USC Football: 5 Storylines Heading into Spring Ball

The USC Trojans are finally eligible to reach a bowl game and have one of the most talented teams returning. They are without question one of the favorites to win the national championship and should be a fun team to watch in the Pac-12 this season.

Although we still may be months away from college football kicking off, spring ball is right around the corner. The Trojans' first spring practice is March 6, and the spring game will take place on April 14.

As we get ready for everything spring has to offer, here are the top five storylines to pay attention to.

Can D.J. Morgan Provide More Comfort at RB?

USC has one of the most explosive offenses in the country, but running back is not a position that Trojan fans can be too comfortable about. Sure, they have a 1,000-yard rusher in Curtis McNeal, but that's about it. That's why it's important for sophomore running back D.J. Morgan to prove he's capable of handling the role as the No. 2 back.

As a freshman, he rushed for 163 yards on only 42 carries. With Marc Taylor now out of the picture, Morgan will now be asked to carry on a much bigger workload, and he needs to be able to produce when called upon.

Morgan is a speedster and has the ability to make tons of plays; although, health is an issue with him, as he tore his ACL in high school. To succeed in college football, you need to have at least two solid running backs to help carry the offense. USC has one, unless Morgan can step up and produce in his second season.

This is one of the very few things Trojan fans have to worry about heading into the spring.

Who Will Replace Matt Barkley?

Yeah, I know Mat Barkley will be the quarterback for the Trojans this season, but who's going to replace him when he moves on to the NFL? That's why you should keep your eyes on the young quarterbacks like Max Wittek and Cody Kessler during this spring.

Kessler is the more accurate quarterback of the two, but Wittek does have an extremely strong arm. Neither one of these quarterbacks received a lot of action during the last spring practices, but things should be a little different now that Barkley is a senior.

We already know what we're going to get with the possible Heisman trophy winner; it's time to prepare for the future and see what these younger kids can do on the football field.

Just How Good Will Barkley and This Offense Be?

USC had one of the best offenses in the country last season, averaging nearly 36 points per contest and ranked 15th in the country in passing yards. A total of nine players on this offense return, and that includes quarterback Matt Barkley and all of his weapons.

With a quarterback that has NFL talent, a running back who rushed over 1,000 yards last season and one of the top wide receiver corps in college football, the expectations are through the roof. This offense has the potential to pull off some great things and really put up some off-the-chart numbers.

It's going to be fun to see just how explosive this offense is and what we should expect as we get closer to kicking off the regular season.

Who'll Fill the Holes on the Defensive Line?

The Trojans weren't bad at all rushing the passer last season, as they finished the year with 30 sacks. Although, the leading sack leader last season in defensive end, Nick Perry, decided to leave early for the NFL draft. He also wasn't the only one, as defensive tackle DaJohn Harris and Christian Tupou also left the team. 

This leaves several question marks on the defensive line, and many young players will need to step up and help contribute right away. Defensive tackle will be a battle between George Uko and Christian Heyward, while Antwaun Woods and J.R. Tavai will likely compete for the starting nose tackle position.

Other players such as Wes Horton and Devon Kennard have to make a huge impact on the line this season as well. This is the Trojans' main concern heading into the spring and could be the difference between winning a national championship and falling short of their goals.

Will the Trojans Cave into the Pressure?

The Trojans are an experienced team that doesn't have many weaknesses, but will they actually be able to fulfill expectations? Quarterback Matt Barkley only returned for his senior season to win a national championship, and anything short of that will be a failure.

USC is an overwhelming favorite to win the national championship and have more than enough talent and an easy enough schedule to get it done. But we've seen several teams in the past that were considered locks to reach the big game, and they ended up falling short of their goals.

USC is a team that has to stay focused on the task at hand and can't get caught looking ahead. It'll be interesting to see if USC can run the table and not get distracted by off-the-field issues. 

Randy Chambers is a B/R featured columnist that covers college football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail].