USC fined for deflating footballs during game against Oregon

Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

USC has been fined and reprimanded by the Pac-12 after it was discovered that one of the Trojans' student managers had intentionally deflated game balls during the first half of Saturday's loss to Oregon.

There are several things wrong with taking game balls below their normal, NCAA-regulated levels – there's a reason the NCAA and its officials keeps close tabs on the amount of air in the game-used footballs.

"Game officials discovered and re-inflated three of the balls before the game and two others at halftime. All balls were regulation in the second half," read a statement from USC.

"When informed of this allegation by the Pac-12, USC investigated it immediately. The student manager confirmed that he had, without the knowledge of, or instruction from, any USC student-athlete, coach, staff member or administrator, deflated those game balls after they had been tested and approved by officials prior to the game."

USC announced late Wednesday that it had fired that student manager responsible for deflating the footballs.

Quite simply, and as you might think, a slightly deflated football is easier to grip. As a result, a football that's easier to grip is easier to throw, catch and hold. A football that's easier to throw, catch and hold is often a football that ends up getting spiked in the end zone.

Another thing to consider is the fact that college teams use their own football, meaning that in Saturday night's game, Oregon had its own set of footballs on offense and USC its own set. So, theoretically, a team could deflate its own footballs very slightly and not worry about the opposing offense catching on when it had possession.

As you can see in USC's statement, however, officials did notice that the Trojans' footballs were not fully inflated. Based on what USC has said, two footballs used during the first half did not fit to NCAA regulations. In the second half, however, when Oregon pulled away, every football the Trojans used fit into NCAA guidelines.

But in a general sense – just taking USC out of the equation – there are few college-football tricks more duplicitous and underhanded than tampering with the football itself. While USC attests that Lane Kiffin, his staff and the roster had no knowledge of the student manager's deflating tactics, the act reflects very poorly on the entire football program.

A month ago, Kiffin and USC came under scrutiny for a jersey-switching episode during a win over Colorado.

USC changed backup quarterback Cody Kessler's number from 6 to 35 before a game against the Buffaloes on Oct. 20, with No. 35 the same jersey number as punter Kyle Negrete. Kessler was then used on a two-point conversion in the first half while wearing No. 35 before moving back to No. 6 for the second half.

The NCAA rulebook says the following about swapping jersey numbers: "Numbers shall not be changed during the game to deceive opponents." A team caught doing so will be assessed a 15-yard penalty and "flagrant offenders shall be disqualified."

USC has said that since the jersey was switched before the game, it does not represent a violation of NCAA game rules.

But between the jersey switch, the deflated game balls and USC's disappointing year on the field, you have to wonder what athletic director Pat Haden thinks of the work Kiffin and his staff have put in during the 2012 season.