Where Does Matt Barkley Rank Among USC's 20 All-Time Best QBs?

We recently put together a list of the top 10 USC Trojans of the 2012 season. Those are the players that will play a huge part in the team's success this season and help the team accomplish its huge expectations they have set out for themselves.

Quarterback Matt Barkley was the unquestionable No. 1 selection, as he is the key to the offense. He is coming off his best season of his career and returned for his senior year to try and win a Heisman trophy and BCS National Championship.

Barkley is a terrific quarterback, but where does he rank right now among all-time greats?

USC has produced some of the best college quarterbacks this game has ever seen, but with Barkley's accomplishments and numbers, he has to be up there with some of the best.

With a season left to go, here is where Barkley ranks right now among the top 20 USC quarterbacks of all-time.

20. Sean Salisbury

Sean Salisbury played off and on throughout his career from 1981-1985, but produced solid numbers throughout his career. He always kept a decent completion percentage of 57 percent throughout his career, threw for over 2,500 yards and 15 touchdowns. In 1985, he helped lead the Trojans to their second consecutive bowl game for the first time since 1978-1979.

19. John Fox

John Fox did a little bit of everything for USC in the late 1990s. He played linebacker and special teams throughout his career, but also played quarterback in 1997 and 1999. Although he may have been used briefly throughout his career, he did throw for over 2,700 yards and scored 17 total touchdowns. In 1997, he went 90 pass attempts without throwing an interception and played most of the season with a sprained ankle and strained Achilles tendon.

In 1998, Fox dropped on the depth chart because the Trojans had some guy named Carson Palmer, but for not a true-quarterback, Fox played fairly well during his brief stint.

18. Brad Otton

Despite having to share time with quarterbacks such as Rob Johnson and Kyle Wachholtz, Brad Otton carved out a nice little career for himself. In three seasons, he completed 57 percent of his passes for 5,359 yards and 40 touchdowns to only 14 interceptions.

In 1995, he helped lead the Trojans to a Rose Bowl victory over Northwestern, throwing for 391 yards and two touchdowns.

17. Todd Marinovich

In 1989, Todd Marinovich was the first freshman quarterback to start for the Trojans since World War II. He didn't let anyone down, completing 62 percent of his passes for 2,578 yards and 16 touchdowns. He helped lead the Trojans to a 9-2-1 record, a Pac-10 title, along with a victory over the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl. He was the college freshman of the year in 1989 and was the only freshman on the All-Pac-10 team.

16. Tim Green

Tim Green had to fight his way to become the starter of the Trojans back in 1984. He sat behind players such as Sean Salisbury and then freshman Kevin McLean. But after Salisbury got hurt and McLean was struggling, Green was given his shot as the starter.

The result?

He threw for over 1,400 yards, led the Trojans to a 9-3 record and a Rose Bowl victory over Ohio State. Green threw for 128 yards and two touchdowns, while completing 13 of 24 passes.

15. Steve Sogge

Steve Sogge was the quarterback in 1967 and 1968, and he helped lead the Trojans to a national title in 1967. He finished his three-year career with 2,542 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. He also played baseball for USC and made the Pac-8 first team in 1968.

14. Craig Fertig

Before Craig Fertig became an assistant coach of USC and an athletic department administrator, he was a quarterback in the early 60s. He is a member of the USC national championship team in 1962 and set several school records in the 1964 season as a starter.

What Fertig is most known for is his game-winning touchdown drive against the undefeated and No. 1 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 1964. The touchdown came in the final minutes and erased a 17-point halftime deficit.

13. Pete Beathard

Pete Beathard played in the early '60s and can be considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of that era. This was at a point when passing wasn't considered an every down play, so finishing a two-year career with 1,892 passing yards and 15 touchdowns is impressive.

Beathard also led the Trojans to a national championship victory in 1962. He played in the Rose Bowl game against the No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers, threw for four touchdowns and was named co-Rose Bowl MVP. The Trojans ended up winning the game by a score of 42-37.

12. Rob Johnson

Rob Johnson was the starting quarterback from 1992-1994. There wasn't much success with him at the helm, but it surely wasn't his fault. He graduated with nearly every major passing record in USC history, finishing his career with 8,472 passing yards, 58 touchdowns and completing over 64 percent of his passes.

In 1993, Johnson had one of the best season in USC history, completing nearly 69 percent of his passes, for 3,630 yards and 29 touchdowns, while limiting his interceptions to just six. He helped lead the Trojans to a share of the conference title, along with becoming a member of the All Pac-10 team.

With a little more overall team success, Johnson could easily be a lot higher on this list.

11. Jimmy Jones

Jimmy Jones was the Trojans quarterback in 1969 and 1970. He was one of the first African American college quarterbacks to play Division I football and was also the first African American quarterback to appear on a cover of Sports Illustrated.

Along with those accomplishments, Jones led his Trojans to a perfect record in 1969 and a number three ranking in college football. He finished his career with a 22-8-3 record and held nearly every significant passing record in USC history at that time.

10. Vince Evans

Vince Evans did not win any major awards during the 1975-1976 seasons he was a starter, nor did he have the greatest stats in the world. Evans completed only 44 percent of his passes for 2,248 career passing yards and 14 touchdowns to 16 interceptions.

But what Evans did know how to do, was win the big games. He finished 5-1 against ranked teams, including three straight victories in 1976 against No. 2 UCLA, No. 13 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Stats do not always tell the whole story. It is the quarterback's job to lead his teams to victories and that is exactly what Evans did.

9. Mike Rae

Mike Rae was the quarterback for the 1972 Trojans, a team that is considered by many to be the greatest of all-time. Rae led his team to a perfect 12-0 record and a national championship, which included victories over six ranked teams, including a 42-17 victory over No. 3 ranked Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

Rae did not have the best numbers in the world that season, (1,754 passing yards, five touchdowns and 12 interceptions) but how many times do we hear about a great team and it almost never delivers?

Rae helped this team accomplish its goals and cement itself in college football history. It’s only right that he is remembered for that. 

8. Matt Barkley

Matt Barkley has been a tremendous quarterback for the Trojans the last couple of seasons. In three seasons, he has completed 64 percent of his passes, thrown for 9,054 yards and a ridiculous 80 touchdowns. He finished sixth in the Heisman voting in 2011 and has a great chance to move up this list with another monster season.

The fact is that Barkley doesn't have a Heisman trophy, any BCS bowl win or national championship. He may have had a chance to scratch a couple of those things off the list if USC wasn't on NCAA punishment, but the fact still remains. Barkley returned for his senior season to win a national championship, and he has the tools around him to have one of the best seasons we have ever seen.

If Barkley is able to live up to expectations and is able to deliver, I may have to consider putting him at No. 1. 

7. John David Booty

John David Booty had high expectations coming out of high school, and the pressure built up even more, having to replace a quarterback such as Matt Leinart. Despite coming off of back surgery in 2006, Booty really didn't miss a step, starting in 23 games, and throwing for over 6,000 yards, 55 touchdowns and completing 62 percent of his passes.

Booty helped lead the Trojans to back-to-back Rose Bowl victories in 2007 and 2008. He also finished his career with a 9-0 record against Top 25 teams.

Is there anything else that needs to be said about why he is where he is at?

6. Mark Sanchez

To really show just how deep this team is at the quarterback position, Mark Sanchez only started one season in his USC career. Why? Because John David Booty was on the team at the same time as he was.

Still, Sanchez had a hell of year in 2008. He completed nearly 66 percent of his passes, threw for 3,207 yards and 34 touchdowns. He led his team to a 12-1 record, with a victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the BCS Rose Bowl.

Who knows what type of season Sanchez could have had, had he started more than just one season in his career. Regardless, he should still be considered one of the best to ever wear a Trojans jersey.

5. Rodney Peete

Rodney Peete was the first Trojan to win the Johnny Unitas Award and he finished second in the Heisman voting in 1988 behind some guy named Barry Sanders. He was the starting quarterback from 1986-1988 and he led his team to back-to-back victories over Troy Aikman's UCLA Bruins.

Although what Peete is best known for is the measles game. Peete was hospitalized in 1988, the week before the big showdown against the No. 6 Bruins. He missed the team's walk through, practices and film study. But somehow, he managed to play in the game and led the Trojans to a 31-22 victory and clinched a Rose Bowl berth for his team.

If that doesn't deserve a top ranking, I have no idea what does.

4. Paul McDonald

In Paul McDonald's first season as a starter in 1978, he led his team to a 12-1 record and a share of the national championship. In 1979, McDonald became an All-American and finished sixth in the Heisman voting, as he led his team to a 11-0-1 record and a second consecutive victory in the Rose Bowl.

McDonald only lost one game as a starter and should be considered one of the greatest Trojans of all-time.

3. Pat Haden

Before becoming a broadcaster and the Trojans athletic director, Pat Haden was one of the more successful USC quarterbacks to ever play. In the early 70s, Haden helped lead USC to three Rose Bowl appearances and two national championship victories.

He finished his three-year career with 3,117 yards and 29 passing touchdowns.

Haden was also known for playing his best in the big games, building a 3-1 record against Notre Dame and UCLA.

2. Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer was only the second true-freshman to ever start at quarterback for USC. It took Palmer a while to get comfortable, but he really shined his junior and senior seasons, winning the Heisman trophy in 2002. Palmer finished his five-year career with 11,668 passing yards, 72 touchdowns and 59.1 career completion percentage.

He has the most passing yards in school history and left school as the Pac-10 leader in passing yards, total offense, completions and career touchdowns.

1. Matt Leinart

How can Matt Leinart not be No. 1 on this list?

He is the winningest player in USC history, finishing his three-year career with a 37-2 record. He was a three time Pac-10 first-team, three-time All-American and won several other awards such as the Manning, Unitas and Walter Camp.

Did I forget to mention that he won the 2004 Heisman trophy and two national championships?

Leinart has the second most passing yards in school history with 10,693 and the most passing touchdowns with 99. He has the numbers and the hardware to backup any argument as to why he is the best to play the quarterback position for the Trojans.