USC Football Recruiting: Who Will the Trojans Target to Replace Matt Barkley?

With Matt Barkley returning for one more year with the USC Trojans, coach Lane Kiffin will need to start to target potential replacements for his star quarterback once Barkley goes to the NFL Draft in 2013. 

The Trojans currently have two freshmen quarterbacks on their roster, but they will likely look to bolster their depth for years to come. They will need to, as they will have a hard time finding someone to replace Barkley after all he has accomplished.

In three seasons under center, Barkley has thrown for 9,054 yards with 80 touchdowns and only 33 interceptions. The Trojans have gone 27-9 in three years with Barkley at quarterback. This past season, he took them to a 10-2 record, but they were not able to compete in the Pac-12 title game or the bowl season because of sanctions on the school.

With wide receiver Robert Woods returning next season, the Trojans look to be one of the teams to beat. Their conference will be looking a lot different with three of the Pac-12 South teams changing coaches this coming season. All three will likely be looking to find their new identity, while the Trojans will be traveling on a similar path with Barkley and Kiffin.

The Trojans won't have to worry about this coming season, but they will need to be able to get an idea of what their future will look like. Here are some potential replacements for Barkley from 2013 and on.

Cody Kessler

One of the freshmen quarterbacks that the Trojans have sitting on their roster is Cody Kessler. Coming out of Bakersfield, CA, Kessler is a quarterback who plays pro-style and could certainly fill the void that Barkley will leave.

Currently, he is sitting second on the depth chart, so he remains to be the best option for the Trojans' immediate future. 

When recruited, Kessler was ranked as the second-best quarterback in the country. He will have some big shoes to fill, but he just may be the best guy for the job.

Max Wittek

When Kiffin took over the reins at USC, he made sure he got a couple passers who he could experiment with for his future. In the same season that he signed Kessler, he also got Max Wittek to commit.

Wittek is another quarterback who plays a pro-style at the position. He resides from Newport Beach, CA, which gives Kiffin another in-state option. 

It remains to be seen who gets the ball in 2013, but it remains likely that either Kessler or Wittek will be the guy who take the snaps.

Max Browne

After nabbing two of the best quarterbacks in last season's class, Kiffin hasn't managed to make quite a splash for his 2012 requirements. He may be holding out for a 5-star recruit out of Washington who goes by the name of Max Browne.

Browne is considered to be one of the top QB recruits heading into the 2013 season, and he just may be the ultimate successor to Barkley.

In two seasons at Skyline (H.S.), he has managed to throw 95 touchdowns while accumulating 8,216 yards. As one would assume, many schools have shown interest in Browne's services. Kiffin will likely make his move, but it won't be easy.