Trojans' manager fired for deflating balls
A USC student manager was fired for deflating five game footballs to below regulation levels for the Trojans' game against Oregon, the school announced Wednesday.
The unidentified manager admitted to the infraction, according to a report on USC's website. The report specified that no coaches, players, staffers or administrators knew about the manager's actions, which reportedly occurred after the balls were tested prior to kickoff.
"It was a distraction that nobody here knew about," USC head coach Lane Kiffin told reporters Thursday. "It had no effect on the game. If anything it'd have a negative effect ... throwing two different types of balls for our quarterback. I was just disappointed because it was a distraction that we didn't need."
USC announced that it had been fined and reprimanded by the Pac-12 office, and Kiffin said the compliance department concluded that the manager acted alone.
"They don't know why he did (it)," Kiffin said. "(Quarterback) Matt (Barkley) was questioned in this as well, obviously. He had no knowledge of this at all."
