USC Football: How Cody Kessler Can Make Trojans History in 2015

Cody Kessler bounced from one quarterback controversy to another in his first two seasons starting at USC. But the only Trojans quarterbacks with whom he'll compete in 2015 are those who built the program's legacy as Quarterback U. 

Kessler finished the 2014 regular season with a flourish on Nov. 29, throwing six touchdown passes in a 49-14 rout of Notre Dame to bring his yearlong total to 36. 

"Cody was on," USC head coach Steve Sarkisian said. "Cody was throwing the ball to the right guys at the right time." 

Talk about an understatement. With the playbook opened, Kessler threw a confident deep ball while continuing to show off the accurate mid-range game that was his signature throughout the season. 

Meanwhile, Kessler wrote his name in the record books as the only quarterback ever to throw that many touchdowns against the venerable Fighting Irish. 

It wasn't the first bit of history he made in 2014, either. Kessler set the program's record for most touchdowns in a game with seven against Colorado on Oct. 19.

That surpassed the previous high set by Kessler's former teammate and predecessor, Matt Barkley.  

Another record of Barkley's is in sight: 39 touchdown passes in a season, the program-best set in 2011. Kessler needs four in the Holiday Bowl, a number he's hit six times already this campaign. 

Kessler is also within striking distance of Carson Palmer's single-season passing yardage mark of 3,942 yards, and 438 yards against Nebraska would do the trick. 

Having such illustrious records within reach shows the prescience of Kessler's comments about the USC quarterback lineage made at July's Pac-12 media day.

"USC's tradition speaks for itself, and you expect that of yourself," he said. "These guys have set the bar so high, and you don't want to let them down."

Player	Season	Comp./Att. (Pct.)	Passing Yards	TD	INT
Cody Kessler	2014	292/413 (70.7)	3,505	36	4
	2013	236/362 (65.2)	2,967	20	7
Matt Barkley	2012	246/387 (63.6)	3,273	36	15
	2011	308/446 (69.1)	3,528	39 (USC record)	7
	2010	236/377 (62.6)	2,791	26	12
	2009	211/352 (2,735)	2,735	15	14
Matt Leinart	2005	283/431 (65.7)	3,815	28	8
	2004 (won Heisman)	269/412 (65.3)	3,322	33	6
	2003	255/402 (63.4)	3,556	38	9
Carson Palmer	2002 (won Heisman)	309/489 (63.2)	3,942 (USC record)	33	10
	2001	221/377 (58.6)	2,717	13	12
	2000	228/415 (54.9)	2,914	16	18

Even if Kessler falls short of breaking more records this year, he is building up to a potentially historic 2015 season.  

Should Kessler return for his redshirt senior season—and Sarkisian said it's something he'll discuss with the quarterback—he will be at the forefront of the Heisman Trophy discussion.

The case already began in earnest last month.  

"At some point, people are going to recognize him," Sarkisian said. "[His statistics] are ridiculous. ... At some point, you can't ignore it." 

As Sarkisian talked about Kessler's individual credentials, linebacker Hayes Pullard nodded his vehement approval.  

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USC has not had a Heisman finalist since Matt Leinart and running back Reggie Bush were both nominated in 2005. 

Kessler has indeed put up numbers that compare favorably with past Trojans quarterbacks who have won the sport's top individual award, including Leinart.

To wit, he's thrown more touchdowns and fewer interceptions than either Leinart or Palmer in their Heisman-winning campaigns. 

Kessler is also a more effective ball-carrier than USC has typically had in its history. While his rushing statistics (two touchdowns, minus-149 yards) hardly to bring to mind dual-threat playmakers like Oregon's Marcus Mariota or former Auburn Heisman winner Cam Newton, Sarkisian said Kessler's mobility adds a dimension to the USC offense. 

Are Kessler's astronomical statistics at least partially a byproduct of the era? Sure—when first implementing the hurry-up scheme at Washington in 2013, Sarkisian himself remarked on the astronomic numbers the USC teams of the mid-2000s could have generated in that system.  

"Ten years ago, I probably should've been running this (as the offensive coordinator at USC)," Sarkisian said, via Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. "That would've gotten Reggie [Bush] and LenDale [White] and Matt [Leinart] more chances to score more points." 

But Kessler cannot control what past USC teams did. He can only impact the Trojans' current offense, which has shown progress throughout Sarkisian's first year as head coach. 

And Kessler specifically said he's continuously gaining confidence in his ability to run the system. 

"I have seen everything, great games and bad games that helped me prepare for the future and made me more comfortable," he said. 

And the future starts Dec. 27 with USC's Holiday Bowl matchup against Nebraska. Last year's bowl game became a springboard for Kessler's impressive 2014, as he threw for a then-career-high four touchdowns in a 45-20 blowout of Fresno State.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

This year's postseason affair will also be an important gauge of where Kessler is heading into 2015. Though Nebraska is not ranked in the final College Football Playoff standings, the Holiday Bowl is a high-profile game against an opponent ranked No. 27 against the pass.  

While Kessler put up monster numbers against Colorado and Washington State—each of the Pac-12's divisional basement dwellers—as well as a sputtering Notre Dame, he struggled in the Trojans' marquee matchups with current ranked teams. 

Kessler threw just four touchdowns combined in games against Arizona State, Arizona, Utah and UCLA while three of his four interceptions on the year came in those same contests.  

After USC's win over Cal last month—the one game beyond those four in which Kessler threw an interception—he talked about a mindset critical to rebounding from mistakes. 

"I don't get rattled," he said. "What I learned at an early age from high school coach Bryan Nixon; he told me that it's over. It happened. You can't pout because you're only as good as your next play."  

The most critical facet of the 2014 season from which both Kessler and USC can apply that mentality is performance in the big games.

Either due to play-calling or through his own decision-making, Kessler went conservative against USC's tougher opponents. A more diverse offense with Kessler operating more confidently in it will prove pivotal to the Trojans' championship chances in 2015.  

And winning those games is essential for Kessler to earn individual accolades, Sarkisian pointed out. 

"That stuff comes with a team that performs consistently at a high level," he said. "I know that is what he wants more than anything."

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics courtesy of CFBstats.com and Sports-Reference.com.