While this opportunity marked the first time I had engaged Telfort, it was by no means the first time I had heard of the then-No. 8 prep linebacker as rated by Scout.com.

Most recruiting junkies were well aware of his exploits on the field, the eye-popping measurables such as the 4.4 40-yard dash times, and the multitude of highlight-film hits he regularly dispensed to unfortunate opponents.

What I wasn’t aware of and what became abundantly clear after our chat was just how intelligent and focused this young man was.

When asked what he hoped to accomplish in his career at USC, Telfort didn’t hesitate to respond, “I hope to get a great education.”

Of course, he also expected to get playing time in his freshman season, particularly at the “will” or weakside linebacker position, but when asked if he had given thought to possibly switching to the safety position to utilize his tremedous speed, Telfort said no, he wanted to stay at linebacker where he could be in on as many plays as possible.

I then wrote an article on Telfort based on the interview and I wrapped that piece up with an observation: “Frankie Telfort would be a success in whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue.”

Then, less than two moths later, Frankie Telfort’s world came crashing down.

During a routine examination given to all USC athletes prior to playing, it was determined that Telfort had a heart condition that forced Frankie from the game he loves.

The condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, affects roughly one in every 500 people and is the leading cause of heart-related death among people under 30 years of age.

Many athletes have died of this disease, including Hank Gathers, Boston Celtic forward Reggie Lewis, and former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth.

Last year, Cuttino Mobley of the Clippers was forced to retire due to the condition.

When Telfort was advised of this, he, of course, was crushed.

But instead of hanging his head, Telfort moved on with the same stubborn conviction that allowed him to become the tremendous football player he was.

USC, to its credit, honored Telfort’s scholarship, but, as part of the agreement, head coach Pete Carroll asked Frankie to help out the team.

Telfort tackled the assignment with all of the vigor that he used to dispense on opposing ball carriers.

Recently, Telfort was offered a coaching position on the east coast when he graduates.

However, don’t be surprised if Telfort turns that job down.

After all, he is a pre-med student at USC with hopes of one day becoming a dermatologist or a cardiologist.

That cardiologist gig also has a story behind it.

In July of last year, Telfort travelled to Minnesota to undergo a second round of tests to see if his heart condition had abated enough to allow him to play.

Sadly, the news was the same. Frankie’s heart just wasn’t strong enough to play football.

But Frankie returned to the Southland with an offer from his cardiologist in Minnesota to intern there after his graduation from USC to see if he liked it.

If he goes that route, expect Telfort to tackle the heart problems of his patients like one of those poor ball carriers he routinely laid out in high school.

Like I said eight months ago, Frankie Telfort would be a success in whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue.

And I am more sure of it now than ever before.

Put on the back burner a disappointing offense, which was supposed to be the strength of this years Trojan team.

Set aside the fundamental flaws that saw the men of Troy commit 13 penalties against an out manned Washington State Cougar team last Saturday.

These are just transitory concerns that can—and probably will—be corrected in the upcoming weeks as a largely young Trojan team continues to mature.

For the Trojans, even the atypical rash of on field injuries, which has seen players such as Hebron (Loni) Fangupo, who broke his leg, and Marshall Jones, who fractured a vertebrae in his neck (both injuries occurred last Saturday), while unfortunate, can still be reconciled because they occurred on the playing field.

No, the Trojans can deal with all of these things because they, for the most part, controlled their destiny in regard to circumstances.

What the Trojans can’t control, and what they must deal with now, is the uncontrollable sweep of fate.

Late in the summer, Frankie Telfort, one of their star linebacker recruits in 2008, was found to have a serious congenital heart defect which has forced the young man to quit the game he loves.

Telfort, a heat-seeking, 4.4 40-yard dash missile, was being counted on to play serious minutes both at linebacker and special teams.

A bit later, Blake Ayles, the highly regarded sophomore tight end, was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat, which necessitated an operation in order for him to continue his football career.

Fortunately, Ayles procedure went as planned and the young man recovered.

Blake Ayles is now back to playing football and is contributing very nicely as evidenced by his long reception last week against the Cougars.

Now, Stafon Johnson, an emotional leader and one of the first running backs in the Trojans’ rotation, is laying in a southern California hospital recovering from a serious weight room accident that left him with a crushed larynx, amongst other injuries.

Johnson, whose doctors expect him to recover fully, will not play again this year and his future as a football player is murky at best.

Stafon Johnson has gone from a malcontent, who spent his first year and a half in Pete Carroll’s doghouse, to an emotional leader for the Trojans.

His example as a “team first” guy, has been an inspiration for the team and he will hold a prominent place in their hearts when the Trojans meet the Cal Bears this Saturday in Berkeley.

This rash of accidents and illness are completely out of the Trojans hands in terms of football.

More to the point, football has nothing to do with the pain that the Trojans have experienced in this heartbreaking season.

No amount of practice or studying of the playbook can fix the hurt that the Trojans have felt in this young season.

If the Trojans can somehow find a way to repair both their football related problems and get through what has been a brutal off-the-field season, it will be a tribute to both the team and the coaching staff.

The road in front of USC is littered with football related fundamental problems, all of which can be fixed, and also with the painful shards of fate which the Trojans have no control over.

What lies ahead will be the measure of what this Trojan team is made of.