USC Football: 5 Reasons Trojan Football Can Survive Despite Penalties

This past week, Pat Haden and the Trojans athletic department got the bad news: The NCAA will not be lifting the sanctions they received last June.

The Trojans will not be able to participate in any bowl games again this season, including the inaugural Pac-12 championship game taking place in early December. They will also continue to lose scholarships.

Despite these sanctions, the Trojans were able to finish third in the Pac-10 last season, getting eight wins. They were able to stay focused on winning games even though they had absolutely nothing to play for.

The Trojans now face another season where they have nothing to play for. They need to stay motivated and still challenge opponents. But here are five reasons why the Trojans will still survive after this season despite all the penalties.

5. California Girls

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DAYTON, OH - MARCH 16: The USC Trojans cheerleaders perform during the game against the Virginia Commonwealth Rams during the first round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at UD Arena on March 16, 2011 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus

USC may have limited scholarships, but they have the number one recruiting tool: the beautiful girls of Southern California. 

This sounds silly, but high school recruits do not really have a complex way of thinking. When they come on their recruiting trips to Los Angeles, in the winter during their senior year, the eighteen-year-old, soon-to-be college athlete sees the gorgeous women in their scantily clad clothing in the warm winter weather of Los Angeles.

Then they go to their recruiting trips to the Big 10 schools, where the temperatures are below zero and the ladies are bundled up in eight layers.

It's simple. High school seniors' hormones are going all over the place, and they are naturally attracted to good programs in great weather that have beautiful women. It's no secret why the SEC schools, Texas and USC always recruit well.

The Trojans will continue to recruit well because of their advantage of being in Los Angeles where the sun shines year round and the girls are beautiful.

Now if the NCAA forcefully made half of the female population of USC transfer to a different school, then maybe USC would have a more difficult time recruiting. But seeing that isn't the case, the Trojans should be fine.

4. Matt Barkley

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PASADENA, CA - DECEMBER 04: Quarterback Matt Barkley #7 of the USC Trojans drops back to pass against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at the Rose Bowl on December 4, 2010 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

By the time the sanctions are over, Matt Barkley will be a senior. If he chooses not to go to the NFL, USC will have a solid NFL ready quarterback behind center.

With Andrew Luck and Jim Harbaugh both in the NFL at that point, USC will have the best quarterback in the Pac-12. This means they will have a very good shot, even with limited scholarships to give to recruits, to make an impact in the Pac-12.

A strong season from Barkley and the Trojans will attract other recruits to come to USC. They will see the program is revitalized and they have put its bad days behind them. This will be a huge part in the recruiting process for USC, and they will still be able to get great recruits if Barkley puts up a solid season with at least a Rose Bowl appearance.

3. Lane Kiffin and Ed Orgeron

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HONOLULU - SEPTEMBER 02: Defensive and Recruiting Coordinator Ed Orgeron of the University of Souther California Trojans leads the team to the edge of the tunnel before the start of the Trojan's season opener against the Hawaii Warriors at Aloha Stadium

Even with limited scholarships, the Trojans have Ed Orgeron, who is possibly the best recruiter in the country.

For Orgeron and the Trojans, it's not the quantity of the recruits they get that matters: It's the quality. Even with limited scholarships, Orgeron has a high tendency to get great recruits to come to his programs. That's what he's known for, and that's why he's at USC.

With Orgeron, the Trojans will still be able to get high quality recruits despite being limited. Also, he is the defensive coordinator. He's very strict and coaches with discipline. He will undoubtedly keep the Trojans focused on winning even though they are banned from playing in any BCS games. 

The same goes for head coach Lane Kiffin. He preaches discipline, and he did a fantastic job keeping his men focused on winning games. Kiffin's offensive-minded attitude will also keep the Trojans pushing toward another national championship run after the BCS ban ends.

2. New Facilities

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PASADENA, CA - DECEMBER 04: Chris Galippo (R) #54 of the USC Trojans tackles Malcolm Jones #28 of the UCLA Bruins during the second half at the Rose Bowl on December 4, 2010 in Pasadena, California. USC defeated UCLA 28-14. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Im

One of the reasons why the Oregon Ducks are so competitive now is because their booster Phil Knight has been pouring in a lot of money to help construct new athletic facilities on campus. These have helped attract recruits and build a solid program.

At USC, the same is being done. Just recently, construction for the new 110,000 sq. foot athletic facility started on campus. This new edifice will house the new locker rooms, coaching offices, athletic training room—which will be almost six times the size of their current training room at Heritage Hall—weight room—which will be almost four times the size of their current weight room—and learning centers meant just for athletes. It will be "state-of-the-art" according to USC's website.

This facility will surely help bring in recruits. It will be one of the best athletic buildings in the nation for one of the greatest athletic programs. The great boosters and donors at USC made this possible and it is because of their help that USC will be able to succeed for years even with the imposed sanctions.

1. New Pac-12 Scheduling

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LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 27: The USC Trojans come through the tunnel to the field before the game with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. Notre Dame won 20-16. (Photo by

The new Pac-12 scheduling was very advantageous for USC. They are placed in the Pac-12 South division with Colorado, Utah, UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State. None of these programs come close to matching USC's recent success in football. The Trojans shouldn't have a difficult time to win the South and participate in the Pac-12 championship game annually. Playing in the South also means they avoid some of the northern powers, like Oregon, Washington and Stanford, in some years because of the scheduling.

Utah and Colorado should be easy wins for the Trojans annually. Colorado struggled in the Big 12, and Utah does not have any experience playing in a major conference. UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State finished in the bottom half of the Pac-10 last season.

It won't be hard for USC to play in the championship game every year. They'll also be competitive enough to match up well against the northern champion. A win in that game gives them a Rose Bowl berth automatically.

Also, the demise of the Big 10 means that the Trojans will have favorable matchups in the Big 10, which means they'll have more success in Rose Bowl games.

And who knows? With a little luck and some good recruits, they can possibly be playing in the national championship game as early as 2013.