It is well known that rapper-turned-reggae arrest Snoop Lion, formerly known as Snoop Dogg, is a big Southern California fan. The hip hop legend has been spotted numerous times sporting the Trojan's gear as well seen hanging on the sidelines during team games. Naturally, he wants the team to do well and be successful. So when the Trojans had the opportunity to get one of the best running backs in college football on their team, did Lion play a role?
USC is dismissing a report that links Lion to the recruitment of the former Penn State running back. Reed opted to transfer to Southern California after Penn State was hit with NCAA sanctions after the Jerry Sandusky scandal. In 2011 while at Penn State, Reed ran for 1,241 yards. After a visit from USC head coach Lane Kiffin, Redd decided to transfer and did not have to miss a year of eligibility.
In a forthcoming coming book by author John Bacon, Fourth and Long, the author documents four programs in the Big 10. In the book, he writes that Redd flew in a private jet to USC's campus where Lion was waiting for him with a limousine. The incident happened just nine months before Lion' son was offered a scholarship to the school.
USC has issued a statement denying the entire claim in the book. School officials claim the running back and the rapper have never met and Lion was not present when Redd visited the school.
"I've never met Snoop Dogg in my life, much less been in his limo," Redd said Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times. "Coach Kiffin picked me up from the airport. The person who wrote that has no credibility whatsoever."
Kiffin also backed the claim that he was the one to pick up Redd at the airport. Almost every member of the USC coaching staff was trying to persuade Redd to come. The team had their postseason ban lifted and was trying to make a run at a championship.
Redd was supposed to be USC's final weapon to getting a championship team put together. However, that did not exactly go as planned as USC ended up finishing 7-6 including a loss to Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl. Redd recorded 905 rushing yards, a far cry from the numbers he put up at Penn State.
The NCAA will likely look into the claims made in the book, but it is almost certain that nothing will come from it. Unless a camera was taping the whole thing, USC will see nothing come of this.
