If Josh Shaw is going to make his return to the field for USC, he doesn't have much time to do it. The Trojans currently are going through a bye week and will come out of it with three regular seasons games remaining along with whichever bowl game the team accepts a bid to.
USC head coach Steve Sarkisian made headlines earlier this week when he announced he wasn't writing the season off for Shaw just yet.
Sarkisian said he was still waiting for the process to play itself out, and that he was "hopeful" for Shaw.
At this point, even if Shaw returns, how much impact could he have on a team that is nine games into its season?
On a personal note, there isn't much more he'll be able to put on film to boost his NFL stock. Furthermore, in light of the events leading up to his indefinite suspension, whatever convincing Shaw needs to have on NFL execs would come away from the field.
If the Shaw suspension has done anything it's allowed Adoree' Jackson to flourish, on defense, at least.
Jackson has gone from the No. 4 corner to a regular starter.
The freshman has become one of the top cover corners for the Trojans and has played so well defensively that the team really can't afford to have him compromise his defense to play offense right now.
With Su'a Cravens primarily a Sam linebacker these days, you could make the argument that it's Jackson who is the most valuable player in the USC secondary.
That nod, before the season, more than likely would have went to Shaw.
While Jackson's contribution against the pass has received the bulk of the attention it's his tackling that has impressed, especially in last week's win at Washington State. Going into the bye, Jackson has four tackles for loss which is more than any other defensive back not named Cravens.
"He tackled really well (against the Cougars)," Sarkisian said. "To me that was probably the most impressive thing was how he tackled in open space."
