USC Football: Why Holiday Bowl Is Huge for Sark's Second Year

Steve Sarkisian said No. 24-ranked USC's Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl appearance is an opportunity for the Trojans to "put [their] best foot forward." In doing so, USC will take one long stride toward contending in the head coach's second season at the helm. 

Talk of building to 2015 was already permeating in the Coliseum last month following USC's rout of rival Notre Dame. Sophomore running back Justin Davis said the Trojans are riding a wave of momentum that "hopefully carries over into next season." 

Which is not to downplay the implications for 2014, of course: There is plenty at stake for USC as it concerns Sarkisian's debut campaign. 

Beating Nebraska in San Diego virtually guarantees the Trojans finish the 2014 season ranked in the Top 25 of the final Associated Press and Amway Coaches Polls. It would also give Sarkisian the first nine-win campaign in his brief head coaching career. 

Sarkisian went 5-7 in 2009, his first season after taking over a winless Washington Huskies team, then 7-6 for three straight years before last year's 8-4 run. He accepted the head coaching vacancy at USC in early December, prior to the Huskies' ninth win over Brigham Young in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. 

But in that 8-4 record, USC is at an important junction for its direction under Sarkisian. 

"It’s easy to look at the win-loss record and say that’s who you are, which is fine," Sarkisian said. "I understand that. Ultimately, that is who we are. 

"But I look at the silver lining of a lot of things," he added. "There’s a lot in these tight games that we’re going to learn from and be better going forward."

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Those "tight games" to which Sarkisian refers are defeats to Boston College, Arizona State and Utah by a combined 13 points. The Arizona State and Utah games were especially tight, with the Sun Devils and Utes both winning on touchdowns in the final minute. 

"Those tight games and those tough losses—believe me—are going to make us better in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August and here comes September [the first month of the 2015 season]," Sarkisian said. 

And in that message, Sarkisian conveys one critical component of the postseason: While focus at USC is certainly on Nebraska, there's an eye on Arkansas State, the Trojans' Week 1 opponent next year. 

A perhaps overlooked facet of the harsh sanctions the NCAA imposed on USC in 2010 is that for two years, the Trojans were denied the 15 additional practices that come with playing in a bowl game. 

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"Practice is the hardest thing," said wide receiver John "JuJu" Smith. "You practice for two hours a day, then come out [on game day] and perform for 30 minutes." 

With roughly 10 hours of practice time translating to 30 minutes of game time, the 30 hours of bowl game practice USC has is a jump start on three games through Smith's equation. 

And, indeed, postseason practices ostensibly operate as the first bridge between seasons in a vein similar to spring workouts. 

Springtime is dedicated to keeping the roster sharp and also an opportunity for some new faces to begin making an impact. For the Trojans, Holiday Bowl preparation is beginning that process. 

As Michael Lev of the Orange County Register notes, freshman defensive back Lamont Simmons is one such player already making strides. 

"The first half of those [bowl] practices are dedicated to our younger players and developing those guys," Sarkisian said. "We have so many of them, and even the guys who are playing right now [we're] going back to the basics and fundamentals of how and why we're doing everything." 

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics courtesy of CFBstats.com.