Taylor Mays is face of USC program for 2009

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Safety Taylor Mays is the face of USC’s program this season, the All-American making a solo appearance on the cover of the Trojans’ media guide and representing the school at Pac-10 Conference media day.

Before Mays and Coach Pete Carroll were summoned to the interview room to answer questions from dozens of assembled reporters, they were ushered to various individual television and radio interviews. During a break, Mays said he enjoyed visiting with other players and coaches, especially new Washington Coach Steve Sarkisian, USC’s former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

‘I like having fun with Sark,’ Mays chuckled.

Mays said he welcomed the responsibility of being the face of the program and took a media-day cue from former Trojans linebacker Brian Cushing, who was visibly exhausted by the end of the marathon chatfest last year.

‘Cush told me his arms were too big for his suit,’ said the nattily attired Mays. ‘He couldn’t bend his arms. He needed to just cut his sleeves off and intimidate everyone.’

Mays was eager to finish his media-day responsibility and finish a workout he began before arriving at the hotel near LAX.

‘I want to go finish my bench press,’ he said.

-- Gary Klein