Taylor Mays News

Reporting from San Francisco - USC's leading rusher is in limbo because of a school compliance investigation.

Jordan Congdon pondered quitting his gig as USC's kicker many times. You know the kicker stereotype.

The Boston College free safety is from the San Diego area and grew up rooting for USC, but the powerhouse did not offer the in-state prep star a scholarship.

It's official: Most of USC's football team has made it to San Francisco for the Emerald Bowl, at least in body.

Share + Dec 16, 2009 10:45 am US/Pacific Stanford Team Page STANFORD 1 of 1 Stanford running back Toby Gerhart scores a touchdown as Southern California's Taylor Mays attempts to make the tackle during the first half of a NCAA college football game in Los Angeles on Saturday, Nov.

Click on the photo for a countdown of USC's 10 best football players this decade.

It's a fresh start for Matt Barkley . USC's freshman quarterback said Wednesday that he regards the Dec.

Senior offensive tackle becomes USC's 156th All-American first teamer. Charles Brown Dec.

Stafon Johnson is Most Inspirational. Damian Williams was named the Most Valuable Player of the USC football team on Sunday.

An emotional Mark Stoops struggled to maintain his composure on two occasions when talking about the Wildcats' victory Saturday.

He becomes USC's fourth 3-time All-American first teamer. Taylor Mays Dec. 10, 2009 Senior safety Taylor Mays was named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-American first team, the nation's oldest All-America team.

OK, so it's not for the Rose Bowl. But there's still a lot at stake when USC plays host to Arizona.

USC safety Taylor Mays is known for his speed and physical play. Last year in Tucson, he knocked the UA's Keola Antolin out of the game.

USC fans at the Coliseum felt it during the game. Trojans players said it as they walked off the field.

USC just beat UCLA in a fiery ending that kept the crosstown rivalry firmly in the hands of the Trojans, but as Coach Pete Carroll reflected on the past month, another image remained entrenched in his memory.

The unofficial NFL draft season, and the three months of speculation that comes with it, doesn't start in earnest until mid-January. But for Taylor Mays, the pre-draft roller-coaster ride started 11 months ago when the two-time All-American safety made the surprising announcement that he was returning to USC for a fourth and final season.

Posted Today at 12:10 am in Featured , Football , Sports This is it. For USC's senior class, Saturday will be its last hurrah at the Coliseum.

USC quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates offers little insight during the best situations, so it was not surprising he offered a vague response Wednesday when asked if he might return to the NFL next season should former Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan get another job.

Things have come full circle in the recruitment of Tony Jefferson . Jefferson was a silent commitment to USC last spring, but after going their separate ways, the Trojans are now very much back in the mix.

In retrospect, and with abye week to let things settle, perspective and acceptance became the latest stages in what's been a season-long grieving process for USC and its fans.