Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and even O.J. Simpson all have one thing in common; they all attended the University of Southern California.
A nation high ten USC Trojans were selected in the 2008 NFL Draft with four of them in the first round. USC has produced 67 all-time 1st round draft picks.
Each year, USC exudes athletic excellence. While amassing 11 National Championships since their founding in 1888, the Trojans have also produced 11 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees. These players include:
- Frank Gifford, HB (1977)
- Ron Mix, OT (1979)
- Morris 'Red' Badgro, WR (1981)
- O.J. Simpso, RB (1985)
- Willie Wood, DB (1989)
- Anthony Munoz, OT (1998)
- Ronnie Lott, DB (2000)
- Lynn Swan, WR (2001)
- Ron Yary, OT (2001)
- Marcus Allen, RB (2003)
- Bruce Matthews, OT, C, OG (2007)
The Trojans hold the all-time record for players selected to the Pro Bowl with 162. There are currently 45 former Trojans in the NFL today.
So what makes USC one of the best schools to draft from? The type of offense that they run is the most NFL style offense in the NCAA.
USC runs a pro style offense that contains many different formations and personnel sets. Instead of focusing on just the run or pass, they have a very "balanced" offense. They keep the opposing defense honest by showing them they have to defend both the pass and run equally.
This is the same with most NFL style offenses. If you look at the Indianapolis Colts with Peyton Manning, you would think that their offense would be strictly pass oriented with little running of the football. However, the reason why they win football games is because their offense keeps the defense on their toes. The Colts may run the ball on first down then throw on second and run again on third just to make the defense respect both the passing game and the running game.
USC runs many of their plays from under center while only bringing out the shotgun formation for special situations. Nearly every team in the NFL runs this type of an offense.
Most colleges today run the spread offense which only a few NFL teams run. The Pittsburgh Steelers successfully transitioned to the spread offense under new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians in the 2007 season in order to make better use of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's talents.
By giving their players experience in running and defending plays from under center, USC coaches have helped each draft class transition smoothly into the NFL.
comments (10) write a comment »
write a new comment
5 months ago
usc has traditionally been a great school to draft from, but recent history has suggested they have turned out some eh prospects. mike williams, dwanye jarrett, winston justice, and reggie bush have all not lived up to expectations as of yet. im leaving lendale white off because im not sure he had any lofty expectations. I would say the sec is currently the conference to draft from, as the conference as a whole plays the closest thing to nfl football, and when a prospect stands out in the sec, you know he is for real. does anybody dispute mcfadden's numbers and pro potential? not at all
from 5 months ago
These sec (lower case) guys just don't get it. From Auburn, pre-season rated No. 1, when Matt Leinart was a sophomore (23-0 shutout), to Arkansas, two years running with McFadden, USC has outplayed, outscored and beat the sec every time they meet. Auburn was crying that they didn't make the Orange Bowl to play Oklahoma. During and after the game, Tommy Tuberville was a bit more quiet. Auburn would have made Oklahoma look good. LSU has made of career of complaining about BCS championships.
Please, the sec is just another conference for USC. Every year it's the same story. We hear about how tough the sec is. The people who say this are not familiar with the PAC 10. The PAC 10 conference is tougher than the sec. On top of it, USC has to face each team that wants to be a spoiler every week.
Pete Carroll has made the Trojans the envy of College Football once again and continued the tradition of excellence (11 national championships). Admittedly there was a short erratic break after John Robinson had originally left in 1979 to coach the LA Rams. 11 wins for six years IN A ROW says all you need to know about the current program.
Consider the whole picture with Heisman Trophy winners (7), Pro Bowl players (162) and 45 current NFL players (before the next season) and it's hard to say how great any of the sec schools are in comparison. USC players have been in nearly all of the Super Bowls and have been the MVP several times (Marcus Allen, Lynn Swan, etc.)
Enough said.
from 5 months ago
LOL. Carson Palmer, Troy Polamalu, and Lofa Tatupu are all about halfway through what look like HOF careers after coming out of USC in the last five years or so. Vargas and White both rushed for a thousand yards last year while Steve Smith couldn't have had more nice things said about him as he helped NY beat the Pats in the Super Bowl. Then there are the numerous USC players that have held starting positions such Patterson, Udeze, etc., etc., etc. despite their teams drafting numerous players from the SEC to challenge their starters status.
Pointing out a handful of USC players that have failed to impress is hardly an argument worth pursuing, especially if the intent to crow about the level of talent coming from the SEC.
Nine PAC 10 programs have more players in the NFL than the bottom four SEC programs. Stanford has had more players drafted since 2000 than Auburn, South Carolina, Arky, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Vandy while matching Alabama's 28 players drafted since 2000.
The SEC has some real crap programs like South Carolina, K-Y, Vandy, Mississippi, Miss State, Arky, Alabama, and Arky which in addition to rarely filling out the NFL draft make the "top" SEC programs look decent when they aren't beating down Div IAA or Sun Belt teams in their home stadiums.
This year's draft saw ZERO players drafted from Alabama, Miss, and Miss St.; with no first day picks from Georgia, Kentucky, or South Carolina; and only one South Carolina, two Florida, and three Tennessee players getting drafted. With five players total being drafted from three of the SEC’s top teams, it is not exactly a great year to be bragging about SEC talent.
In fact, while the SEC had 35 players drafted by the NFL in 2008, the PAC 10, with two fewer teams, had 34 players drafted. The PAC 10 matched the six first round picks of the SEC for 2008, but had 11 first day picks to the SEC’s eight first day players; again, with two fewer teams.
Where is this SEC superiority in talent that seems to be obvious only to you?
SEC schedules across the board are underwhelming at best and I could spend all day listing NFL busts from programs like Georgia, Florida, Auburn, LSU, and Tennessee that got over-hyped playing the SEC doormats and Div IAA opponents with their 63 scholarship football players. In fact, the level of play in the SEC is at such a low level that it is the only BCS conference where the conference champion routinely sees very poor play at the quarterback position while most other BCS conferences have a level of competition that requires excellent if not Heisman runner-up performances from the quarterback of their conference champions; as has been witnessed every year in the PAC 10, the Big 10, the Big XII, and the Big East.
Only the ACC has come close to the low level of expectation of the SEC for the quarterback position as has been demonstrated not only by the conference champ rarely demanding play above the level of the typical 'great' SEC quarterback, but by their champions performing extremely poorly in their annual BCS bowl game.
The list of 'record breaking' LSU quarterbacks that have flopped in the NFL is long and distinguished with their principle accomplishments limited to getting cut soon after their team drafts another quarterback.
Next time, do a little leg work before popping off about SEC talent.
5 months ago
10 guys drafted from Southern Cal. Even in the 7th round my Jags were able to snag Chauncy Washington who will surprise people at the RB position, with a couple of years to develop behind Fred Taylor. He ran a 4.32 at his pro day. The same time Fred ran at his 11 years ago. Marshall Faulk loves Washington, and thinks he'll be one of the best RB's out of this draft. Impressive.
from 5 months ago
Agree, Chauncey translates well to a pro back if he can stay healthy. Should be a good complement to Maurice J-D in the backfield.
5 months ago
Whenever USC people talk about drafted players or football, it is strictly regarding USC. We don't lump ourselves into our conference like the sec people. I never hear alabama people talking about how great their program is. It's always the sec this, or the sec that. Stand behind your school, not your conference.
5 months ago
for all those Pac-10 bashers out there, check out this website:
http://www.ncaa.org/champadmin/champs_listing1.html
it just goes to show that the Pac-10 is truly the Conference of Champions seeing who the leaders are in all-time championships, men's championships and women's championships. From the big sports (basketball & baseball) to all other sports sanctioned by the NCAA.
Looks like the SEC has another reason to feel inferior to the Left Coast. All of their yelling and screaming and chest-thumping on message boards can't change the facts of athletic achievement across the board and for all-time.
3 months ago
uh 20 million people and warm weather in so cal?
3 months ago
"Most colleges today run the spread offense which only a few NFL teams run."
They do? I'm betting one out of ten college football teams runs the spread, but maybe I'm wrong.
Pac-10- maybe two teams (Oregon and Wash St)
SEC- Florida, LSU and Auburn. Who else?
Big Ten? Michigan will run it this year, and Purdue already runs it.
Big East...West Virginia runs it.
Big 12? Texas Tech, Mizzou, Kansas, and Texas, and Oklahoma use a no-huddle.
I'm not seeing the majority of schools running it...I would say in the WAC and Mountain West they use it a lot, but not the majority of college teams that you are insinuating. I would think a pro-set or West Coast offense is more prolific in college football.
3 months ago
*Oklahoma uses a no-huddle.
In any case, I do agree with your assessment that the reason why SC gets so many players drafted is because of their Pro Set offense.
Nice subject matter! I enjoyed reading this. :)
write a new comment