OSU faces a case of "Cush-lash"

Until now, the only thing that the northern New Jersey borough of Park Ridge has been know for was Tony Soprano. Not the character, but the actor who played him. James Gandolfini hails from Park Ridge, and before he became well known as the man who put the bada in the bada Bing, he was another North Jersey kid who wanted to play college football.

With all the talk about this Saturday's regular season college football showdown between #5 Ohio State and top-ranked USC centering around the health status of Buckeyes running back Chris Wells, don't be fooled. Three of the best linebackers in the country will be on the field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. One of them is Ohio State's James Laurinitis. Another will be USC middle linebacker Rey Maualuga.

And the third will be the newest pride of Park Ridge: Brian Cushing.

It's been fun for me, as someone who has followed his young career, to watch him grow into the football player he seemed destined to. I first saw him while standing on the sidelines of the 2003 New Jersey Group IV non-public championship game.

He was a junior for Bergen Catholic, and was facing the undefeated Don Bosco Prep at Giants Stadium. The amount of talent on the field that night was significant. Don Bosco's team, considered by many to be the greatest in New Jersey high school history, featured: Rutgers QB Mike Teel, Boston College LB/FB Brian Toal, and Florida State CB Michael Ray Garvin, among others. Cushing's teammates for BC included Maryland WR Isaiah Williams and Stanford TE Jim Dray.

Cushing was easily the best player on the field that night, making numerous and significant tackles, forcing the game to go right down to the wire. The next year, in 2004, he led Bergen Catholic to the state title while earning numerous honors such as being named a Parade All-American and state player of the year.

He had an immediate impact on the USC campus, not only making the team as a freshman, but starting in the 2006 National Championship game in the Rose Bowl for the Trojans against Texas. The following year, he was named the defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl as USC crushed Michigan.

This year is Cushing's senior season, and he's rated by ESPN Draft Guru Mel Kiper as one of the 5 best prospects for the 2009 NFL Draft. With outstanding speed (4.55 40-yard time) and a knack for finding the ball carrier (nearly 20% of his tackles are for loss), pro scouts are anxious to try and find a spot for him next year.

So when watching the game on Saturday, be sure to watch for #10 on defense for the Trojans. If the Buckeyes have any chance of winning, they will need to be watching for where he is too.