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The USC job is open after the school decided to pull the plug on the Clay Helton era. The Trojans make the move after week two so it prevents Helton from going on a win streak and making it tougher to get rid of him.
Moments after his dismissal the media trotted out that same list of big names who are/would be/should be top candidates: Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops, James Franklin, Matt Campbell, Iron Man, Mario Cristobal, Big Bird.
Then there is a cycle of those names being washed around and then there's always a few names the media throws against the wall with "I'm hearing (________) fill in name" for the USC job.
I do not know who is getting the USC job and there is no guarantee that who gets the job that the Trojans will "BE BACK"!!!
But here's what I do know, over the last few decades some of the biggest brands in college football have swung and missed so many times. Just because you won big years ago doesn't mean the formula to win again is just hire another coach. Times have changed in college football. Everyone recruits nationally. Everyone is on TV. Everyone has great facilities.
Here's what USC has done since Pete Carroll ran from LA because the NCAA was sniffing around. The hires after Pete Caroll: Lane Kiffin(fired), Steve Sarkisian(fired), Clay Helton(fired).
USC is not alone when it comes to missing on the next great hire. Tennessee felt Philip Fulmer got old and lazy after winning a national title. And one could make the argument a chance was not crazy. He lost 21 games his last four seasons. Who did they hire? Lane Kiffin(left for USC after one season), Derek Dooley, Butch Jones and Jeremy Pruitt. The Vols have finished in the top 25 twice since they ran Fulmer out.
Texas just hired Steve Sarkisian and everyone said he was the perfect hire after Nick Saban's clinic in coaching restoration. After getting blown out at Arkansas, newspapers in Dallas and Austin and a top Longhorns website said "the honeymoon was over" for Sark. But after Mack Brown lost 21 games in four seasons, he was sent packing. Texas then went through Charlie Strong and Tom Herman. Both were fired when Texas saw that 5 losses was the norm. But certainly Sarkisian will bring them back to the promised land, right?
How about Nebraska?Tom Osborne won a national title in 1997 and walked away. His longtime assistant, Frank Solich, replaced him. Solich won 9, 12, 10 and 11 games. He then went 7-7 and 9-3 and was told to get lost. Then the Cornhuskers hired Bill Callahan, Bo Pelini, Mike Riley and now Scott Frost.
And of course we have the Miami Hurricanes. Canes' fans are still waiting to "BE BACK" for years and years and have been telling anyone who would listen. From Jimmy Johnson to Dennis Erickson to Butch Davis to Larry Coker. Since Coker went 7-6 in 2006, the Canes have gone through Randy Shannon, Al Golden, Mark Richt and now Manny Diaz. Miami has had one 10-win season since 2003. ONE!
Did I choose programs that fit my point? Of course I did. But the point is these have been some of the biggest brands in the game in college football and when the head coaching position opens it's natural that everyone thinks the top names in the profession(not named Nick Saban) are great suggestions to be a candidate and everyone of these schools thought each hire was the one to bring them back to the glory days. But there is no guarantee and sometimes you realize your last few hires have not worked.
People often talk about the best jobs in college football and list: Texas, Alabama, Ohio State, USC, Notre Dame...etc....Lists are fun and fans debate which jobs are best. I said this on the radio show Tuesday. The best jobs in college football are any jobs where the coach, fans and media are all happy. When that happens, it's a great job. Alabama? Yup. UCF? Yup. LSU? Not so sure. USC? No. FSU? No. See how the game is played?
So whoever USC hires there will be plenty of college football people saying how great a hire it was. And maybe the next guy will return the tradition rich program back to top. Or maybe it will be another hire that doesn't pan out. Actually, the numbers tell you it won't. Happiness in college football is hard to find sometimes.
Final thought: USC began playing football in 1922. From that first season through 1975, they played in one bowl game. Not one actual game. I mean they played in the Rose Bowl(20 times) and no other bowl- except the 1924 Los Angeles Christmas Festival. That game the Trojans beat Missouri 20-7. They tried to bring the Los Angeles Christmas Festival back in 2010 but could not get NCAA approval.