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USC Trojans must find inspiration in search for next head coach

By VF Castro

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USC must find inspiration from the most likely source in its head coaching search, or it will suffer another inevitable breakdown. 

The USC Trojans are no strangers to scandals, whether in their control or out of it. But through the devastating sanctions that were intended for Troy (by way of Los Angeles) to ignite into flames and fall from grace, the Trojans survived on character, dedication to family, and an unrelenting pursuit of greatness.

This dedication to family brings me to the Fall of 2011. My late father (who raised me on USC Football) had embarked on a farewell tour of sorts, as he was fighting a losing battle with terminal cancer. His mission was to attend as many USC Football games as his health would allow him, and his last game would ultimately be the historic triple overtime 48-56 loss against the Stanford Cardinal at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 29, 2011.

My dad’s last wish was to have one last sit down with the coaches, but knew it was an unlikely possibility given the opponent. Until he received a call from then-USC defensive line coach, Ed Orgeron.

Orgeron and my father enjoyed coffee in the hotel lobby the day of the game where they talked about everything and anything. Orgeron prayed with my father, thanked him for his lifetime of dedication to USC, and told him he hoped USC would put on a show for him that evening.

The rest is history, but it was that gesture that truly captured the “Fight On” spirit, and an event forever etched in my memory. I wanted to share this because throughout the headlines with Steve Sarkisian’s firing, the tone has been to dehumanize USC as much as possible. I know USC has its flaws, but at the core…it’s one heart beat, which I’m sure any football fan can appreciate.

While Orgeron didn’t ultimately replace Lane Kiffin after the 2013 season (which I’m sure USC athletic director Pat Haden might regret), and as all reports indicate, there’s no way he’s interested in this go around. USC must look at what made Coach O such a spectacular coach in his time at SC, and why he’s always been the fan favorite.

Given the anecdote I shared, the first quality that comes to mind is character – and that’s not to say Kiffin or Sarkisian lacked character, but at USC character must always come first in an environment notorious for its “Hollywood” persona. Unfortunately, due to the environment, that requires a very niche-specific head coach.

So where does USC go from here?

First things first, USC needs to find inspiration in its past mistakes. USC had become a playground for celebrities, and due to sanctions, it didn’t need any more prying eyes by the NCAA, so I get why Kiffin elected to close the program down to the Pete Carroll-era infusion of celebrity influence. When Sarkisian was hired, there appeared to be a restoration movement, but now knowing his condition, that raised the risk of implosion far greater than the NCAA’s microscope.

Sep 26, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Steve Sarkisian against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. The Trojans defeated the Sun Devils 42-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone with cardinal and gold coursing through their veins lobbied hard for Coach Orgeron to be the Trojans’ leader for the long haul when Kiffin was fired, and perhaps interim head coach Clay Helton will have a similar level of productivity and regeneration and receive the same vote of confidence from the fans and players.

But regardless of who gets the job, the Trojans must find a candidate who can find a solid balance between its legendary traditions, to stability and an old-fashioned blue-collar work ethic.

We’ve heard everything from Chip Kelly, John Harbaugh, Jim Mora, and David Shaw, to Tim Tebow and Nick Lachey in the coaching carousel rumor mill so far. But for USC, the answer might be as simple as promoting from within, or as complex as going outside the Trojan family for its next big hit.

USC has the money to bring in an all-star cast, but a deep intrinsic dedication to the program can’t be manufactured. And this is where a candidate must ask himself if the offer (or even the idea of an offer) compares to the feelings he had on his wedding day, or when his kids were born. If the answer to that is a yes, he’s the guy.

While the entire process of Sarkisian’s firing raises many questions that will likely never be answered, Haden had to make a difficult choice to provide some clarity on other issues, such as recruits whose futures depend on transparency.

USC has the talent, it has the depth, now it has to stop taking bad advice or this cycle will continue.

Next: 10 Successful CFB Coaches Who Would Fail in the NFL

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