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Ranked second on our list is one of the premiere college football programs in the nation, and a lightning rod for controversy, the University of Southern California Trojans.
Out of the ashes of the Lane Kiffin debacle halfway through last season came a USC team with renewed energy, confidence and inspiration.
All of that thanks to tough-as-nails interim head coach Ed Orgeron, who galvanised a locker room full of unhappiness under Kiffin, and helped the Trojans turn their season around.
An impressive win against Stanford seemed as though it would allow Orgeron to keep what he called his dream job. Alas, USC’s Athletic Director Pat Haden had different ideas, bringing back former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who had been at the University of Washington, and did wonders there, bringing a basket case of a program back into the national spotlight.
It’s ironic that Sark replaces Kiffin, for they were co-offensive coordinators under Pete Carroll last decade, when USC had the likes of Leinart and Sanchez under centre, directing an offense that racked up points like most of us rack up data charges on our mobile phone plan.
Back then the Trojans were the benchmark for football programs, but despite Sarkisian’s encouraging steps in bringing Washington back to some semblance of competitiveness, it remains to be seen whether he can take that next step at USC, which, of course, means big wins against big opponents.
If nothing else, Kiffin’s apparent inability to produce wins on a consistent basis hasn’t hampered his recruiting. The guy could sell ice to an Inuit, and his gift of the gab, backed by the sheer fact that USC send as many players to the NFL as any other college program in the country, ensure that Sarkisian will start the year with a roster stacked with a ridiculous amount of blue-chip talent.
The Trojans showed under Orgeron (and then interim head coach Clay Helton during a decisive Las Vegas Bowl victory over Fresno State) that they’re capable of free-wheeling offense and solid defence. Helton remains with the Trojans as offensive coordinator, and Justin Wilcox, who was on Sarkisian’s staff in Washington, replaces Clancy Pendergast as defensive coordinator.
There’s enough starters coming back on both sides of the football, including quarterback Cody Kessler (who says his relationship with Sarkisian is so good that he almost committed to Washington instead of SC), emerging wide-out Nelson Agholor and similarly emerging tight end, Randall Telfer offensively and J.R. Tavai, Josh Shaw and Hayes Pullard on defence.
Don’t sleep on WR George Farmer, who is apparently 100 per cent fit and ready after being decimated by injuries of late.
Crucially, USC miss out on playing Oregon (and Washington) this year, but draw Stanford away, and meet UCLA on the road. Notre Dame comes into the Coliseum on the last weekend of the season.
The Trojans could win ten games. I’d back them in – yeah, okay, I’m a Trojan fans and biased – in all of their games outside perhaps Stanford and UCLA, but that’s not to say that they can’t win those contests, either. Certainly, they have the talent.
Ten or eleven regular season wins and a Bowl victory would be a solid start for USC under Sarkisian, and would allow the immense Trojan fan-base to take a deep, calming breath.
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