MMBOW #4: Jaycee Carroll, Utah State

The other day, I was doing something I rarely do - watching SportsCenter. (I'm more of an ESPNews guy.) They were coming in from a commercial break, and they showed a 30-second quick-cut highlight reel of all the Heisman Trophy candidates, set to hot and funky urban beats. There was a repeated loop sung by one of those "hook girls"... it went something like, "You know you got the power!"

And that's when it hit me. The Mid-Majority Baller Of The Week Award needs a theme song.

I'd do it myself, but my musical career is over... the scorn and humiliation I received after my double-A-side dance single "Sexy Robot" and "Dance Animal" flopped was too much to bear. (I made them with Apple's GarageBand, and I think you can still find them in MP3 format on Soulseek.) So I had an idea. If you love The Mid-Majority, and the MMBOW as well, please consider visiting Songs To Wear Pants To - this is a fine website run by a very talented Canadian musician who will create a song 'specially for you in return for a few bucks. All I ask is that you have him use "Mmmm-bow" either in the lyrics or as a Bobby McFerrin-esque rhythm element somewhere in the song. I think that might sound cool, don't you think so?

Alright, on to this week's MMBOW. The fourth weekly installment of this prestigious honor goes to 6-2 freshman shooting guard Jaycee Carroll of Utah State, who alongside Big West player of the week Nate Harris helped USU beat up on two Mountain West representatives. The 2004-05 Blue Ribbon Yearbook says that "he is likely a year away from contributing," but Jaycee was instrumental in whippings of BYU (13 points, 11 rebounds) and Utah (18 points on 6-for-8 shooting). His defining moment came when he scored seven straight points in the Aggies' mid-second half run that salted away the Utes for good.

Wyoming native Carroll, who chose Utah State despite overtures from Wyoming coach Steve McClain, is a 21-year-old true freshman. Yes, you read that right... but we're in Utah, remember? He's coming off a two-year Church of Latter Day Saints mission to Chile, so his maturity and readiness to step into an important starting role for the Big West co-favorites should not be in question. The two upcoming conference clashes between his Aggies and the Pacific Tigers just may well be the most exciting games in the mid-major world this season.

He's averaging 13 points and 4.7 rebounds in 27.3 minutes a game after just six college contests. "Jaycee Carroll has definitely been the biggest surprise on the team this year," USU assistant coach Don Verlin says. "His work ethic and explosiveness have been tremendous for our basketball team."

According to his school's website, Jaycee is a two-time state Player of the Year (in 2001 and 2002), once scored 56 in a game, and is the son of a basketball coach. A fine runner and golfer as well, he earned 11 varsity letters in high school back home in Evanston, Wyoming. So congratulations, cowboy, you've just made Mid-Majority Baller Of The Week.

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