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Trojans on the Cusp of Success and More USC Football and Basketball News

By Alicia de Artola

March 10, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Andy Enfield instructs his team in a huddle against the Utah Utes during the second half of the Pac-12 Conference tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Utes defeated the Trojans 80-72. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
March 10, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Andy Enfield instructs his team in a huddle against the Utah Utes during the second half of the Pac-12 Conference tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Utes defeated the Trojans 80-72. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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USC football and basketball are both on the verge of turning the corner, but there remain questions about the men at the top and their ability to push their programs to the next level.

Can’t get enough USC football and basketball news? We’ve got your morning dose of all the best content from around the web concerning the men of Troy.

1st & 10:

First Take… USC basketball’s 2015-16 season ended in disappointment at the NCAA Tournament, just as USC football’s 2015 season skidded to a halt in the Pac-12 Championship game.

The two Trojan big hitters, “revenue sports” as they’re called, enter the offseason in the same position. Basketball reached the Tourney for the first time since 2011. Football won the Pac-12 South and reached the Pac-12 Championship for the first time ever (or since 2011, depending on whether you acknowledge the postseason ban against USC denying them the division title).

Both teams experienced the highs that such a collection of talent can achieve. They also both faltered with inconsistency and inexperience.

One other thing they have in common? They both feature head coaches with more potential than proven results. That’s exactly why, as much optimism as there is around both programs, there is also an underlying hint of concern.

For USC basketball, a program which has never lived up to its potential is hoping to make the leap to legitimacy.

For USC football, a program always weighed down by the pressure of expectations is looking to rise to former glory.

Both programs are on the cusp of being major players on the national level but whether or not they get there is dependent on the men in charge.

Andy Enfield has proven himself as a recruiter, stockpiling talent which seems to be in it for the long haul. However, his teams continue to struggle with late game decision-making and fundamental skills like free throws.

Clay Helton kept the program afloat through a drama-filled season by focusing on old-school concepts welcomed by the Trojan faithful. However, his team was widely inconsistent and his qualifications for the full-time job have been called into question.

Are they capable? Fall will bring answers.

And Ten USC Football and Basketball News Links…

  1. ESPN: Ted Miller’s latest mailbag includes a question about what the Rams return to LA does to pressure on USC to win. The simple answer? “There is always pressure at USC to win.”
  2. Bleacher Report: USC is one of ten programs Greg Wallace says will never need a brand redesign. As he says, “Southern California has a look that its fans love, so why change now?”
  3. Bleacher Report: The Trojans are also one of the teams in 2016 who could play a major role in shaping the College Football Playoff. That’s because USC faces off with Alabama, Stanford, Notre Dame, Utah, Oregon and UCLA, all teams with a chance at making a run at the national title.
  4. Phil Steele: Reaffirming the aforementioned spoiler opportunities, Phil Steele predicted the AP Top 10 (or 11) for this coming season with USC’s first opponent, Alabama, ranked No. 1. Stanford also checked in at No. 9 with Notre Dame at No. 11.
  5. Reign of Troy: After a disappointing loss in the NCAA Tournament, USC basketball needs to work on fundamentals if they want to match growing expectations around the program.
  6. Sports Illustrated: At first glance, determining the replacement for Anton Scalia on the Supreme Court doesn’t have anything to do with sports. But as Michael McCann points out, there are major NCAA related cases en route to the highest court in the land and the swing vote one way or another on the Ed O’Bannon case could very well be the new appointee.
  7. Daily Breeze: Mark Whicker breaks down the Pac-12’s (many) failings in the NCAA Tournament, from embarrassing losses to an embarrassing coverage network.
  8. ProFootballTalk: The Seahawks have re-signed former USC linebacker Mike Morgan.
  9. LA Times: Former USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has been hired as a defensive assistant for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
  10. Bleacher Report: Verone McKinley III, a 2018 cornerback, is garnering more and more attention this spring. He told Damon Sayles that USC is a school of interest to him.

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