USC Football | Tic Toc

National signing day 2 or 1 depending on your views is over. Sadness and happiness rein across the nations elite programs. USC had it’s share of surprises and went a very different path versus the past traditional late stage surge in signings of high ranking athletes. Tic Too as we continue to head in to March and Spring Camp. The clock is ticking on USC football fast. Eyes are focused on what happened instead of what can be.

There are many data points and thus facts that suggest this team should win the South and battle for the PAC-12 Championship that they won 2 seasons ago. All the kings men are in place for 2019 to be a good season. Whether it’s a great season will depend on two key figures.

Missing in action athletic director Lynn Swann has to step up. Tic Toc. He likes to be seen and not heard. He appears all over the big Hollywood scene yet when it comes to representing his day job where is he. This can be fixed but most likely won’t until a new President now one month late in announcing (assumptions from prior data points) sets the tone for the Athletic Directors future. If we end up with a passive President as it relates to sports then Swann will continue to be as he is and that’s doom and gloom to the future state of where this program can go.

Clay Helton is on the hot seat but he has the athletes that can turn this program around. He claims he will let go and allow his staff to drive without the presence of a back seat driver. Clay wants us to believe he is taking on the role of CEO but that has not been tested. If you think of the glass as half-full then this years Trojans can surprise. What team shows up for the camps and who take over the Leadership role in the locker room and sidelines is a big question mark.

Spring camp has everyone looking to Graham Harrell and his creativity to take the offense to new levels. We believe that all of the pieces are there and if the offense improves and takes ball and clock control back then our defense will have a much better game management purpose versus what we saw last year. Baxter and the special teams has some interesting new pieces as well. He had moments of greatness but he like Helton suffered from great feature athletes (Adoree and Sam) who made things happen. Who will that be in 2019? Lot’s of options there but the coaches have to make the decision to elevate them to be the next great Trojan on game day.

I believe that 2019 could be a surprise to Trojan Nation. I make that comment because that’s what we have right now. A bunch of unknowns which to me means a surprise. I don’t know if Helton will let go as he says. If the first 3 games don’t show the progress this program needs will he take over, again?

Who will be the new university President? It all starts right there!

Fight On