When USC lost to Notre Dame and UCLA this past year, head mentor Lane Kiffin's job security was thought to be in immediate danger. Kiffin fled the white slip from USC athletic director Pat Haden. Some team changesa'defensive planner Monte Kiffin is out, and Clancy Pendergast is ina'have led to some speculation that if the security doesn't improve, Kiffin is going to be out of a job. But the defense's performance is not the litmus test for Kiffin's potential at USC. If USC's defense underachieves, yet the staff goes to a bowl then all is forgiven, isn't it? Kiffin's gloomy potential stems from USC dropping to its two rival schools and failing to secure a higher-tiered dish cabin. The final time USC dropped to Notre Dame and UCLA in the same year was in 1995. That was over 17 years ago. It generally does not happen very often. So if Lane Kiffin were to repeat that feat in 2013? The first time would be marked by it in 19 years (1993-94 )Athat USC may have lost to Notre Dame and UCLA in back-to-back years. Might Kiffin be out at USC if he lost to Notre Dame and UCLA again this season? Surprisingly, the answer is not any. If USC moves 10-2 in the normal time (with losses to Notre Dame and UCLA) that signifies just one conference loss. That would oftimes be good enough to place USC in the conference title game whilst the South's winner. Already that's an improvement over last year's 7-6 season. And if USC beat the North winner, that is a computerized berth to the Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl is USC's goal annually, so having achieved that goal means Kiffin's warm seat cooling down seriously to tepid. And he will have accomplished that goal with only 69 scholarshipped participants, barring any new prospects signing with USC come early july. That's amazing. But the dialogue changes if USC drops to UCLA and/or Notre Dame as well as a few other schools. USC's November routine looks like this: at Oregon State, at Cal, Stanford, at Colorado, UCLA. Coming out of that month with a record (assuming a to Stanford) will be a marked improvement in comparison to last year's 1-3 record. But Oregon State and UCLA are move activities and Cala'under new head coach Sonny Dykesa'could provide USC's secondary suits. Realistically, just Colorado is mostAlikely a win. Losing to UCLA within the last game of the regular season is not going to sit well with Trojan fans if you can find different discussion deficits. Neither will humiliating failures. USC represents at Hawaii, California State, Boston University, Utah State and at Arizona State in September. USC should go 5-0 with this standing. But coming off a 7-6 period, most of a sudden that routine does not seem as forgiving. USC's second is suspect, and playing against a Chow offense (Hawaii) and an Raid offense (Washington State) equals instinct check time for USC supporters. And how about Utah State? The Aggies defeat Utah last year and gave Wisconsin fits before eventually dropping 16-14. Quarterback Chuckie Keeton is right back and is on a minumum of one notable 2013 Heisman watch list. You can rely on Utah State being fired up to embarrass USC at the Coliseum. Kiffin must be safe if USC drops to Notre Dame and UCLA but wins the Pac-12 South. His work will most certainly be protected if USC plays in the Rose Bowl. But Kiffin could also defeat both Notre Dame and UCLA and still be job hunting at the end of the summer season if USC suffers humiliating losses. If Haden does cut Kiffin free at the end of the year he will have dismissed an instructor who only had one complete recruiting course (2011) to work well with. The final two sessions were paid off due to grant limitations caused by NCAA sanctions.AThe fact that Kiffin hasn't really been able to train with a full deck could be one of why Haden has professed his full support of Kiffin. This year marks Kiffin's last year coaching at USC.AAnd the four-year level is often when running directors take stock of a basketball program and determine whether another course is warranted. Haden is really a former Trojan quarterback and understands how important it's to defeat Notre Dame and UCLA. Two straight losses to the Irish and the Bruins may be enough for him to find for a new head coach. Until USC is playing in Pasadena on Jan. 1.
No comments:
Post a Comment