That surprised me then and it still does. Jarrett's staggering production in college and his time at a high profile program like USC should have prepared him for "the next level." Some of the great selling points from USC coach Pete Carroll are his "pro style system" and constant interaction with all the great players who have played at USC and gone on to dominant careers in the NFL. That interaction should have given Jarrett a very clear idea of what he had to do to succeed. It's common for older alumni at big time programs to pull younger stars aside and tell them about workouts, nutrition and sleep schedules that pave the way for success. Jarrett's lack of production as a rookie leaves so many of us who cover the team wondering why that never happened for Jarrett at USC. What was missing?

I stood on the sidelines when Jarrett made one of the greatest one-handed catches I've ever seen. He had beaten two University of Washington defenders for a touchdown, and I was impressed that Jarrett's celebration was muted. No "look at me, I'm the greatest thing of all time" stuff at all. I was even more impressed after interviewing Jarrett. Even though he was surprised by the media crowd, he stood in and answered every question that came his way. That's not easy for 20-somethings with a pack of veteran writers and TV reporters. It can be jolting, but Dwayne Jarrett never backed away.

None of that excuses Jarrett for driving under the influence, if that's what he did. Right now, those are only accusations and charges. There is still time for Dwayne Jarrett to prove to the Panthers that he is the kind of player and the kind of person who can make owner Jerry Richardson proud. Mr. Richardson cares deeply about his franchise and how his players represent themselves, the team and their region. Maybe a detailed explanation along those lines is what Dwayne Jarrett needs. I wonder if he ever got that kind of straight talk at USC.