At least theres the Rose Bowl for USC.

Not the Rose Bowl , not until at least January 2013 because of those uranium-grade NCAA penalties.

Kiffin and the anytime soon. (US Presswire) You might have heard.

Ah, but theres always Rose Bowl, The Stadium, as Lane Kiffin reminded us at Pac-10 media days.

Because you want to celebrate a December road game against UCLA as some sort of “reward” after having your program gutted.

The man could convince us a grease fire was balsamic vinaigrette left in the sun too long.

Hey, but thats his job, or at least more of his job after the program formerly known as USC retrenches. Defending champion Oregon lost its starting quarterback (for good) and its best runner (for a game) during an offseason of what can politely be termed offseason turmoil. Washington has what were being brainwashed to believe is the NFLs top draft pick next season (Jake Locker). Heck, the conference had just rented a couple of G4s and flew the coaches to New York for a media schmooze this week.

The story remained USC. On the floor of that Rose Bowl with complimentary Pac-10 sun screen and equally complimentary misting tents, Kiffin began to lay out his plan for survival at the conferences media day. His and the programs.

The weather wasnt the only thing that was sunny.

“This is the exact job I signed up for,” Captain Confidence said. “I didnt come here for bowl games. I didnt come here for scholarships. I came here because its the best job in America …

“… and we get to live right here too.”

So suck it America. You too Tennessee.

If the USC football franchise doesnt burn to the in several things. You have to believe that Kiffin is on notice from the new administration. Suddenly, he has to win with one arm tied behind his back, one that could usually offer 25 scholarships a year. You have to believe that administration wont treat a six-pack of secondary of violations (see Tennessee) as Lane being Lane.

You also have to believe there are more like Matt Barkley who believe playing for an NFL preparatory college is more important than chasing bowls, conference titles or national championships these next two seasons.

“I figured signing with USC would give me the best chance of going to the league,” said the sophomore quarterback explaining why he committed then and isnt transferring now.

By the time USC can next go to a bowl in 2012, Barkley could be in the NFL. But that was kind of the point of signing with USC in the first place. Three and out.

“Youre announcing youre staying for your senior year?” Kiffin asked.

“Yeah, well see,” Barkley said nervously, “Hopefully.”

Thats a huge reason to believe. With an all-star staff, players can still commit to USC knowing they will be trained for the NFL and be seen by the NFL.

“I dont know how much two [bowl] games will do in evaluating how good a quarterback I am,” Barkley said. “Im sure well have played in enough big games to decide that.”

Winning? Hold on there, hoss. No one really knows the long-term effects of losing 30 scholarships over the next three years. Oklahoma won a national champ and it wasnt pretty. Howard Schnellenberger and John Blake nearly crashed OU into a cornfield before Bob Stoops came along.

Column Dennis Dodd
Looking as confident and sharply dressed as any power executive in the real world, Larry Scott laid out the reasons Thursday why his plan to conquer the college sports world fell short this summer. Read >> Dodd: A strange, fun look at Pac-10 media day Dodd: Five things about the Pac-10 Kiffin thinks lawsuit motivated by location Oregon picked to defend Pac-10 title BCS: USC likely to lose 2004 title

Following crippling NCAA penalties in 2002, Alabama went through coaches like they were wet naps at a rib joint for a time before finally hitting on Nick Saban. For $4 million per, the Big Pimp delivered.

Only the top programs, it seems, have a chance of getting through this crap. If theyre lucky and they do it right. Kiffin says he has a plan. Kids will always want to come to USC. That helps. Hell get quarterbacks. Book it. He can fill in with jucos, but not too many. There can be absolutely mistakes on the 15 guys he can offer the next three years.

He has to hope that no one else, at least no one of substance, transfers. Five have left, but USC types characterized them as guys who wouldnt have played anyway and are missing out on a USC degree.

Left unsaid: Theyre warm bodies. Guys who could hit and practice and fill out a roster. They could keep someone else from getting injured.

“We created free agency in college football,” Kiffin said. “Weve dealt with free agency there is no salary cap on. Our players can leave anytime to go anywhere and they dont have to sit out.”

And bravo to the NCAA for that. It developed legislation that allows rising juniors and seniors at schools with major sanctions to transfer without sitting out.

Meanwhile back in South Central, you first have to believe USC can win this season with 71 scholarship players. You have to believe no one will or transfer. Most schools dont carry the 85 max in scholarships. Washington, for example, will go into the season with 76. But no, schools dont have to worry about USCs shrinkage over the next three seasons.

Walk-ons arent much of an option at USC. There are few kids smart enough, rich enough and talented enough to stick at USC without a scholarship. That argument ends with the cost o more than $50,000. You have to hope USC doesnt become Kansas State of the 1980s. The program had so mismanaged itself with losing and transfers and injuries and that it was down to 50-something scholarships when Bill Snyder took over in 1989.

“They have what?” Arizona coach Mike Stoops asked, referring to USC. “Theyre down 14 scholarships [from 85]? … Thats significant. The problems that will occur are with the depth of your football team. If you make a mistake [in recruiting] that multiplies the problem tenfold.”

Thats Mike Stoops who was with Snyder as an assistant from 1992-1998. In his third season, Snyder posted a winning record. By 1998, he was a game away from playing for the first BCS national championship.

And that was with the program SI once called the worst in the country. Recovery can be achieved but there are different levels. K-State was chasing relevance; USC is used to chasing titles.

“Theyll recruit really well,” said one Pac-10 coach who didnt want to be named. “Hes assembled a good staff. Its going to be hard. The real reason is perception of the other schools has changed. Theyre [USC] not invincible. When they were rolling the games were over before they started. Now, guys believe this: Were going to beat them.”

The contrition has started. New AD Pat Haden is the absolute right choice. Sending back the Heisman was a symbolic, but also a brave act. The BCS looks like it is going to vacate the 2004 title as soon as the NCAA appeal is over.

It is a diminished USC, but one that will be back at some point. In the mind of Tommy Trojan, no amount of Heisman removal or tearing down banners can change what those teams accomplished.

“I dont think, in my humble opinion, what Reggie did [had] an effect in the way we played,” said Washingtons Steve Sarkisian who coached at USC with Kiffin. “We practiced our asses off … We practiced better than anybody, we played better than anybody.”

Thats ultimately what USC has to believe: That another Reggie Bush, a clean one, will someday come along.

Because its USC.

Posted on July 30th, 2010 by admin
Filed under: NCAA football news