DEKIFFINATED

No Trojan Buzz — The 1st Round of the NFL Draft has UCLA’s Datone Jones going to Green Bay, but not one single trojan gets called, much to the chagrin of Robert Woods and Matt Barkley, the latter of whom might get barely more than a cup of coffee in the League before he’s done

Did Matt Barkley’s “unfinished business” include falling completely out of the 1st Round of the NFL Draft?  If so, then, “mission accomplished.”  Thursday night’s affair concluded with not only Matt Barkley being passed over, but also with Robert Woods and every other hopeful trojan being completely ignored.  To make matters worse for u$c fans, they had to watch as Bruin D-Lineman Datone Jones got selected by the elite Green Bay Packers at #26.

Barkley, had he left SC after his Junior year like he should have, would have most likely been picked with one of the top 5 picks, making him a helluva lot more money than he will get now, as a 2nd Round selection.  But that’s okay, it’s not about the money — Barkley now will forever have the indelible memories of guiding the trojans to the most disappointing season in the history of college football, as the preseason #1 trojans dropped an unprecedented 6 games, including a humiliating lower-tier bowl game loss after Barkley got sacked and knocked out by Anthony Barr in sc’s painful 38-28 loss to UCLA.

With Barkley deteriorating all season long and ending it with an injury, it’s no surprise that his stock fell so dramatically.  But why did Robert Woods tumble?  Woods has the potential to be a perennial All-Pro in the NFL, and someone is going to get a steal in the 2nd Round with him.  His numbers declined last season, but it’s not his fault that Barkley repeatedly choked, and that Kiffin called five times more plays for Marqise Lee than for Woods.

Below are 18 photos from the trojans’ Spring Scrimmage at the Coliseum, which hinted that things aren’t going to get any better for Lane Kiffin’s troops, thanks especially to the Defensive Secondary allowing Receivers to run free behind them.