Trojans in the NFL: Week 5

Junior Seau (LB - New England) was acting like a kid again as he celebrated two interceptions against Cleveland. The 18-year veteran also made six tackles (one for a loss) and had 23 yards on the returns.

Keary Colbert (WR - Carolina) led the Panthers in receiving in a victory over former teammate Reggie Bush's Saints. His four grabs for 74 yards were highlighted by a 43-yard catch. He fumbled once, but Carolina recovered.

Reggie Bush (RB - New Orleans) picked up 119 total yards as the Saints fell to the Panthers. Bush became the top running back in the Big Easy due to a season-ending injury suffered last week by Deuce McAllister, but nothing was easy about his 67 yards on 21 carries. Mr. Excitement's longest run was 13 yards.

Matt Leinart (QB - Arizona) is out indefinitely. The struggling signal-caller fractured his left collarbone while being sacked (you may recall that he's a lefty). Before being injured, he was 7-of-13 for 100 yards and an interception.

Sammy Knight (S - Jacksonville) led the Jaguars with eight tackles in a win over Kansas City.

Brian Kelly (CB - Tampa Bay) overcame his struggles with turf toe to make three tackles in a loss to Indianapolis.

LenDale White (RB - Tennessee) lost a fumble and had 32 yards on 12 carries as the Titans beat Atlanta.

Shaun Cody (DT - Detroit) managed a tackle in a loss to Washington.

Lofa Tatupu (LB - Seattle) participated in seven tackles in a loss to Pittsburgh.

Willie McGinest (LB - Cleveland) made two tackles in a loss to New England.

Troy Polamalu (S - Pittsburgh) did not play due to a rib cartilage injury suffered last week. He is listed as questionable. Inactive players aren't normally mentioned in this feature, but we neglected to mention the injury last week.

Also played: Dominique Byrd (TE - St. Louis), Billy Miller (TE - New Orleans).

Comments

[I Don't Want Your Lonely Mansion With a Tear in Every Room]

This USC group in the NFL had a better week-end that the USC group had
in the Pac 10. I hope the USC group were able to pass along their janitorial resumes to the Stanford players. They're hiring.

[Patrick Williford]

This USC group in the NFL had a better week-end that the USC group had
in the Pac 10. I hope the USC group were able to pass along their janitorial resumes to the Stanford players. They're hiring.

[Bill Baldwin, Jr.]

Since this was first posted, news came that Matt Leinart is out for the year. Too bad, but I'll bet Leinart comes back strong in 2008.

Notice the missing names of FORMER great stars who decided to leave USC early, unlike Matt Leinart who came back for his senior year AFTER winning the Heisman and Steve Smith who did the same last year?

1. Dwayne Jarrett-- So far, one catch and NO impact on the Carolina Panthers.
Could we have used him here for his senior year? Jarrett alone might have made all the difference and kept Booty from looking like such a bum. Plus the Heisman candidate from USC would have been # 8.

2. Mike Williams - He's never recovered from going to the NFL after his Sophomore year. He regrets it now, and maybe Lane Kiffin will be able to teach him enough to have a decent career. Had Williams stayed just one more year, I think his skills and speed would have been vastly improved.
Obviously, no help to this year's team, except had he stayed for his Junior and third year as an All American, that object lesson would have rubbed off on Jarrett.

3. Darnell Bing - Mike Garrett was thoughtful enough to give Bing his "RETIRED" jersey # 20 to wear at SC. Bing repaid that kindness by heading for the pros rather than finish as a senior. Is Bing still with the Raiders?
He sure as hell isn't playing if he is. What a waste.

4. LenDale White- Had he stayed for his Senior season ( last year) I think he would have been the Heisman Trophy winner and SC would NOT have lost to UCLA. Instead, White left with Reggie ( who was ready and had done a great job for us), went much lower in the draft than he would have had he finished his senior year, and now is just one of the backs at Tennessee. And if Jeff Fisher thinks White is dogging it or not being serious, he'll be gone. Ironically, LenDale White is still the second running back for the Titans just as he was for USC. Chris Brown has out played White, period.

5. Winston Justice - Came out as a Junior with White and others, drafted by Philadelphia and in a game early this season, was a horror story at left tackle allowing, I think this is right, SIX sacks. The Eagles fans are not exactly forgiving souls, and so you can imagine the abuse he's getting in the City of Brotherly Love. Either Justice guts his way through and learns or he may be out of the pros inside of two years.

I don't know if these object lessons will help young talents like Stefon Johnson and others to stay for that extra year ( Senior) season or not, but it couldn't hurt.

Unfortunately, all my preaching comes a bit un-glued given there's one senior who did come back for his last year I wish had opted for the pros: You know, that 6'3 QB who's been doing so well as of late......I know, not funny.

[24-23]

A junior stays in college; then he blows out a knee his senior year.
It's often a lose-lose situation. It's not as simple as playing oboe in
the orchestra. Things are wrong at both ends of college football.
Football players should not be eligible to play until their sophomore
year; however, they should be a student their freshman year, first.
If they are students their first year, most will take college academics
seriously; then, play their sophomore and junior years. Fewer, if any,
would then have the football ability to turn professional after two years
of college ball; and they would stay in school for their senior year...and
some of them would actually be graduated. But, that's the difference
between an institution of higher learning and a football factory. Which
category do the following programs fit in? (learning institution or
football factory): Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Rice, USC, Texas,
LSU, Oklahoma State, Air Force, UNLV, Northwestern.
The fly in the ointment, of course, is the alumni.