The USC Trojans and the Arizona St. Sun Devils are doing a lot of chirping before Saturday night's crucial Pac-12 South tilt, and the two most prominent players are even getting into it. Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley called out Sun Devils linebacker Vontaze Burfict for going extracurricular on the football field. Baxter Holmes of the Los Angeles Times has more.
Barkley isn't much of a Burfict fan.
"He's a dirty player," the quarterback said, basing his opinion on what he suggests were efforts by the linebacker to injure him by diving at his knees during a high school game.
"His switch is always on. And it's not a good switch."
I'm sure Barkley is the first person to ever call Burfict dirty. Who would have ever thought a player who draws countless unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and lays flagrantly huge and sometimes extraneous hits on offensive playmakers would be considered a football outlaw?
Outside the Barkley accusation is a pretty sobering story on how Burfict grew up in a tumultuous neighborhood, came very close to death on multiple occasions, and channeled most of his rage into the football field. It's easy to see why Burfict is the way he is.
Barkley has to be ready for that 'dirty' player on Saturday when USC takes on ASU, because there's no doubt Burfict will be gunning for him.
For more on USC football, head to Conquest Chronicles. For more on ASU football, check out House of Sparky.