16 college football greats who’d lead their former team to the 2017 title
By Zach Bigalke
Once Sam Darnold took over at quarterback for USC in 2016, the team transformed into a title contender. The Trojans capped their season last year with a thrilling win over Penn State, giving Southern California its first Rose Bowl victory since 2008. As a result, USC enters 2017 as a trendy pick for the Pac-12 title and to play in the College Football Playoff.
But there are some issues throughout the roster. The defense was hardest hit in the secondary, losing Adoree’ Jackson and Leon McQuay III to the NFL. Darnold returns for 2017, though he loses a lot of the offensive stars around him. It would be tempting to pick a star like Reggie Bush to provide Darnold with a dynamic playmaker. But there is an even bigger hole on offense. That comes along the line, which loses three starters from last year’s unit.
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Darnold was so successful, in part, because he rarely hit the turf. If Clay Helton could choose one past Trojan great to protect his quarterback, Bruce Matthews would be the right choice. He was an All-America selection as a senior, then went ninth to Houston in the 1983 NFL Draft. With the Oilers/Titans franchise, Matthews went to 14 Pro Bowls in 19 seasons and played every position along the line. Helton could use that kind of versatility to propel USC to title favorite.