USC Football 2013 Season Review: Overcoming Adversity
By Derek Hart
Dec 21, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans players Javorious Allen (37), Marqise Lee (9) and Anthony Sarao (56) celebrate after the Las Vegas Bowl against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Sam Boyd Stadium. USC defeated Fresno State 45-20. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
FINAL 2013 RECORD:
10-4, 6-3 and third place in the Pac-12 South
Beat Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl, 45-20
One thing is for certain:
Everyone associated with the University of Southern California who cares anything for its football program will be talking about the just-concluded 2013 season for a long time.
How could it be any different, considering…
– Hours after their shellacking in Tempe, AZ at the hands of eventual Pac-12 South champion Arizona State on September 28, coach Lane Kiffin was pulled off the team bus at Los Angeles International Airport – in the wee hours of the morning, no less – and was not only given his walking papers by athletic director Pat Haden, he wasn’t even allowed to ride with the team back to the USC campus in what in this writer’s view was one of the most classless and humiliating firings ever.
– Defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron was chosen to lead the Trojans on an interim basis, and he proceeded to turn the season around as ‘SC won six of the eight games that gregarious man coached, including what was their high point of the season: a 20-17 upset of then-#4 Stanford at the Coliseum that induced the fans to storm the Coliseum field.
Dec 21, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian (left) and athletic director Pat Haden at the Las Vegas Bowl against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Sam Boyd Stadium. USC defeated Fresno State 45-20. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
– Unfortunately for Orgeron, the two losses that USC suffered under his watch were to their two hated rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA; the 35-14 loss to the Bruins on November 30 essentially cost him any chance to be named the permanent head coach as Haden hired Washington’s Steve Sarkisian as the Trojans’ new head man the next day, which upset many fans, alumni and particularly the players.
Indeed, that UCLA game was for Orgeron’s job; if he had beaten the Bruins that night, Sarkisian would still be a Husky and Orgeron would have had the “interim” label removed from his job description.
Instead, he submitted his resignation – and who could blame him after all he did for the Trojans?
These events would qualify for a TV daytime soap in and of itself, but USC proceeded to go further and – despite the ongoing sanctions and all the drama surrounding who led that program – managed to be a factor in the Pac-12 South race, win ten games for the second time in three years, and end the season with a bang by blowing out a high-flying Fresno State team in the Las Vegas Bowl.
That is the sign of a strong, resilient team; anyone can admit that and everyone should acknowledge as much as several Trojans overcame the program’s adversity to have strong campaigns.
Cody Kessler didn’t have the hype of his counterpart and rival across town, Brett Hundley, but the quarterback more than held his own with his 65.4% completion average, 2.968 yards and 20 touchdowns as he grew into the starting role behind center.
The redshirt sophomore has been told that his position will be wide open this summer as Max Wittek and Max Browne will compete to take his starting spot, but Kessler’s solid performance has earned my proclamation that Wittek and Browne are not so much competing to win the starting QB job, but the position is Kessler’s to lose.
Marqise Lee, who as expected is entering the NFL draft, and Nelson Agholor provided a very good receiving tandem as they caught 57 and 56 catches, respectively. Agholor’s 918 yards and six touchdowns led the Trojans, and the sophomore will undoubtedly be the man among the wideouts next year.
The biggest story in the ‘SC offense – and my choice for team MVP – is someone who was buried on Kiffin’s depth chart but who more than came alive under Orgeron and joined the long Trojan tradition of difference-making running backs: Javorious “Buck” Allen.
The redshirt sophomore was a significant reason for USC’s resurgence as he led the team in rushing yards and touchdowns with an eye-opening 14, to go along with his 5.1 yards per carry.
Sarkisian and the Trojan brass, I’m sure, are deliriously happy that they found a featured back to build their offense around. Plus they will have Tre Madden (5.1 yards per attempt), Justin Davis and Ty Issac, guys who saw much playing time this year, as good depth.
As for the defense, Devon Kennard, who led the Trojans with nine sacks, and Dion Bailey, whom led with five interceptions, will be leaving for the NFL, but they’ll have lots of key guys returning.
Leonard Williams, who tied with Kennard in tackles for loss with 13.5 and was second on the team with 74 tackles, will lead the front seven while Su’a Cravens, who had a great freshman campaign with four picks, will be one of the leaders in the secondary along with Josh Shaw – provided that he doesn’t declare for the NFL draft.
So what about next year’s schedule?
It will begin on a most interesting note as USC will officially begin the Steve Sarkisian era with the same team that they ended the Kiffin/Orgeron era with – the Fresno State Bulldogs in the Coliseum on August 30.
The other non-confernce opponent – besides Notre Dame on November 29 – will be Boston College on the road in September.
Oct 10, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans tailback Javorius Allen (37) carries the ball against the Arizona Wildcats at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC defeated Arizona 38-31. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Plus the usual Pac-12 slate that will feature Stanford trying to get revenge in Palo Alto and UCLA trying to extend their new wining streak over the Trojans to three at the Rose Bowl.
USC should be proud of what they overcame this season as the term “Fight On!” definitely applied to this bunch.
The question now is, can they continue to overcome under Sarkisian as they enter the last year of their scholarship reductions.