2009 USC Football Position Preview – Quarterback

This is part one of an eight part series that takes a closer look at the individual positions for the upcoming 2009 USC Trojans football team. 

Who’s Gone
In January, Pete Carroll and company received a bit of bad news when starting quarterback Mark Sanchez announced that he would forgo his final year of eligibility and declare for the 2009 NFL Draft. While it worked out well for Sanchez; who became the 4th overall pick by the New York Jets, his departure leaves a gaping hole at quarterback for USC. Just one year ago, Sanchez, in his first full season under center, threw for 3,207 yards and 34 touchdowns in addition to leading the Pac-10 in passing efficiency. Against Penn State in the Rose Bowl, he had the best performance of his college career as he passed for 413 yards and 4 touchdowns becoming just the 3rd player to ever pass for 400+ yards in a Rose Bowl Game. His throwing ability and his leadership qualities will sorely be missed as USC looks for its next signal caller for the season opener against San Jose State on September 5th.

Who’s New
Eighteen-year-old freshman quarterback Matt Barkley graduated from the prestigious football powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, a semester early to enroll at USC in time for spring practice. Barkley had a record setting high school career where he started for Mater Dei as a freshman, won the Gatorade National Player of the Year award in 2007, and was rated the fifth overall prospect in the class of 2009 by the recruiting service Rivals.com. His strong performance in spring practice has led many to believe that he could win the starting job in fall camp.

The Skinny
This is the most inexperienced group in years, as Pete Carroll looks to replace his quarterback in back to back seasons for the first time in his eight year tenure at Southern Cal. However, it appears as if the Trojans already have their starter in place, as Carroll tapped Aaron Corp as the starter just before the annual spring game last April. Corp not only impressed the coaching staff with his mobility but also his efficiency under center. In thirteen spring practices, Corp did not throw one single interception. It is his ability to protect the ball that made him the starter over Barkley and Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain. But even though his solid touchdown to interception ratio made him the starter, it is his scrambling ability that makes him such an asset to the offense. Many close to the program have stated on numerous occasions that Corp will be able to use his mobility out of the bootleg and play action even better than Sanchez did last year.

But despite being named the starter, Corp’s job is still on the line, as the competition never really ends at USC. Barkley has impressed the coaches to the point, where many on staff believe he is capable of becoming the team’s starter even as a true freshman. If he can reduce the number of interceptions in the fall camp, he will have an excellent shot at taking Corp’s job.

Filling out the depth chart are Garrett Green and Mustain, who have little chance at winning the starting quarterback job in the fall. This past spring, Mustain was terribly inconsistent and failed to show that he was capable of fully grasping the offense. His selection as the Gatorade High School Player of the Year and perfect 8-0 record at Arkansas in 2006, have now become distant memories, as he has failed to translate his skills to USC. On the other side, the dual-threat quarterback Green has never been viewed as a starter, and has always been viewed as a dependable backup, who can also line up at wide receiver or defensive back if injuries become an issue. His versatility is a major asset for Carroll and company.

X-Factor

If Matt Barkley proves worthy of the starting quarterback job, it presents Carroll with a rather interesting scenario. Should he start a more inexperience player with a brighter future or start a more reliable veteran with less upside? This fall, it will be interesting to see if Barkley can push Corp for the starting job.

Final Forecast

While the much hyped Barkley is deemed the “sexier” pick for USC, it’s important to remember that Corp is no slouch. When coming out of high school, Corp was also a highly rated prospect and his strong performance in the spring has solidified his abilities and talents as a player. Provided he can build upon a solid spring, there is little reason to believe that Corp would lose his grip on the starting position. If that is the case, expect Barkley to redshirt in order to save a year of eligibility provided the coaching staff feels confident in Mustain’s abilities as a backup/.

Overall Position Grade: C+. As previously stated, it’s a rather unproven group.