On the second floor of Heritage Hall, the football office is the brain stem of USC’s program. And don’t be fooled by the friendly secretary or the illustrious, colorful history plastered all over the walls; for most laymen, getting an in-depth look at the backbone of football operations almost requires an act of god. Or as he’s known around campus, Pete Carroll.

Somehow, though, one man found his way into Fort Knox. He also found that the inside is not nearly as cold as the seemingly impenetrable red tape keeping most at arms length.

"He gets kind of a green light around here," says Sam Anno, defensive assistant and special teams coach.

The secretary knows Jimmy by name. Everyone who visits the football office regularly has seen the mid-fifties-looking mystery man, sporting white stubble and a cardinal and gold 55 jersey. They also know that Jimmy deals with a mental handicap (he meets governmental disability criteria).

But no one really knows the unlikeliest of fixtures at a football powerhouse’s home base the way Anno does.

"I have really a soft spot in my heart for Jimmy because I’ve known him for so long," said Anno, who first met him through the boys club when Anno was 12.

The former USC linebacker (1983-86) and seven-year NFL veteran said Jimmy has been hanging around USC longer than he’s been there. He has also served as a ball boy at Santa Monica and Venice High schools, where Anno has coached. He has even been a bat boy for UCLA.

But a little Bruin allegiance aside, Jimmy has fairly free rein around a place so many Trojan fans would give their left arm to just spend an hour exploring. Linebackers coach Rocky Seto was once seen breaking down game tape, explaining to Jimmy what was going on. And while Jimmy’s understanding of difficult concepts is limited, Anno says many would be surprised at what he can come up with.

"We have deep heart to heart conversations," Anno said. "He is kind of like a kid but occasionally he has some deep thoughts."

Anno is not alone in welcoming Jimmy to the Trojan family. But he has taken his long-time friend under his wing, and was even defensive when first asked about him. As Anno knows, people with mental disabilities aren’t always greeted by open arms.

"It’s sad to see people tease him because he’s not what everyone wants to be in today’s world," Anno said.

Anno also hopes that there will not be any issues like that around the office in the future, because in his words, "there would be problems." In fact, just the concept of someone treating Jimmy with anything but respect visibly angers the normally amiable coach.

And although at 40 he’s over a decade removed from his playing days, Anno is still built like a sequoia. Let’s just say if he caught wind of you teasing his buddy, you might want to be on the next flight to Djibouti. He might stop looking for you before he checks there.

"I tell him, ‘Nobody in this office is any better or worse than you are,’" he said, using colorful, non-printable words to describe the types of people who pick on the "weak." Refreshing from a man who could probably double as a car jack.

Jimmy, of course, doesn’t have full access. Anno knows there are times he has to tell Jimmy he has to go. He feels bad, but each time, Jimmy just says "Ok, Sam," likely from the respect and trust built up over years of friendship, unhindered by Jimmy’s disability. In fact, these limitations create some aspects of Jimmy Anno revels in the most.

"He never learned to b-------," Anno bluntly stated, cutting right to the benefit of a childlike perspective: the hindrance of honesty and bluntness that can result from societal norms and political correctness. Jimmy, although limited in his ability to deal with complex issues, sometimes is able to cut straight through to the simpler ones while the rest of us tinker with irrelevant details.

It is understandable that a big time football program takes measures to safeguard the security of its recruiting and game-planning. But it is also nice to see the softer side of a group of people hardened by years of dealing with big media and thousands of relentless, prying fans.

"Jimmy is a wonderful human being," Anno says with a sincerity you could almost touch.

Seems like Jimmy isn’t the only one in that office.