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Last week I looked at the USC website and saw Zack Jordan (senior) and 2 freshmen as USC's goalkeepers. After the Virginia exhibition game I read about one of the freshmen doing well, but I noticed Zack Jordan and the other freshman off the roster. I'm confused, can somebody help me out here and explain this situation? Thanks

Several players got in serious trouble last week. One would assume that the players no longer on the roster would be those.

Zac Jordan, Robert Rosenberg and Geoffrey Anatole were dismissed from the team last week. USC is down to a roster of 17 which includes only one senior and one junior.

SHOCKING!!!!!!!! The downfall has started! USC is the the fifth best team in sc this year!!!! Behind Coastal,Clemson,Furman and CofC!!!!

I think Quest actually quit the team because his girlfriend was pregnant and having a baby, so he went back to NY. That's the story I heard.

As for Berson being their too long, you may be on to something. USC just hasn't had the dynamics of some of the other regional teams in recent years.

When I see programs like Clemson and Furman excelling on the national stage and the College of Charleston, Coastal Carolina, and Winthrop fairing well in their conference and South Region play, it really makes you wonder why Berson cannot get Carolina back to Top 15 status like in the late 80s and 90s.

I think it really goes back to personality, or as Paul Gardner of Soccer America so eloquently put it back in 1993 while covering the Final Four at Davidson -- "Bersonality". He stated that Berson was dogmatic in his control of the team, while Bruce Arena was intense with his team, but allowed the players to maintain their own identity in the game.

Allison (Furman), Adair (CU), and even Golan (Evansville) were all USC assistants and "players coaches" - whereas Berson seems to distance himself from the players and act somewhat elitist towards them and others in the soccer communities. This never helps sow the seeds of grassroots movements whatsoever and USC has never reached the youth populous in Columbia as other college programs have been involved and supported in other areas.

Also, the lack of players from SC on the team has hurt the local soccer folks who believe that SC has some good players, but when the head coach at the state university doesn't know who they are because they didn't attend his camp or play ODP, people tend to be put off by the arrogance of "South Carolina youth soccer is behind other states, so I'll just go there and get players" say from UTAH -- which is no soccer hotbed itself.

I hope that this year's team can right the ship of the recent decline, but I doubt it!

I know enough about the program that the boys had to do something really dangerous to themselves or the team to get the boot. I'd hate to speculate so I won't, but my guess is one of the existing players would tell you if you wanted to know.

As for the decline of the program...let's just wait and see how this group responds. Berson usually doesn't say how much he likes a team if they're not good.

And for those who say USC won't give instate guys a chance, how many offers from other schools do you think Stoval and Whetstone received?

I'm curious to see some names thrown out of players in the last 10 years that you think should have been recruited to play at USC and weren't at least delt with in some manner.

SC drew a foot in his mouth!!! There are numerous players that SC missed the boat on!

Whetstone had offers from Clemson,Duke,USC,UAB,and PC. He chose SC due to the chance to play as a Freshman. Also Clint was his host during his visits! He wound up being voted MVP by his teammates his SR year!

Some players that Berson missed over the last ten years well here are some mainly from Columbia!!!!!!!! Andy Kwon(Duke and Spring Valley),Jeff Collins(BC/DNP)John Wilson(Clemson),Johnny Tyler(SV/Duke),Robby Fitzgerald(SV/Duke),John Hinds(irmo/Kentucky),Jared Riley(Wando/CofC),David Gregory(better thatn Harmon who quit/BC/DNP),Eric Ozmeck(SV/Maryland/Davidson),Nick Hansell(Ridge View/Davidson) Joe Mosser(Dreher/Citadel),Clint Smith(BC/DNP),Troy Lessene(BC/CofC),Montae Seabrook(Wando/CofC),Randy Owen(Irmo/Coastal),Cody Perrot(Ridge View/Coastal),Jabari Seabrook(BC/CofC)John Cooper(Riverside/Clemson) and Erik Forbes(seneca/Clemson).

I am sure there are more but that should be enough for you SCDREWABLANK. I like I always say,"The only time SC draqws a blank is on USC's roster!"

Shearer missed the pk and Newcastle is out of the Champions league!!!!!!!1

Wow, Shearer...such hostilities (what makes you the USC expert anyway?). Missed means they didn't know about or recruit. If you recruit a kid and they don't come, that's different. Your list with modifications:
Some players that Berson missed over the last ten years well here are some mainly from Columbia!!!!!!!! Andy Kwon(Duke and Spring Valley)--told Berson he wanted to leave the state and he was going to Duke during the in-home visit -- received a full academic scholly (i'd go to Duke too!),Jeff Collins(BC/DNP)--not sure on this one, where did he go?, John Wilson(Clemson--admissions told Berson he wouldn't get in,Johnny Tyler(SV/Duke)--not really worth the discussion, he didn't even make the Duke roster, was on the practice squad and quit (why do you think he could have played at USC?),Robby Fitzgerald(SV/Duke)--same story as Tyler I believe,John Hinds(irmo/Kentucky)--don't know him but I'm sure if Phil felt he was good enough to play for USC, Berson would have taken him,Jared Riley(Wando/CofC)--don't know this one,David Gregory(better than Harmon who quit/BC/DNP)--agian if he didn't play, why would a top 20 program recuit him?,Eric Ozmeck(SV/Maryland/Davidson)--offered scholarship to USC and his mom wanted him to go there but he chose Maryland---proved to be too slow at the major D1 level which is why he left MD, no playing time,Nick Hansell(Ridge View/Davidson)--USC didn't feel he could compete against the big boys and told him so instead of leading him on, Joe Mosser(Dreher/Citadel)--cant speak to this one,Clint Smith(BC/DNP)great kid, not ready for major D1 as evident by his not playing,Troy Lessene(BC/CofC)--probably missed this one as far as projections go, but I know Berson told him that it would be a stretch and it would be in his best interest to look elsewhere...again, better than leading the kid on and then dumping him once he arrives if he didn't make it,Montae Seabrook(Wando/CofC)--committed before an offer was made by USC,Randy Owen(Irmo/Coastal)a partial qualifier out of HS..can't be eligible at an SEC school,Cody Perrot(Ridge View/Coastal)--looked at but didn't offer,Jabari Seabrook(BC/CofC)jury still out on how good he'll be...hasn't even played yet, John Cooper(Riverside/Clemson)--wasn't leaving the Clemson area and told USC that and Erik Forbes(seneca/Clemson) same as John.

Like it or lump it, USC operates differently than CofC and Duke and the like. They keep a small roster 24 vs 35 and don't tell kids they can play only to put them on a practice squad. If you're on the team at USC then you go to everything.

They do look at and recruit instate kids but a lot of times, those kids don't chose USC. Hans did and made great strides become the MVP. What a great story that was and is.

Next???

Interesting read guys! This is the best commentary I've seen in awhile on here. Thanks for the opinions and info.

What about the Suarez brothers (all three went to UNC)?

Any idea who USC is looking at in this years' senior high school class from SC?

Where does USC come off telling kids they are not good enough at his level? it looks to me like alsmost every kid that wasn't good enough was good enough or better! Who is to say what would have happened if the SV boys had been given a chance at USC? Carolina wasn't that strong back then in the mid 90's after Clint/Josh left. Duke was in the thick of things with Josh henderson and Ali Curtis. But any way typical Bersonite response! NEVER WRONG!!!!!

Wilson got in Clemson but not USC!!!!! WRONG USC did not offer. Only Clemson and UAB offered for Soccer. Jared Riley was Gatorade POY in 96 and the son of Wando Coach Tom Riely.As fopr Gregory Berson wanted him till a bad call cost him his season his own fault really but for books USC could have had a good player from COla.

The worst was Clint Smith. My little brother played on the NECSA Comets with him and he single handedly got them inot the finals of the Sun Bowl and Capital Cup(?) DC(?) Would have been twice as good as Brockmeyr(SP) and Jordan( what a joke!!!!!!!!) Plus he was local and would have gone for free. Give him a redshirt year and would have exceled at USC!!!!!!!! Total blunder by Berson Rowell and Golan!~ What makes you such an expert?
I played for the Patriots and was some what looked at by USC.