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Another article on J.T. Daniels

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...career-early-to-compete-for-usc-starting-job/

Varsity blues: J.T. Daniels calling high school career early to compete for USC starting job

If everything goes according to his plan, Daniels may be starting for the Trojans at age 18

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Between classes, J.T. Daniels has a few minutes. But just a few.

The Mater Dei High School senior quarterback's class load has to be among the most difficult in America. Among his classes this final semester are studies in economics, government, English, comparative religions and philosophy.

That, literally, is only half of it. Daniels wants out of one of the most prestigious high schools in the country a year early. So much so that he has doubled that class load in order to graduate in only three years.

"It was amazing to me that an athlete at that high a level [can] take almost 10 classes during that semester," said Mater Dei athletic director Tia Meza. "We're not talking basket weaving. It was core classes, honors classes, things that were difficult."

Daniels already is projected to be USC's starting quarterback as a true freshman when he gets on campus in a few months. He just might the difference between USC winning the Pac-12 again and playing in a minor bowl … or playing in a bowl at all.


His matriculation to Troy is one of the most compelling stories of the offseason. His decision to breeze through high school in three years comes down to the same reason rock stars date supermodels.

Because they can.

Well, that and competing for what looks to be a wide-open USC quarterback job following the departure of Sam Darnold.

But that's not totally what this is about. Daniels is among a micro-population of major-college athletes who have "reclassified." Reclassifying has been around for a while, particularly with different modes of education such as home schooling and online learning.

The term entered the college athletics vernacular in a big way when Duke basketball star Marvin Bagley III finished high school a year before his projected class. Then he went one-and-done in Durham, North Carolina.


Missouri forward Jontay Porter also reclassified to be with his brother, Michael Porter Jr., this past season. South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley entered college a year early, too. There have been others.

Daniels will graduate high school later this month and head to USC in June as third-rated quarterback in the country, per the 247Sports Composite.

His explanation is as abbreviated as his high school career.

"I've started varsity in the No. 1 league in America for three years," Daniels said. "I've seen enough of what the Trinity League has to offer. … I don't think there's much more to learn in high school for me."

Daniels sudden availability is perfect symmetry for USC. Darnold, the two-year starter, is gone. Neither sophomore Matt Fink, redshirt freshman Jack Sears nor sophomore Holden Thomas has distinguished himself.


Daniels stressed -- on more than one occasion -- that Darnold's status with the Trojans would not affect his reclassification decision. Daniels' internal high school countdown clock had hit zero.

"I was assuming Sam was going to stay, but I still felt I would get better learning from Sam than playing in high school," Daniels said. "I would seriously regret it if I spent last two months as a high school student wishing for college."

Whether Daniels will achieve some level of success is almost a given. Since becoming Mater Dei coach in 1989, coach Bruce Rollinson has seen only two of his starting quarterbacks not play Division I football.

The jerseys of Heisman Trophy winners John Huarte and Matt Leinart are encased in the lobby of the basketball gym. Daniels broke Matt Barkley's school (and Orange County) record with 12,014 career yards. And just like Barkley, Daniels was the Gatorade National Player of the Year.


"That was something I always dreamed of: having my jersey retired at Mater Dei," Daniels said. "And now it is."

Other than that, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Daniels is not much different than your average high school senior. At first glance. He crows about his expertise on Xbox, particularly playing "Fortnite." But in taking on those extra classes at Mater Dei, he is essentially a high school junior and senior at the same time.

Into those three years, Daniels has had to cram in these Mater Dei requirements: four years of religion, four years of English, three years of social studies, three years of math and two years of world languages. Plus, all his electives. That doesn't include his remaining 80 Christian service hours -- 20 a year -- required of all students.

Had Mater Dei fudged any of its requirements, Daniels couldn't have pulled it off. The NCAA told the school that would be an extra benefit. The opportunity had to be available to everyone.


It was a first for all involved. No student at the school has ever reclassified to enter college a full year early.

Rollinson has had his share of players -- including Barkley -- leave before the spring semester of their senior year. Daniels is different.

"I know some of the instructors who are managing his additional classes," Rollinson said. "One thing they've consistently said: 'We don't have to ask him anymore how he's doing. He's knocking them out.'"

What to you and me appears to be an overwhelming work load is not much of a concern for Daniels. "Mater Dei is a school without too much over-pounding homework," he said.


That's not a flippant slap at Mater Dei academics but rather Daniels' mindset while plowing through them. He has kept a GPA floating around 4.0 for most his career.

The idea of reclassifying was floated to him, Daniels says, by 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins, who was checking out a rumor last summer.

"I just laughed at it," Daniels said. "Who the hell said that? About a week later, I started to look into it, and I thought it could be the best decision for me."

That was August 2017. Five games into a season that would end in a state championship, Daniels and his parents requested a sit-down with Rollinson.


"I had no idea what [reclassifying] was. None," the coach said. "[When I found out], honestly, I thought, 'I better not find out USC is streamlining this thing.' I would have a problem with that."

Trojans coach Clay Helton was as surprised as Rollinson. Now that the move is real, there is no dancing around the fact Daniels will have one heck of a shot becoming USC's starting quarterback at age 18.

"He's used to the style of competition we go against," Helton said. "It's how fast he picks up the playbook. How fast is the speed of the game?

"Is he going to be given the opportunity to compete early?" Helton added sublimely, "Yes."


Sure, it helps Daniels was held back a year, repeating the eighth grade. But Helton was especially impressed recently at a USC seven-on-seven camp. Mater Dei won the whole she-bang.

"J.T. called the entire day. They had all their coaches there, but he called every play. To be able to see him in that aspect to not only call plays but check plays at the line, for him to be that young and doing that …"

Amazement keeps the USC coach from completing the sentence.

Football USC-Alabama in 2020 is official

Login to view embedded media PRESS RELEASE:
The 2020 AdvoCare Classic will feature a rematch between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the University of Southern California Trojans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, September 5, 2020. Today’s announcement will mark the ninth faceoff between these two powerhouses bringing great college football history to AT&T Stadium on Labor Day weekend.

The revived rivalry between Alabama and USC occurred in the 2016 AdvoCare Classic with the Trojans falling to the Crimson Tide 52-6. The 2016 game was the first meeting between the teams in more than three decades. The majority of the schools’ football history dates back to the 1970s due to the friendship between head coaches John McKay (USC) and Paul “Bear” Bryant (Alabama) where each team won a game on their opponents’ turf.

Welcoming back one of the largest crowds in the game’s history, the 2020 rematch will mark the 12th annual AdvoCare Classic. “We believe the AdvoCare Classic is one of the most prestigious kickoff games in college football and we are excited to continue to build on the great history with this matchup,” said Stephen Jones, Chief Operating Officer of the Dallas Cowboys. “This game gives both teams an opportunity to show their dominance early in the season and we look forward to welcoming them both back to Arlington.”

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to open another season at the AdvoCare Classic in 2020,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “Our team and our fans have always enjoyed playing in North Texas and AT&T Stadium is a fantastic competitive environment. This event has always been first-class with the intensity of a bowl game. We are also pleased to have the chance to once again face USC, and we look forward to a great game.”

"We are excited to be able to compete in an event that is so attractive to the nation's college football fans," said USC head football coach Clay Helton. "The 2020 AdvoCare Classic will once again bring together two programs with strong and successful traditions. Playing as many outstanding non-conference opponents as possible is an experience our players and fans want. The Trojans versus the Crimson Tide will be such a game and playing in AT&T Stadium only adds to the big-time atmosphere."

Information on ticket sales and kickoff time will be announced at a later date.
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OT: Japanese college football scandalized after coach orders shocking late hit

They play football???

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mo...-shocking-late-hit/ar-AAxD6h8?ocid=spartandhp

Japanese college football scandalized after coach orders shocking late hit

Matt Bonesteel
7 hrs ago



AAxDdfz.img
© Provided by WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post
Japanese college football isn’t nearly the cultural phenomenon it is in the United States, with the sport far behind baseball and sumo wrestling on the athletic landscape. Nevertheless, a player’s egregious late hit during a game, and his public apology on Tuesday, has become front-page news.

Subscribe to the Post’s Today's Headlines newsletter: All the top stories of the day - local, national and global.

During a May 6 game, Nihon University defensive lineman Taisuke Miyagawa launched himself into the back of Kwansei Gakuin University quarterback Kosei Okuno well after he had thrown a pass, resulting in knee and spinal-ligament injuries that will sideline the quarterback for three weeks, Agence France-Presse reported.

As you can see, it was the cheapest of shots. According to Kyodo News, Okuno has filed an official complaint with police in Osaka Prefecture.







Miyagawa apologized during a news conference Tuesday that was televised live across Japan, bowing to a 90-degree angle and holding it for several seconds, a sign of deep remorse, according to the Associated Press. He added that he made the tackle to curry favor with Coach Masato Uchida and assistant Tsutomu Inoue, who had kept him out of practice because he did not show “drive and fighting morale.”

“After the practice [on May 5], Coach Inoue said to me, ‘I asked head coach what you would need to do to play in the game, he said if you squash the quarterback on the first play, we would let you play. So go tell him, ‘I’ll squash the quarterback, so use me,’ ” Miyagawa said, per the Japan Times.

“I thought it was an implication that I needed to do it with a strong mind-set, as if I would smash [the quarterback], but I really did need to do it,” Miyagawa added. “So I felt like I had no choice and was in anguish.”

Miyagawa was ejected from the game after committing two more personal fouls, retreating in tears to a tent near the field where he said Inoue berated him, calling the player soft. On Tuesday, Miyagawa said he has quit the sport.

“I have no intention of continuing to play American football in the future,” Miyagawa said. “I don’t even know what I should do from now on.”

Uchida resigned in the wake of the incident on Saturday.

Adam, question regarding

the latest podcast. I know you mentioned somewhere during the podcast about the 9 years Saban has been there that they did something about scheduling and we should follow suit. Do you remember what you said? I can’t seem to find it again!!!! Thanks and great job. Cut the grass and trimmed the bushes and made it fly by. Thanks to you and Chris for such informative news.

The BCS championship.....

Is that a good thing? I wonder. certainly it is for a few teams who get in all the time like Alabama and Clemson. Not so much for those left out which is realistically about 10 others.

It does affect thinking. Every time a head coaching job opens up fans clamor for Nick Saban and Urban Meyer. And if this were done some decade ago likely Pete Carroll. So how exactly good are these guys in attaining the BCS championship game?

Actually not as good as one thinks. Lets start with Pete Carroll. He was here 9 years and appeared in 2 BCS championships and can be said to likely have been shafted in 2003 where the AP said USC was #1 despite the Coaches poll and cockamamie formula saying they weren't. So he had 1 1/2 titles, so to speak and lost one (Dang Texas!). Urban Meyer had exactly 3 Championship appearances and won all. Lord Nick Saban has had 5 championships and lost one in the BCS.

So that is:
Pete Carroll 9 seasons: 1 AP (2003) and 1-1 in BCS finals (*28%). He missed that 2003 and with a 1 loss team in 2008.
Urban Meyer has 17 seasons and is 3-0 in final games (18%). 2 with an SEC team.
Nick Saban has 22 seasons and is 5-1 in BCS finals (27%).And has appeared in the last 3 college playoff games, even when he was #2 in his division and #3 in conference last year.

Its tough to get there. Even Urban in his Ohio State gig is seeing that (2 of the 3 Meyers BCS came while at SEC's Florida)...get the picture?

LA Times - a tale of the pot meeting kettle?

http://adage.com/article/media/la-times-frat-boy-executive-scandal/311997/

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE L.A. TIMES 'FRAT-BOY EXECUTIVE' SCANDAL
By Simon Dumenco. Published on January 19, 2018.

iStock8155681242017082232.jpg

The Los Angeles Times headquarters in Los Angeles. Credit: tupungato/iStock
"Accusations Of 'Frat House' Behavior Trail 'LA Times' Publisher's Career." It begins,


ADVERTISING
The Los Angeles Times has given prominent coverage to recent revelations of sexual harassment of women by prominent men, particularly in entertainment and media. Yet a review by NPR finds that the newspaper's own CEO and publisher, Ross Levinsohn, has been a defendant in two sexual harassment lawsuits and that his conduct in work settings over the past two decades has been called into question repeatedly by female colleagues. ... This story is based on a review of court documents, financial filings and fresh interviews with 26 former colleagues and associates. ... The portrait that repeatedly emerges is one of a frat-boy executive, catapulting ever higher, even as he creates corporate climates that alienated some of the people who worked for and with him.

[paste:font size="3"]Just how bad is this?



Read NPR's story in full for all the details—but for now you can get the quick gist courtesy of an angry statement released by members of the Los Angeles Times Guild organizing committee. Titled "Not fit to lead the Los Angeles Times," it's worth quoting here in full:

We are appalled by the findings in the NPR story. Ross Levinsohn should resign or be fired immediately. A man who sexually harasses women, engages in "slut-shaming" and refers to gay men as "fags" is not fit to lead our newspaper.

Tronc and its board of directors must be held accountable for their failure to properly vet Levinsohn for one of the most important positions at the company and in American journalism.

We demand an independent investigation to examine how Levinsohn was hired given his documented history of misconduct; whether he acted inappropriately toward Times employees during his tenure as publisher; and how the company and board have responded previously to allegations of sexual misconduct by newspaper leaders.

Chicago-based Tronc is the L.A. Times' parent company. Levinsohn is a veteran media executive who's worked at companies including CBS, News Corp. and Yahoo—ultimately rising to interim chief of the latter (he was ultimately passed over for the permanent job when Marissa Mayer was poached from Google). Folkenflik's NPR story covers various portions of Levinsohn's career, including his time at Yahoo. One key passage:

According to a half-dozen former Yahoo colleagues, Levinsohn's approach to selling ads —a huge component of his job—involved throwing parties to entertain. In 2011, Levinsohn arranged the lease of a boat by Yahoo off the coast of southern France to entertain business partners and clients at the Cannes Lions Creativity Festival. Paid models mingled with participants as they downed drinks while the yacht made small loops in the Mediterranean Sea, according to three former Yahoo executives. One attendee from another company recalled that she got onboard, having been invited by Levinsohn to talk business. She told NPR she got off the boat as quickly as possible, saying she shouldn't have to strike deals in a setting where men were gawking at bikini-clad women.

Damn. Hey, Levinsohn hasn't even been around that long at the L.A. Times, has he?


Correct. You can catch up on the dawn of the Levinsohn era at the paper in this Aug. 22, 2017 Ad Age post: "Making Sense of the Dramatic Purge at the L.A. Times." Quick summary: Several executives at the paper were shown the door when Tronc appointed Levinsohn publisher and CEO. As I noted at the time, reflecting on the paper's own coverage of the leadership changes,

Two lines tucked in the L.A. Times story pretty much sum up what's happening here: "Levinsohn becomes The Times' 17th publisher and the fifth in the last decade. He has spent more than 20 years in media—though never in newspapers." In other words, the Times has been rapidly cycling through leadership with inky credentials, but no one's been able to fix the paper's problems—so now a newspaper-industry virgin gets to try his hand at saving the day.



When Levinsohn got the job, a spoof L.A. Times front page calling him a "digital savior" made the rounds on Twitter:

How are Levinsohn and the L.A. Times responding to the NPR report?


As the paper's Meg James reported last night,

Los Angeles Times' parent company, Tronc, said Thursday that it had opened an investigation into past conduct of Times publisher Ross Levinsohn following a detailed report by National Public Radio. ... "This week, the company learned of allegations of inappropriate behavior by Ross Levinsohn," Tronc Chief Executive Justin Dearborn said in a note to employees. "Tronc is committed to creating a culture of diversity and inclusion, and we will take appropriate action to address any behavior that is inconsistent with this culture. We are conducting an independent review into these matters. Once that review is complete, we will take swift and appropriate action to address any behavior that falls short of our expectations."

As for Levinsohn, James writes that he "didn't respond to a request for comment." Levinsohn's Twitter account, @rosslevinsohn, currently serves up an error message ("Sorry, that page doesn't exist!").

Speaking of Twitter, in a tweet last night Folkenflik called attention to a private response Levinsohn had before the publication of the NPR exposé:

So what happens next?


We wait for Tronc to complete its investigation. Meanwhile, journalists at the Times are speaking out:

As L.A. Times Multiplatform Editor Jared Servantez notes,
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