A USC student manager was dismissed from the team following the Oregon-USC game Saturday night after deflating the pressure of game balls used by the Trojans.
According to USC’s Ripsit Blog, the student manager was relieved of all his duties after it was discovered the student altered the pressure of the game balls below NCAA-regulated levels prior to the highly anticipated matchup with the Ducks. Footballs that are not properly inflated are easier to handle and provide a softer surface for receivers to latch onto.
Officials discovered the discrepancy in pressure prior to kickoff and reinflated three of the footballs before the start of the game and two more before halftime, according to the Blog.
After the incident was discovered and reported to the Pac-12, USC began an immediate investigation, which resulted in the dismissal of their manager and the incurring of a fine from the conference.
Oregon would not have been using these under deflated footballs since each school is responsible for supplying its own game balls.
After the incident, the manager stated that he had acted “without the knowledge of, or instruction from, any USC student-athlete, coach, staff member or administrator.”
Stay tuned for more information when it becomes available.
USC dismisses student manager who deflated game balls prior to Oregon matchup
Eddie Paskal
November 6, 2012
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