CONGRATULATIONS "JODY ADEWALE"





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JODY'S FINAL YEAR
January 12, 2008 - -- (35) JODY ADEWALE—Fullback, 6-0, 230, Sr.*/Sr., Los Angeles, CA

(Roosevelt HS)


2007: Adewale appeared briefly in 6 games (Idaho, Nebraska, Washington State, Notre Dame, UCLA and Illinois) as a reserve fullback as a senior in 2007. He had just 1 carry (a 17-yarder against Illinois). He did not participate in 2007 spring practice after deciding to forgo his senior season, but changed his mind and rejoined the team in the fall of 2007.

2006: Adewale was a backup fullback as a junior in 2006, although he did start 3 games (Arizona State, Oregon State, Notre Dame). Overall in 2006 while appearing in 9 games (all but Arkansas, Washington State, California and UCLA), he caught 2 passes for 16 yards (8.0 avg.), but did not carry the ball. He had a 6-yard catch against Washington and a 10-yarder versus Oregon.

2005: Adewale was a backup fullback and played on special teams as a sophomore in 2005. He saw brief action in 7 games (Hawaii, Arkansas, Oregon, Arizona State, Arizona, Stanford and UCLA). He made 2 tackles (1 each against Arkansas and Oregon).

2004: Adewale, who was switched from tailback to fullback prior to 2004 spring drills, served as a backup there as a redshirt freshman in 2004. He saw brief action in 5 games (Colorado State, BYU, Washington, Notre Dame and Oklahoma). He caught a 16-yard pass against Washington.

2003: Adewale redshirted as a freshman tailback in 2003, his first year at USC.

HIGH SCHOOL: He was named a 2002 Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-West honorable mention, Tom Lemming All-West, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best of the Rest, All-L.A. City second team and Los Angeles Times All-Central City first team (as a defensive back) selection as a senior at Roosevelt High in Los Angeles (Calif.). He ran for 1,400-plus yards and 26 TDs as a running back and made 27 tackles with an interception as a defensive back.

As a junior in 2001, he made All-L.A. City, Los Angeles Times All-Central City first team and All-League first team while running for 1,660 yards and 25 TDs and posting 144 tackles and an interception at linebacker.
He also competed in basketball and track at Roosevelt.
PERSONAL: He has a B- average (2.84 GPA) at USC. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology in the summer of 2007 and is working on his master’s degree in marriage and family therapy (because of class schedule conflicts, he missed football practices on Mondays and Tuesdays in the fall of 2007).

TCB YDS AVG TD LG REC YDS AVG TD LG
2004 (Fr.)… 0 0 0.0 0 0 1 16 16.0 0 16
2005 (So.)… 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0
2006 (Jr.)… 0 0 0.0 0 0 2 16 8.0 0 10
2007 (Sr.)… 1 17 17.0 0 17 0 0 0.0 0 0
CAREER……. 1 17 17.0 0 17 3 32 10.7 0 16

TAC LS/YDS DFL FR
2004 (Fr.)… 0 0/0 0 0
2005 (So.)… 2 0/0 0 0
2006 (Jr.)… 0 0/0 0 0
CAREER……. 2 0/0 0 0

GAME-BY-GAME WITH JODY ADEWALE
2007
TCB YDS AVG TD LG
Illinois (RB) 1 17 17.0 0 17
2007 (Sr.)… 1 17 17.0 0 17

2006
REC YDS AVG TD LG
Washington 1 6 6.0 0 6
Oregon 1 10 10.0 0 10
2006 (Jr.)… 2 16 8.0 0 10

2005
TAC LS/YDS DFL FR
Arkansas 1 0/0 0 0
Oregon 1 0/0 0 0
2005 (So.)… 2 0/0 0 0

2004
REC YDS AVG TD LG
Washington 1 16 16.0 0 16
2004 (Fr.)… 1 16 16.0 0 16


A Player’s Rose Bowl Moment to Remember

Mario Villegas
Exclusive to EGP

Fullback Jody Adewale leaves USC having carried the ball only once in his Trojan football career, but it’s one that the senior fullback will never forget.

“I finally got in and got to carry the ball!” said an elated Adewale as he celebrated with his teammates following USC’s 49-17 thrashing of Illinois in Tuesday’s Rose Bowl game. “How many yards did I get? Fifteen? Ten?”

He recorded a 17-yard gain and will be able to say that he averaged 17 yards a carry at USC. Though he had never had an official carry, Adewale’s career includes three pass receptions for 32 yards.

His only rushing attempt came late in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s Rose Bowl with USC leading 42-17 and playing several reserves. Adewale was lined up in the I-formation and took a handoff from reserve quarterback Mark Sanchez. He cut outside to the left and made his way down the sideline before being knocked out of bounds. His carry helped set up a touchdown run by seldom-used tailback Hershel Dennis four plays later and helped the Trojans amass a Rose Bowl-record 633 yards of total offense.

“Yeah! I carried the ball in the Rose Bowl game!” said a somewhat disbelieving Adewale. “It felt so good and it was a good way to end a career.”

Adewale ran past USC Athletic Director and Roosevelt graduate Mike Garrett, who won the Heisman Trophy when he played for the Trojans but never played in the Rose Bowl.

Adewale said the play made him think of his Roosevelt days and made light of his moment in the spotlight.

“I was trying to get around the corner, but I felt a little tubby belly and I started thinking I can’t do it anymore, (but) if I lose like 20 pounds, I can get around the corner,” he joked.

Adewale was an All-City player at Roosevelt, where he rushed for 1,660 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior, and chose USC over several other colleges that also recruited him. But the fifth-year senior and graduate student saw limited playing time. He got into last year’s Rose Bowl game against Michigan. He has no regrets and looks forward to moving on.

“This is it for me,” he said. “It feels good to be done (because) after so long of the same thing, it becomes repetitive, and it’s like you’re telling yourself that you want to do something else. I’m going to miss all the camaraderie that I had with my teammates. Everyone on the team is close, but I won’t miss all the practice.”

Several players embraced him or patted him on the back as they ran by Adewale as the Trojans left the field. “Love ya, Jody!” yelled one.

“Everybody loves him,” USC Coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s been a terrific contributor and will be a longtime and proud member of the Trojan family. We’re all real proud of him.”

Adewale has already earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in forensics and criminology. He is currently working on a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and then plans on working toward a doctorate in clinical psychology.

“He’s done well in school and is a very industrious kid,” Carroll said. “He’s going to be highly successful.”





By RON GUILD, Sports Editor 03.JAN.08

Former Roosevelt High School standout Jody Adewale has been a backup his entire career at USC, but he got a brief moment in the spotlight in his final college game.

That it was the 94th Rose Bowl Game had to make it even more special for the grad student who returned to the team this year at the urging of the coaching staff to add depth to the fullback spot.

Entering the game at fullback in the latter stages of a 49-17 Trojan blowout of Illinois Tuesday, he served as the lead blocker for sixth-year senior tailback Hershel Dennis, who scored his first college touchdown since 2004.

Adewale also got his first and only career carry, gaining 17 yards on the play. Adewale’s only other career touches on offense were three receptions for 32 yards. He has also served on special teams there.

Dennis, a sixth-year senior who has overcome major knee surgery during his career, contributed to the Trojans’ 633 yards of total offense with 30 rushing yards of his own.

His perseverance was noted by senior quarterback John David Booty, who said, “Hershel is such a hard worker and great teammate.”

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USC football fans got a glimpse of the future during Tuesday’s Rose Bowl Game, at least as far as the backfield is concerned.

Freshman Joe McKnight did his best Reggie Bush impression and sophomore Stafon Johnson, the former Dorsey High School standout, showed flashes of brilliance, as well, in the closing minutes of a 49-17 Trojan blowout of Illinois.

With starting tailback Chauncey Washington graduating, more of the rushing burden in 2008 will fall on McKnight, who carried 10 times for 125 yards and a touchdown, and Johnson, who had nine carries for 104 yards. Washington, McKnight and Johnson were the big reasons USC was able to rush for 344 yards.

Each also showed their game-breaking skills with long runs. McKnight had a 65-yarder that that led to a two-yard touchdown pass from Booty to Fred Davis for a 28-10 lead. The River Ridge, La. native had 206 all-purpose yards, including 45 on six receptions.

The 125 rushing yards pushed McKnight’s season totals to 540 yards on 94 carries. Johnson, whose 63-yard run set up a late Hershel Dennis touchdown, ended the season with 673 yards and five TDs on 98 carries.

It was the electrifying McKnight, though, who earned the biggest buzz following the game.

“I’m really excited about Joe,” USC coach Pete Carroll said. “This is the kind of game that will put him on the national scene. He does a lot of stuff that is similar to Reggie Bush (2005 Heisman Trophy winner for the Trojans).”