[nosuzieno]

By Associated Press
5 hours ago

LOS ANGELES - Southern California kicker Mario Danelo was found dead Saturday about 120 feet down a rocky cliff near Point Fermin lighthouse in the city's San Pedro section.

The body was reported by a passer-by at about 4:30 p.m., said Martha Garcia of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Danelo, the 21-year-old son of former NFL kicker Joe Danelo, appeared to have suffered traumatic injuries, Garcia said.

Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said investigators didn't find a surf board, scuba-diving tanks or anything else at the scene to indicate Danelo might have been down there for any recreational activities common to the area.

Humphrey said a handful of people had fallen from the cliff over the years.

"It's entirely possible that he fell," he said.

Danelo made 15 of 16 field goals this season and led the Trojans in scoring with 89 points. The junior made two field goals in the Rose Bowl on Monday to help USC beat Michigan 32-18.

Speaking on behalf of Trojans coach Pete Carroll, USC spokesman Tim Tessalone said: "We were stunned to hear about this tragedy. This is a great loss. Mario was a wonderful young man of high character.

"He was one heck of a kicker. He was a key ingredient in our success the past two years. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Trojan family go out to the Danelo family on this sad, sad day."

Reached by phone, the family declined to comment.

Danelo's death stunned many in the close-knit San Pedro community where he grew up.

"Anytime you were around him, it was nothing but smiles," Dustin Varela, a 22-year-old San Pedro resident, told the Daily Breeze. "None of this feels real. I'm trying to put it all together."

A former San Pedro High School linebacker and soccer player, Danelo made the Trojans as a walk-on in 2003. In 2005, he received a scholarship and earned the starting kicking job.

He only missed two field goals in his career, going 26-for-28, and was 127-of-134 on extra points. In 2005, he set NCAA single-season records with 83 extra points and 86 attempts

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RIP~

[bigboydan]

Rip

[VegasDave]

This is really sad... I'm interested to see when details come out what actually happened...

[AC1318]

Him, darrent williams
within a couple weeks of eachother
feel for the families
especially this time of year extra worse

[Aces]

Tough way to end the season. My thoughts and prayers go out to his Family.

[Aces]

It kind of makes me wonder ...... Had USC beat UCLA would he have been at that cliff ??? No Disrespect just a thought.

[Illusion]

Very sad news.

[VegasDave]

It kind of makes me wonder ...... Had USC beat UCLA would he have been at that cliff ??? No Disrespect just a thought.

Won the rose bowl, so the extra point misses didn't hurt... didn't do anything to lose the UCLA game... if it was suicide (which is quite an assumption), there was a lot more to it than football... I hope he rests in peace.

[Aces]

I wasnt suggesting suicide. My thought was is that he would have been getting ready for the National Championship game and would have been hundreds of miles away from the cliff. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[pags11]

extremely sad story...the guy was pretty good too...

[VegasDave]

I wasnt suggesting suicide. My thought was is that he would have been getting ready for the National Championship game and would have been hundreds of miles away from the cliff. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Ahhh, no worries. I've just heard the suicide arguement a few times and always scratch my head at it.

Sadly, you can say that about most of these tragic deaths.

Corey Lidle's plane crash wouldn't have happened had the Yanks not been bounced... he would have been in the next round, not recreationally flying.

Can't really think like that, it's too sad

[Illusion]

Foul play was ruled out, so it was either an accident or suicide.

[HAPPY BOY]

Hey Aces whats up with the Saban avitar, that guy is a rooster sucking liar. He speaks through both sides of his mouth. I hope the shiit head looses all his games. As much as I hate Florida, I will be rooting for the gators ,georgia ,Lsu and any other sec team against this asshole. Alabama is a low class oraganization, especially for fireing Shula after he succesfully got them through a probation period. I think Saban and alabaham is a perfect match made in purgatory.

[bigboydan]

Won the rose bowl, so the extra point misses didn't hurt... didn't do anything to lose the UCLA game... if it was suicide (which is quite an assumption), there was a lot more to it than football... I hope he rests in peace.

I think I see where your coming from

If he would have missed those two FG's the game stays "under"

[onlooker]

Sad to hear. R.I.P.

[onlooker]

Just seen the story on Outside the Lines on ESPN.

They said Mario Danelo was bar hopping 4 days after the 2007 Rose Bowl win over Michigan, with some high school friends and call for his dad to come pick him up. Then after being home for a hour, he went back out and never returned. His body was found 16 hours later at the bottom of that cliff.

It is hard for me to believe that no one out there knows what happen, maybe a friend or something?

[rugbybdyb]

wow what a sad story...prayers are with the family and the team....that is a terrible loss for everyone involved.

[pico]

rip

wow, my first thought was gambling related. but he has not screwed up for usc, so this is a weird incident indeed.