Carroll swears there's no place like USC - NC Times
Fight on? There was plenty of that chatter Monday with USC coach Pete Carroll in town.

Dream on? That's Carroll's response to those speculating he'll someday return to the NFL.

"Please don't leave," a USC fan pleaded..."Don't go."

The charismatic Carroll chuckled.

"I'm not going anywhere,'' he said. "There is nothing better than being at USC."

Believe Carroll at your own risk...

When McNair makes pitch, USC gets catch - LA Times
Todd McNair is driving and talking and recruiting. He's always recruiting. Running backs, wide receivers, defensive backs. Even occasional doubters.

How in the world does USC, with a depth chart that wound up 10 deep — yep, that's 10 deep — at tailback, persuade high school All-American after high school All-American to sign with the school and believe, beyond a doubt, they'll play from the moment they step on the field?

"None of these guys are afraid of competition,"...

Ellis turns out to be just like Mike - Lindy's Sports
There was a feeling around USC that nobody would ever replace All-American nose tackle Mike Patterson, who now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles. Patterson's quickness was his forte, confounding opposing centers and guards.

But if you ask USC coach Pete Carroll, there's been hardly any drop-off since Sedrick Ellis replaced Patterson. Ellis won the Morris Trophy last season, given to the Pac-10's top defensive lineman. The conference's offensive linemen voted on the award.

"He's simply a dominating player who gets past guys consistently with his quickness and speed," Carroll said. "He's one of the main reasons I'm so excited about this defense."...

[Dodd] McKnight's USC move leaves storm behind in Bayou - CBS Sportsline
...Joe McKnight is more than a traitor to those crazed LSU loyalists. Why John Curtis, McKnight's coach, was told he was "the most hated guy in the LSU community."

You can understand -- must understand -- because McKnight will never be Brock Berlin. Thank goodness. McKnight has more talent, more character, more of a future; the nation's best high school running back out of John Curtis Christian High School here in Jefferson Parish near New Orleans...and finally ended up signing ... with USC in February.

When McKnight went West, the reaction was swift and cruel...

...The recruiting hooks became the sunshine, USC's tradition and a desire to matriculate through the famed Annenberg School for Communication to become a broadcast journalist...

He's no mama's boy - Hamilton Spectator
Gotta pull for a linebacker who learned how not to pulverize ball carriers from his mother.

Gotta pull for a guy with the best nickname at Tiger-Cat training camp: Zeke (And Destroy) Moreno.

Gotta pull for a guy who is getting noticed as the possible answer to the Tiger-Cats' middle linebacker riddle.

That just might be Moreno, a 6-foot-2, 246-pound University of Southern California product who has played 61 NFL games...

...Moreno, 28, is also somewhat of a cultural pioneer. The Chula Vista Californian is one of the few Latinos to play pro ball...

No. 1: Trojans continue to be a BCS mainstay - Athlon Sports
How in the world does Pete Carroll continue to keep his team so stacked with talent year after year? How can the seven Parade All-America running backs at USC all believe they’re going to be the next star at Tailback U.? Why does quarterback Mark Sanchez, the 2004 Parade All-America Player of the Year, sit on the bench behind Matt Leinart and John David Booty — for three years? It’s the same story at just about every position on the team. If the Trojans lose a game this year, it’ll be their own fault.

With 15 starters back from last season, including 10 on defense, along with most of the top backups and another stellar recruiting class (they didn’t have a lot of scholarships to give this year, but the quality they reaped is ridiculously good), Carroll’s crew should roll from Sept. 1 through Dec. 1 and beyond...

Johnson turns down Titans, will retire - ESPN
Keyshawn Johnson has declined an offer from the Tennessee Titans and has decided to retire.

The wide receiver, who also expected to receive an offer from the Oakland Raiders, is expected to announce his decision at a Wednesday afternoon news conference at his alma mater of USC, his agent, Jerome Stanley, told ESPN.com's John Clayton.

Stanley said Johnson is expected to pursue a broadcasting career.

"The timing of it was just right," Stanley said. "There were a couple of slots open in broadcasting...

Leinart throws celeb-studded birthday bash in Scottsdale - Arizona Republic
What’s the point in being young, rich and famous if you can’t have a star-studded birthday bash?

No point at all.

So Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart kicked off his 24th birthday celebration Saturday afternoon, May 19, at the Mondrian Scottsdale.

Celebrities who partied by the pool with him included Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo.

Following a private barbecue, Leinart and his friends made their way to Skybar and continued celebrating VIP style until the club opened to the general public at 10:30 p.m.

Party with the unwashed? Please...

Also, Cardinals digesting playbook - East Valley Tribune

Seau is back on the inside - Boston Globe
Junior Seau is staying in school.

The 38-year-old linebacker officially signed on for his second year of postgraduate work yesterday, inking a one-year deal with the Patriots. The move was anticipated...

...The signing comes less than two years after Seau said he was graduating from football, not necessarily retiring. At the time, following 13 years with the Chargers and three with the Dolphins, he said he would play if the right situation presented itself...

...Seau, now entering his 18th NFL season, later told the "Patriots All-Access" television show that he had two plates inserted in his arm, with 14 screws.

With Seau in the fold, the linebacker corps gets a boost...

Also, Pats officially get Seau back - Boston Herald

Former Arkansas QB Mustain enrolls at USC - LA Times
After five months of considering his options, quarterback Mitch Mustain officially left Arkansas behind and enrolled at USC on Monday.

"I spent one day in class and I love it here," said Mustain...

...Mustain, who is 6 feet 3 and 205 pounds, passed for nearly 900 yards and 10 touchdowns last season...

..."We're excited about him," USC Coach Pete Carroll said. "I think it's a great investment in the future...

...Mustain is the second Arkansas player to transfer to USC since the end of the season. Receiver Damian Williams...enrolled in January and is recovering from shoulder surgery. He also will be eligible in 2008...

Also, Mustain enrolls at USC - Inland Empire Press-Enterprise
Mustain makes transfer to USC official - OC Register
Mustain attending classes at USC - Pine Bluff Commercial
[Caparell] But Will He Play? - CSTV.com

No Helmet, No Pads, No Escape - NY Times
When Johnnie Morton finished playing wide receiver in the National Football League, he carefully reviewed his retirement options: be host of a talk show, expand his real estate profile, maybe work on his golf game.

After much consideration, Morton decided that it would be best to spend his free time being body slammed into a chain-link fence by two men named Joker and Gun.

“Crazy, huh?” Joker said...

...Together, they are teaching Morton how to compete in mixed martial arts, one of the few sports that may be more violent and more dangerous than professional football.

[Maisel and Schlabach] Can't wait to see these things this fall - ESPN
[Maisel]...OK, seriously: who plays tailback at Tailback U.? If you have 10 running backs, as USC will have on scholarship this fall, do you have one? And will it matter to the consensus preseason No. 1? It sure would help if quarterback John David Booty discovers a go-to receiver in the huddle. Patrick Turner is the leading candidate but has never held the job...

[Schlabach]...Will Pete Carroll simply plug holes with more high school All-Americans? The Trojans are the consensus preseason No. 1 after blasting Michigan 32-18 in the Rose Bowl. Quarterback John David Booty played spectacularly against the Wolverines, but top targets Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett are gone. Remember these names for the fall: Patrick Turner and Vidal Hazelton...

In private equity, he is calling big plays - LA Times
The website of his private equity firm notes that Pat Haden graduated Phi Beta Kappa from USC, was a Rhodes scholar and earned his law degree...

...Absent is any mention of his standout college and professional football careers.

That's the way Haden likes it.

"I try to distance myself to a certain extent from my athletic career," he says. "We've all seen athletes who hang on to their glory days a little too long."

At a time of life when many ex-jocks are reminiscing about their playing days, Haden, 54, is well into his second — make that third — career, as a partner at Westwood-based Riordan, Lewis & Haden...

MAKING HIS MOVE - New Orleans Times-Picayune
...John Curtis' Joe McKnight has been through it, seen it all, and he knows one thing, he said. It's time to move on. He's always in the fast lane, it seems...

... He said he's not worried about the change in lifestyle, the pace of the area he's going to be living in, school or competition on the Trojans football team, which has seven signed running backs who will be freshmen or sophomores this fall...

..."I'm expecting to go out there and prove to them that I'm not just some little Louisiana boy. I'm going to prove myself to them...

...McKnight has been out there a couple of times, and he said the lifestyle changes won't be significant. But even if they were, that would be a plus...

Also, Star recruit has folks upset back home - LA Times

[Dodd] Top Fives: Scooping sponsors while highlighting the best - CBS Sportsline
...College football's five best recruiters sponsored by headhunters.com...

...Todd McNair, USC: The former NFL running back has found his niche on Pete Carroll's aggressive staff. Credited with landing five-star backs Joe McKnight and Marc Tyler this year...

Pirates' Urquhart to play this weekend - Port Huron Times-Herald
...Bad news for the Continental Indoor Football League: The Port Huron Pirates' defense just got a little stronger.

Defensive end Daniel Urquhart is expected to return to the lineup Saturday after missing four games with a right ankle injury...

..."I'm getting back into shape," he said...

..."Daniel adds explosiveness," Featherstone said..."The pocket will collapse a whole lot faster."...

[Schwartz] NFL-READY - NY Post
Of all the rookies set to infiltrate Giants training camp in Albany this summer, Steve Smith is poised to outshine them all...

...Smith, a polished receiver from USC, appears to be far ahead of his classmates when it comes to readiness to make an instant impact.

On the first day of...minicamp...Smith, with every step and each catch, soared above the other 50 players...no one can ever say he hasn't been fully versed in what to expect.

Consider this: In college, he stepped on the practice field and was surrounded by the likes of Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, LenDale White and Dwayne Jarrett, an array of offensive talent that certainly could not be recreated at any minicamp...