If they get hurt, which is hardly a stretch, there is the great unknown (freshman Javorious Allen) and an incoming wide receiver converted to tailback (Nelson Agholor). USC will open the season with two proven tailbacks (Curtis McNeal, D.J. But will they do what the 2005 team could not, win the BCS title? 3 DOWNS Everyone knew the Trojans likely will be ranked in the top two in the preseason polls. This spring resembled 2005 in terms of swagger as the Trojans were emboldened by the return of Barkley and last season’s 10-2 record. So much for NCAA sanctions hurting the program. 1 quarterback in 2015 (David Sills) watched from the stands. 1 quarterback in 2013 (Max Browne) and likely No. 1 quarterback in the nation playing (Matt Barkley) while the No. Walker, of course, basically won the job with no competition and will contend with freshmen Zach Banner, Jordan Simmons and Max Tuerk in the fall.ĭoes it even matter who coaches at USC when it comes to recruiting? The Trojans scrimmaged Saturday with the No. It only took one week to figure out who replaced Matt Kalil as sophomore Aundrey Walker seized the spot and “made some plays that looked like first-rounders,” according to USC coach Lane Kiffin. Looking at the positives and negatives 3 UPS But most of those teams are not expected to go 12-0 or 11-1 in the regular /InsideUSC THE UPS AND DOWNS OF SPRING PRACTICE These are probably problems 98 percent of the other teams in the country wish were paramount to their programs. Three new coaches come in this year (wide receivers coach Tee Martin, linebackers coach Scottie Hazelton, secondary coach Marvin Sanders) and how quickly they blend into the program will be an issue worth watching. He wasn’t and is no longer in the program. There also seemed to be some tension regarding whether interim secondary coach (and former USC player) Sammy Knight would be retained. Several sources said linebackers coach Joe Barry accepted a pay cut to go to the San Diego Chargers because he clashed with defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

It is also worth mentioning if USC’s coaching staff can exist peacefully. USC simply did not think it needed to sign a tailback.Ī lot might be written about a lack of defensive tackles, but the Trojans can always flip an end inside (like senior Devon Kennard) in an emergency. Incoming freshman Nelson Agholor, an extremely athletic wide receiver, will play tailback to address the deficit.īut the shortage is not related to the scholarship reductions. Morgan has rarely been 100 percent after his high school knee injury at Taft of Woodland Hills. Curtis McNeal got banged up last season and D.J. “Generally speaking, whether a kid can get qualified or get into USC (are issues).”ĭoes that mean York could not qualify? If true, USC needed to find another tailback to sign. “Things change in recruiting all the time,” Kiffin said Monday. Especially when USC decided to drop junior-college tailback Kelvin York, who enrolled at Utah. Tailback Amir Carlisle’s offseason transfer to Notre Dame hurt the program. How USC could enter the season so thin at tailback is almost inexcusable. There will be some concerns on-field despite the preseason polls. They are not exactly Mike Williams or Reggie Bush at similar stages.

Leinart often withdrew from the team and rarely interacted with teammates his last year.Īnother plus is the humble attitudes of Woods and Lee. The difference is Barkley engages teammates and organizes team activities like next month’s trip to Haiti to help build houses. He is in a similar spot to his predecessor, Matt Leinart, who returned for his senior season and made USC the favorite to win the national title in 2005. His challenge will be to get the Trojans to believe him when he delivers lectures on avoiding letdowns without sounding like just another coach to his players.īarkley helps in this department. Kiffin lacks the charisma but is equally competitive. His players never worried about anything other than what he wanted. Carroll used to swallow pressure with his devil-may-care attitude that concealed his intense drive.

Scott wolf isc