After the Trojans hired a new head coach and brought in the top 2010 recruiting class, according to Rivals.com, the offseason took a turn for the worst.
The NCAA issued a two-year probation to the Trojans because of benefits running back Reggie Bush received while playing at USC.
They will not be eligible for a bowl game and will be left out of the Associated Press’ weekly rankings during that span.
Still, the Trojans are in ours. They come in at No. 8 in the alligatorSports’ countdown of the top 10 college football teams going into the 2010 season.
The Trojans will lose 30 scholarships during their punishment.
All of this will prove tough for newly hired Lane Kiffin, who left Tennessee to become the coach at USC on Jan. 12.
Kiffin was an assistant coach at the school when Bush was receiving improper benefits in 2005.
But the Trojans will still field a top team this season after finishing with their worst record in 10 years.
Kiffin brought in the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation despite all the controversy surrounding the school. The class included Scout.com’s top two wide receiving prospects in Robert Woods and Kyle Prater.
These additions should help sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley, who led the team to a 9-4 record in his first year at the helm. He threw for 2,735 yards and 15 touchdowns in his freshman season. However, he also piled up 14 interceptions.
But Barkley lost some of his top weapons. Running back Joe McKnight, who led the team with 1,014 rushing yards, and wide receiver Damian Williams, who was first on the squad with 1,010 receiving yards, were both taken in the NFL Draft.
Quick freshman running back Dillon Baxter and hard-running redshirt senior Allen Bradford are expected to split time and fill the void in the backfield.
Baxter and Bradford could be this year’s version of the Bush and LenDale White running back tandem that led the Trojans to the BCS national championship game in 2005.
The offensive line will feature one of the top centers in the nation, senior Kristofer O’Dowd.
It was also expected to receive an upgrade when Seantrel Henderson, the top offensive lineman in the class of 2010, committed to USC.
The 6-foot-8-inch offensive tackle was released from his letter of intent with the Trojans after requesting it in the wake of the two-year probation. He is expected to become a member of the Miami Hurricanes.
Defensively, USC will have some big spots to fill.
The secondary will be full of new faces. The Trojans will start two new cornerbacks and two new safeties this season.
Free safety Taylor Mays, who was selected in the NFL Draft, is the most notable loss on the defensive side of the ball for USC.
With defensive end Everson Griffen taken in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, redshirt sophomore defensive end Nick Perry will be looked upon to carry the load.
Perry tied Griffen for the team lead in sacks with eight last season.
The secondary is the main area of concern for Kiffin, who will rely on players to step up and earn those positions.
However, the defense wasn’t great last season either.
It allowed 36 points to Oregon State, 47 points to Oregon and 55 points to Stanford.
The top recruiting class should go a long way in filling in these voids, however.
But with the loss of scholarships and the disadvantage of being ineligible for a postseason appearance, Kiffin is going to have a tough time trying to extend USC’s success past the next few seasons.
