Live Updates: USC at Pac-12 Media Day
The Pac-12 met in Hollywood on Wednesday for its annual football media day, and TrojanSports.com has had live updates all afternoon as head coach Clay Helton, wide receiver Michael Pittman and defensive end Christian Rector represent USC.
We'll continue to add to this thread throughout the evening, now that interviews are complete for the day. Scroll down to watch full video of Helton's media session and much more.
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Video interviews
Coverage of the top storylines
The sights and sounds from earlier in the day
7 a.m. -- The Pac-12 released its preseason poll and all-conference teams, voted on by media. USC was picked to finish second in the Pac-12 South behind Utah, which was also voted the favorite to win the conference championship with 12 votes. The Trojans got two votes to win the league.
Wide receiver Michael Pittman and defensive tackle Jay Tufele were voted to the Preseason All-Pac-12 First Team while wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and defensive end Christian Rector were Second Team selections. Linebacker Palaie Gaoteote, left tackle Austin Jackson, safety Talanoa Hufanga and wide receiver Tyler Vaughns (as all-purpose) were honorable mentions.
See the full poll and preseason teams here:
8:20 a.m. -- The Pac-12 announced that the conference championship game will be hosted in Las Vegas at the new home of the Raiders in 2020 and 2021.
“Our Pac-12 universities and entire Conference are thrilled to have our 2020 and 2021 football championship event take place in one of the most anticipated new venues in sports,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. “Highlighting and showcasing our programs on one of the biggest stages in a major destination market is a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes, universities and fans, and consistent with our mission to create the best possible experiences for student-athletes. ...
"I want to thank the San Francisco 49ers and Levi’s Stadium for what has been a fantastic five-year run and we look forward to what will be another exciting championship event in Santa Clara this year. The 49ers and Levi's Stadium have been great partners in building our flagship football event and taking it to new heights."
10:45 a.m. -- Here was Adam Maya's Pac-12 ballot and USC all-conference picks:
North
1. Washington
2. Oregon
3. Stanford
4. Washington State
5. Cal
6. Oregon State
South
1. Utah
2. USC
3. Arizona State
4. Colorado
5. Arizona
6. UCLA
Champion: Washington
All-Pac-12 selections:
WR: Michael Pittman, first team; Amon-Ra St. Brown, second team
OL: Austin Jackson, second team
DL: Jay Tufele, first team
LB: Palaie Gaoteote, second team
DB: Talanoa Hufanga, second team
1 p.m. -- We rounded up the highlights from Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott's comments on topics such as conference revenue, future bowl matchups, scheduling philosophies and more.
1:20 p.m. — USC’s Michael Pittman and Christian Rector prepare for the media blitz.
Head coach Clay Helton starts the media tour.
2:15 p.m. — Former USC QB Mark Sanchez settling into his new job as a college football analyst for ESPN.
2:30 p.m. -- Here's what Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said about the Ducks being picked as Pac-12 North favorites after going 5-4 in the conference last season (9-4 overall):
"Well, I think the expectations inside never really change. I think you always acknowledge what the noise is on the outside. When I say noise, I say that respectively because I certainly respect the media and the choices and decisions made, but it never really factors into the process, never really factors into our preparation. I think the guys have understood pretty clearly when we prepare well and we focus on what we're doing, we're pretty good; and when we don't, we don't play very good. We have a challenging schedule and we have a lot of challenges on the road, and it's something that we know we have to improve upon because we haven't done a very good job. And it starts with me. It starts with coaching. We've got to make sure that we are prepared mentally and have a mindset that's a different level. Help enhance the DNA. Again, even though it's something that's always a compliment and we respect the fact and appreciate that fact, it doesn't factor into our preparation."
Also, his comments on facing USC's new Air Raid offense this year:
"Well, obviously it's a very challenging offense, and I think USC and the caliber of athletes they have, obviously not only are they a talented football team, but with a schematic change like that, it potentially presents a lot of problems. Certainly have a really strong front seven returning. We know they're a really good football team."
2:45 p.m. -- UCLA coach Chip Kelly on how his rough first season impacts his approach moving forward:
"No, we're not dictated by the record. We have a plan going in, and we'll always follow that plan. Everything has been planned out and detailed for the entire season, and we've got to play the games and see how we stack up against the teams that we're going to play. But the record doesn't dictate changing any plans that we have for ourselves."
3 p.m. -- USC had Michael Pittman answer some questions submitted by fans. Here were the highlights.
-3:10 p.m. -- We just got the transcript from Washington State coach Mike Leach's press conference from earlier. Some highlights …
Leach asked about Larry Scott's comment that Pac-12 officiating is fundamentally sound:
"I can't really comment on the officiating unless I want to invest a little more than I plan to, at least at this point. But I think in the end everybody wants the same thing, they want it to be as good as we can possibly get it."
On spending time in Hollywood and a dinner recommendation:
"It's kind of cool. I'll tell you, if you haven't eaten at Musso & Franks, go eat there. First of all, they have every menu item you could ever possibly conceive of. Then the other thing, it has this old-school, old Hollywood type of grill atmosphere, vibe. I like going in there if I have time. But, yeah, it's cool. I haven't done it for a while. I don't know if everything is all kept up, but it's always been pretty captivating, looking at the buildings, especially the ones you know are old and key landmarks, that type of thing."
On USC offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, who played for Leach and got his coaching start at WSU:
"Starting out in high school, he threw it a lot in high school. When Graham left high school, he was I believe at least for a while the all-time leading passer in history in the state of Texas. His dad is great student of the game. He threw it well in his high school there, and his dad was his coach. He started out throwing it. I also think it's one of those things that as they're sitting at the dinner table passing the potatoes and the vegetables, whatnot, there's probably some football being passed back and forth, too. He came to us as a pretty good student of the game, and a sharp guy. Then he was a guy that could watch film fairly quickly and pull quite a lot off of it. But he really did a good job. He was a great player for us, great guy to work with."
On defining the Air Raid:
"I think there's several branches. It's funny, you get these offenses. It always seems like the run-and-shoot was the most aggressive with it. It was like a religion. Some of these people act like these offenses are religions. It's not the true run-and-shoot, you didn't do it like the true run-and-shoot. Did they get a first down? Did they score? Who cares. They did the same thing with the west coast offense. Well, that's not the west coast offense. Like there are some purists, Cardinal somebody or other said you have to block this way instead of that, you have to play fake it first or something. Obviously that's ridiculous.
"Some things called the west coast offense nowadays has Bill Walsh rolling over in his grave, I promise you. Sometimes people like to throw out terms to impress their friends. As far as the air raid, I've always visualized the air raid, and I gave it the name when Bob Lamb came walking through with that siren. But, I mean, just spread it out, attack the whole field, get it in everybody's hands. There's a lot of ways to do that. You can even effectively do it on the ground. Chip Kelly's style is some of that.
"You need to have some core beliefs on what you're going to do and how you're going to do it, otherwise you're just a mishmash of concepts. You don't have an offense, you just have a pile of plays. An offense is something that one aspect of it complements another, so you have an arsenal of solutions to a variety of problems that can be caused for you, rather than just guessing and calling plays.
"So I do think you need to have a core of beliefs on what you're going to be good at. But, you know, we're constantly searching and discovering things that we think are improving as we're experimenting. Sometimes we're wrong. They look good on the board, it didn't turn out to be as good as you'd hoped.
"It's to the point, and I've been doing it for enough years, that usually they're not wholesale new plays as much as maybe adjust this technique or this route. I've always thought it evolves and changes. I think that's an important aspect of any offense. So I'm not real dogmatic about this is the air raid and this isn't. It's funny, though, I have overheard people at clinics or something walk up or just overhear, somebody says, Well, that's not the true air raid. What are you talking about? There's no true air raid. At least not the way I see it, not the way I've been involved with it. Not a true air raid? You're just trying to move the ball, that type of thing. I don't think there's a true anything."
4 p.m. -- The Pac-12 announced the addition of the Los Angeles Bowl, to be played in new LA Stadium, starting in 2020 with the contract currently running through 2025. The game will feature a Pac-12 team vs. a Mountain West Conference opponent.
LA Stadium at Hollywood Park will be the new home for the NFL's LA Rams and Chargers.
More updates to come from Pac-12 Media Day.