No, USC is not "Linebacker U"

Let the off-season main stream media bashing begin!

Albert Breer, an NFL writer at The Sporting News, just joined the masses of pro football hacks who think they know anything about college football. And just where did he begin his venture into a sport that couldn't be more different than its professional counterpart?

"Linebacker U" = Penn State USC

We've been through this before, but for some reason, about once per off-season, some schmuck rolls out one of these articles proclaiming Penn State should make way for a more worthy candidate for the "Linebacker U" title.

"[USC's] linebacker pipeline has grown so rich that a player who couldn't start at USC is at the Senior Bowl, one of 104 players invited to the most prestigious of the college all-star games... That's Clay Matthews."

Breer really lost me at that point–since when are these "all-star" games ever "prestigious?" But moving on–but I kept reading out of curiosity.

"Maybe Penn State really is Linebacker U, but it's hard to argue with USC's track record of producing at the position over the last 20 years, a history that includes Junior Seau, Willie McGinest, Chris Claiborne, Lofa Tatupu and Keith Rivers."

Over the last 20 years? Andre Collins, LaVar Arrington, Brandon Short, Paul Pozluszny, Dan Connor, Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman, the 2005 Butkus, three consecutive Bednariks from 2005-2007. What? Oh sorry, didn't mean to interrupt...

"I played with Duane Bickett, we were both All-Americans. We had two," said Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, another ex-Trojan linebacker who is coaching the South squad this week. "I don't know that I've ever seen three players come out that are as heralded as this group, and we've had some good linebackers come through there." Both Bickett and Del Rio became Pro Bowl players, each drafted in 1985, so the Class of '09 has a ways to go in that regard."

Oh, so now we're taking this beyond 20 years, back to the mid-80's? Sorry, I didn't know the argument could change mid-thought. I get a re-do then, too.

Robert Mitinger, Dennis Onkotz, Jack Ham, Charlie Zapiec, Bruce Bannon, John Skorupan, Ed O'Neil, Greg Buttle, Kurt Allerman, Shane Conlan... aaand Andre Collins, LaVar Arrington, Brandon Short, Paul Pozluszny, Dan Connor, Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman, the 2005 Butkus, three consecutive Bednariks from 2005-2007.

(Note: Interesting how Breer uses the "player who couldn't start" thing. I could have sworn that Bowman didn't start until a few games into the season, meaning he was a "player who couldn't start" at the beginning of this season. Now, he's first-team All-BigTen, and a near-lock for All-America in 2009. Also, since Aaron Maybin wasn't a "player would couldn't start" until Evans went out, does that mean Penn State should also be named "Defensive End U?" Hey, maybe that could be a post here all by itself. I'll look into it. But, on we go...)

It's almost entertaining at this point, whenever someone tries to label another school as "Linebacker U." It's an argument no one will win. Can they argue? Sure. But don't think it'll work. Shoot, I'll even take an argument for (gasp!) Ohio State as a more worthy candidate for the "Linebacker U" title, over USC.

If Penn State had gone dry over the last few years, say, without All-Americans Pozluszny, Connor, Lee and Bowman (by the way: Poz was just named the Bills' 2008 Defensive MVP), then I couldn't match what the challengers say. But when Penn State has continued to pump out some of the best linebackers in school history (Jack Ham, himself, said that), during the last few seasons, the arguments against the real "Linebacker U" just crash and burn.