Talented Trojans eye back-to-back titles
Clay Helton appears to have stabilized the USC program, with the Trojans earning back-to-back doubledigit win seasons while also capturing their first conference championship in almost a decade.
The 46-year-old Helton has more wins (21) in his first two seasons than any coach in school history.
USC returns a loaded team, including 14 starters, which is why the Trojans are No. 7 in Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel’s preseason 2018 college football rankings. Murschel ranked all 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 129 to our projected No. 1 team. USC Clay Helton (27-10, entering fourth season; 27-10 overall) 11-3, 8-1 in the Pac-12 Conference; first in South Division
Southern California earned a top-five ranking to open the 2017 season for the first time since 2012. The Trojans opened by winning their first four games before suffering a setback at the hands of Washington State. The team bounced back to win six of its final seven games, securing its second division crown in the past three seasons. USC capped the season with its first conference championship since 2008.
7 Darnold, RB Ronald Jones II, WR Deontay Burnett, OL Nico Falah, LB Uchenna Nwosu, DE Rasheem Green, DT Josh Fatu, DB Chris Hawkins, DB Jack Jones
WR Tyler Vaughns, OL Toa Lobendahn, OL Chris Brown, OL Andrew Vorhees, OL Chuma Edoga, TE Tyler Petite, WR Michael Pittman, LB Cameron Smith, LB John Houston, DB Ajene Harris, DB Iman Marshall, DB Marvell Tell III, DL Jordan Iosefa
USC must replace a trio of all-conference performers in quarterback Sam Darnold (4,143 yards, 26 touchdowns), running back Ronald Jones II (1,550 yards, 19 touchdowns) and wide receiver Deontay Burnett (1,114 yards, nine touchdowns).
Sophomore Matt Fink and redshirt freshman Jack Sears are the top returning passers from last season, but all eyes will be on incoming freshman JT Daniels, the 2017 Gatorade Player of the Year.
Versatile offensive lineman Toa Lobendahn returns after earning secondteam all-conference honors. Fellow seniors Chris Brown and Chuma Edoga are back as well after appearing in a combined 25 starts last season.
USC returns its top tackler in linebacker Cameron Smith (112 tackles), a threeyear starter who’s led the team in stops during each of the previous two seasons. He’ll be joined by juniors John Houston (84 tackles) and Jordan Iosefu (31 tackles).
USC must deal with the loss of firstteam all-conference defensive lineman Rasheem Green (10 sacks) and Josh Fatu (6 sacks).
Sorting out the quarterback situation will be crucial for the program as it looks to claim back-to-back Pac-12 titles for the first time in a decade.