USC Trojans

The University of Southern California (USC) Trojans finished the 2009 season with a 9-4 record (5-4 Pac-10) and it was a season of “lasts” for the team. Firstly, it was Head Coach Pete Carroll’s final season at USC and he took his team into the Emerald Bowl against Boston College. The Trojans won 24-13 in what would be the final Emerald Bowl game. Beginning in 2010, the bowl game will be known as the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

It was a rough season for the Trojans and this season ended their seven year streak of Pac-10 Championships as they lost to 4 PAC-10 teams, two of them blowout losses of 27 and 33 points to Oregon and Stanford respectfully. The team did have a good running game with solid veteran tailbacks Joe McKnight (1014 rushing yards in 2009) and Allen Bradford (565 rushing yards in 2009). McKnight opted for the NFL Draft and was selected by the New York Jets with the 112th pick in the draft.

The upcoming season will be a difficult one for the Trojans. Lane Kiffin will be roaming the sidelines for a team that is losing nine starters from the last season. Three players (DE Everson Griffen, WR Damian Williams & RB Joe McKnight) have opted for the NFL draft. Eight of the losses are either All First Team PAC-10 or All Pac-10 Second Team All Conference. The university did manage to recruit the nation’s No. 1 player, OL Seantrel Henderson in mid march.

The team has undergone scrutiny since a 2006 report suggested that Reggie Bush may have received illegal gifts in violation of NCAA policy. In June 2010, the NCAA sanctioned the Trojans football program with a 2-year bowl ban, a loss of 20 scholarships and a vacation of all wins from 2004.

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