Don't Count the Trojans Out Despite Their Rose Bowl Loss

As the final seconds of the Rose Bowl ticked away, many college football fans thought they were witnessing the end of the USC Trojans' reign of power. With countless star players on the team either graduating or leaving early to test their luck in the NFL Draft, Coach Pete Carroll and the Trojans are once again facing a year that critics see as a drop-off from their winning ways.

Before the critics start predicting Trojan losses, they need to keep a few things in mind including the last time the Trojans were faced with similar circumstances, Coach Pete Carroll, and all of the players who actually are returning.

After a successful 2002 season ending with an Orange Bowl victory over Iowa, the Trojans lost many of their key players including Carson Palmer of the Bengals and Troy Polamulu of the Steelers. To replace their key absences, Coach Carroll started players such as Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, both now of Heisman glory. The supposed "down year" for the Trojans turned into a 12-1 season which ended with a victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl and National Champion honors.

With the statistics that Coach Carroll and his coaching staff have compiled over the past few years, a large drop-off seems unlikely. The Trojans have had a recruiting class in the top five nationally each of the last four years with most of these players set to play in 2006. Along with a consistently impressive roster, the Trojans also returned Idaho head coach, Nick Holt, to the coaching staff. He will take over the defensive coordinator position from Pete Carroll for the 2006 season, allowing Carroll to oversee more aspects of the overall team dynamic.

The main reason the Trojans should feel comfortable heading into next season is the player personnel that will be available for the 2006 season. Key players are retuning on both sides of the ball including Dwayne Jarrett, Steve Smith, and Ryan Kalil on offense, and Keith Rivers, Oscar Lua, and Lawrence Jackon on defense. The Trojans also bring in, arguably, the top recruiting class in the nation for the 2006 season including twenty-five scholarship players.