Tag: Shane Lee

How Shane Lee will make a difference for USC next season

Shane Lee is a terrific leader. The problem in 2022 was that he wore a cast in multiple games. Getting a full-strength Lee is a big key in 2023. #USC

One of the details which was easy to notice about Shane Lee this past regular season is that he wore a cast in multiple games. You try being a major college football linebacker and making every tackle with a maximum of force and efficiency while wearing a cast. This was a tough road for Lee, who provided great leadership and a strong locker-room and practice-field presence for the Trojans, but whose body was not at full strength for a significant portion of the journey from Week 1 against Rice through the Pac-12 Championship Game.

What does it mean for USC to get Shane Lee for another year? The main hope is that if he can stay healthy, he will be the reliable tackler at linebacker USC didn’t have when Eric Gentry got hurt. Gentry being out, and Lee wearing a cast, certainly left USC’s linebackers in a limited position. Players were willing, and in many cases, they just didn’t have the talent … but in Lee’s case, he simply wasn’t playing at full strength. That mattered.

USC hopes it will get a full-strength, maximum-impact version of Lee next season. Health could lead to wealth for the Trojans.

This past season at USC, fourth-year junior Shane Lee made 75 tackles, including 6.5 for losses (with 2.5 sacks), plus 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a deflection, appearing in 12 games.

Lee transferred to USC last winter from Alabama and quickly won over the Trojans’ locker room, earning captain honors from his teammates.

He participated in senior day activities prior to USC’s home finale against Notre Dame, and ultimately informed head coach Lincoln Riley that he would be sticking around for the 2023 campaign.

No cast, no limitations. That’s the hope for USC.

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Linebacker Shane Lee will return to USC in 2023 — huge lift for the Trojans’ defense

#USC LB Shane Lee will return in 2023. He made huge plays against UCLA. If he can stay healthy next year, he will be a high-impact player.

The USC Trojans are a couple of weeks away from playing in the Cotton Bowl against Tulane.

However, decisions are being made regarding those players who are eligible to go pro. One impending decision was linebacker Shane Lee, who had a good season for USC after transferring from Alabama. His season might have been even better if he had been able to stay healthy, but that’s part of the point: Getting a healthy Lee for 13 games could make a real difference for USC next season.

Guess what? USC will have Lee next season.

The Trojans got good news when Lee announced he will return in 2023, according to Ryan Kartje of The Los Angeles Times.

After three seasons with the Crimson Tide, Lee became a major impact player for the Trojans’ defense in 2022. He finished with 71 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a pair of interceptions on the year.

Lee’s return is a massive boost for Alex Grinch’s defense, and the hope is that more impact players come via the transfer portal. One player taking a visit to USC is Coastal Carolina transfer LB Josaiah Stewart.

Lee began the year in terrific fashion with a pick-6 against Rice.

The Trojans’ defensive issues came to light toward the end of the season, so Lee returning next year is great news. Now they wait on the decision of All-America DL Tuli Tuipulotu, who hasn’t decided but did announce he will play in the Cotton Bowl.

If the Trojans can have Tuipulotu and Lee back in 2023, plus a new wave of portal players and recruits, their defense will be much improved in 2023.

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Know your foe, USC: Which Trojans could give Notre Dame problems

Which Trojan’s do you fear?

Anytime you face-off against one of the top rated teams in the country, there’s going to be plenty of talent on the other side of the field. That’s exactly the case as the Irish travel to Los Angeles to take on the No. 5 USC in a highly anticipated matchup. The home team has plenty of firepower, led by Heisman candidate Caleb Williams and his go-to receiver Jordan Addison. Since we all know about their exploits, we won’t touch on them but here are five of their teammates that could give Notre Dame problems.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeFChen

 

USC captains are set for 2022 season

USC needs leadership everywhere, but a few focal points will obviously become central figures in the locker room and on the practice field.

The USC Trojans need leaders throughout the roster, but naturally, a few central figures will set the tone for the rest of the locker room. Offensive lineman Justin Dedich, quarterback Caleb Williams, linebacker Shane Lee, and defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu were voted team captains by their peers, Trojan head coach Lincoln Riley announced Tuesday.

Justin Dedich and Tuli Tuipulotu have a combined six seasons of experience with the Trojans. They are the veterans, the elder statesmen of the team. Dedich became a rotational backup offensive lineman during the 2021 season and ended up starting the Trojans’ final four games at left guard.  Tuipulotu was one of the Trojans’ best defensive players in 2021. He was named to multiple All-Pac-12 first teams after recording 48 tackles and starting every game as a sophomore.

Lee and Williams haven’t appeared in live games as Trojans yet (that changes on Saturday versus Rice), but Lee (from Alabama) and Williams (Oklahoma) are two of the most talented players on this squad. They will be expected to make a big impact on both sides of the ball.

“The team pretty clearly looks at those four as the guys they want to represent them. It’s a big honor for those guys. That’s something that none of them take lightly.”

These USC captains will get a chance to show off the new and improved team on Sept. 3 this Saturday versus Rice.

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Why Alabama transfer Shane Lee is the most important player on USC’s 2022 defense

At Alabama, Shane Lee faced a playing-time squeeze given the Tide’s abundance of elite talent. #USC is giving Lee a chance to shine as a central performer.

Senior inside linebacker Shane Lee transferred to USC in the spring of 2022 from Alabama. He will try to immediately contribute to the Men of Troy. In Lee’s three-year (2019-2021) career at Alabama, he made 96 tackles, including eight for losses (with 6 sacks), plus an interception, 3 forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a pass deflection in 29 games (with 13 starts).

With so much talent at the linebacker position, Lee got “lost in the sauce” at Alabama. He hopes to make a huge splash for the Trojans in the locker room and on the field, bringing the talent, leadership and grit the USC defense needs this year to contend for the Pac-12 title and beyond.

In high school at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Lee was a four-star who recorded over 200 tackles, 7.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles in two years with the program.

Lee has always been productive and highly touted, but he lost battles at Alabama to Henry To’o To’o, Christian Harris, and Dylan Moses. Lee was recently named the most impactful national transfer on defense, and I think he also could contend for First Team All Pac-12 and even Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.

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Former Alabama LB Shane Lee announces Pac-12 transfer destination

Shane Lee heads out west.

Former Alabama linebacker Shane Lee had an impressive freshman season in 2019 for the Crimson Tide, but saw a stark decrease in production the following two seasons. Now, Lee will head west to play for Lincoln Riley at USC.

Lee was a four-star linebacker in the 2019 class out of Maryland and chose Alabama over LSU, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan and others.

Stepping into a lead role as a true freshman saw Lee accumulate 86 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. In 2020 and 2021, Lee had only nine tackles, one sack and a lone forced fumble.

Lee joins Drew Sanders and King Mwikuta as linebackers to leave Nick Saban’s program.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow former Alabama players who are transitioning to their new programs.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

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Top available college football transfer portal inside linebackers

Top available college football transfer portal inside linebackers #GoBucks

The Ohio State Buckeyes have already added one linebacker through the transfer portal in DeaMonte Trayanum from Arizona State, and with new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles changing up the defensive scheme. it is not unrealistic for Ohio State to look for more second-level talent in the portal.

The Buckeyes are likely to run a 4-2-5 scheme and that should be a good thing considering how underwhelming the linebacker play has been in recent years, but those two backers will need to be aggressive and ready to move sideline to sideline. The list of talented linebackers in the portal is so large, I decided to split the list into two with this one focused on more inside/middle backer types. The following are the five best inside backers available in the portal as of today.

Another Alabama LB enters NCAA transfer portal

Drew Sanders now has a fellow Crimson Tide LB in the transfer portal with him.

Amid coaching departures, declarations for the NFL draft and additional chaos from the national championship loss, Alabama is having numerous player from various positions enter the NCAA transfer portal.

It’s nothing new for Alabama players to transfer out. Often times it just isn’t the right fit for the player, or the individual believes they would be better suited elsewhere.

Just a day after news broke of linebacker Drew Sanders entering the transfer portal, another linebacker joins him.

Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports reported today that Shane Lee has entered the portal.

Lee has been with the Crimson Tide since 2019, and saw most of his action in that one season. The 2020 and 2021 seasons did not bode well for Lee. In his first season, he totaled 86 tackles 4.5 sacks two forced fumbles and an interception. In his most recent two seasons, he’s combined for nine tackles, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Shane Lee as he travels through the transfer portal to find a new program to finish out his collegiate career.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Alabama football countdown: 35 days until kickoff

We are only 35 days away from ALABAMA FOOTBALL!!

The return of college football is quickly approaching, folks. After yet another national championship winning season, Nick Saban and company will be looking for a repeat performance in 2021.

Despite key losses, the Crimson Tide is well positioned to do just that.

The opening week matchup is against the Miami Hurricanes in Atlanta, Ga. set for Sept. 4. And with it now being July 31, we are now only 35 days away from the start of the season!

RELATED: Alabama football countdown: 36 days until kickoff

For the third consecutive season, junior linebacker Shane Lee will rock the No. 35 for Alabama. After becoming an immediate starter as a true freshman in 2019, Lee was moved into a depth role with Dylan Moses returning from an injury in 2020.

With Moses now gone, some might assume Lee will be stepping back into that role, but with the addition of Tennessee transfer Henry To’o To’o and emergence of Jaylen Moody, that is unlikely to be the case.

Either way, the depth at inside linebacker is as good as we’ve seen it, maybe ever. Where Lee fits into that mix is unclear, but he’s certainly a solid situational player. We’ll wait and see what happens with him moving forward.

Other linebackers in the past have worn the No. 35 as well, including former five-star Nico Johnson. And for all those familiar with the Crimson Tide prior to the Saban era, another former linebacker, DeMeco Ryans, is the most notable of the group.

Alabama linebacker Shane Lee (35) takes down Arkansas running back Devwah Whaley (21) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

RELATED: Alabama football countdown: 37 days until kickoff

2021 Alabama football schedule

  • Sept. 2 vs. Miami Hurricanes (Atlanta, Ga.)
  • Sept. 11 vs. Mercer Bears (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Sept. 18 at Florida Gators (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Sept. 25 vs. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Oct. 2 vs. Ole Miss Rebels (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Oct. 9 at Texas A&M Aggies (College Station, Tex.)
  • Oct. 16 at Mississippi State Bulldogs (Starkville, Miss.)
  • Oct. 23 vs. Tennessee Volunteers (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 6 vs. LSU Tigers (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 13 vs. New Mexico State Aggies (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 20 vs. Arkansas Razorbacks (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 27 at Auburn Tigers (Auburn, Ala.)

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.

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Alabama football countdown: 35 days until kickoff

We are 35 days from Alabama football kicking off its season on the road against the Missouri Tigers to start a 10-game, SEC only schedule.

There has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding college football over the last couple of weeks, but as of right now, the season still looks like it’s a go for the SEC, ACC and Big 12.

So, what does that mean? It means that we can continue the Countdown to Kickoff en route to the Crimson Tide — and the rest of the SEC — getting things underway on Sept. 26.

With it now being Aug. 22, we are officially 35 days away from the start!

Sophomore linebacker Shane Lee still wears the No. 35 for Alabama after a successful freshman campaign where he finished second on the team in tackles with 86. He’s also the Tide’s returning sack leader with 4.5 after the losses of Terrell Lewis and Anfernee Jennings.

Other former Alabama standout linebackers also wore the number in the past. Players such as DeMeco Ryans and Nico Johnson, both of which were NFL picked in their respective NFL draft classes.

Shane Lee
Nov 23, 2019; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Western Carolina Catamounts quarterback Tyrie Adams (12) gets tackled by Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe (92) and linebacker Shane Lee (35) during the first quarter against the Western Carolina Catamounts at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama was called for the facemark penalty. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

2020 Alabama football schedule

  • Sept. 26 at Missouri (Columbia, Mizz.)
  • Oct. 3 vs. Texas A&M (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Oct. 10 at Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.)
  • Oct. 17 vs. Georgia (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Oct. 24 at Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)
  • Oct. 31 vs. Miss State (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 14 at LSU (Baton Rouge, La.)
  • No. 21 vs. Kentucky (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 28 vs. Auburn (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Dec. 5 at Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)

Stay tuned for more updates from Roll Tide Wire, part of the USA TODAY Sports College Wire network!

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