USC Football: Holiday Wish List for the Trojans

The 2014 campaign was something of a feeling-out period for USC football. First-year head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff worked with a young Trojans roster, and they navigated a road with its share of bumps.

The coming offseason is a pivotal one for Sarkisian. It took much of this past year for the program to discover its personality, which wide receiver John "JuJu" Smith said is "great."

"When [negative] stuff goes down...and then [our ability to keep] bouncing back, it's great," he said.

If this year was about the Trojans discovering their identity under Sarkisian, next year is about building upon what they learned.

Prospects for a breakout 2015 season are bright and could only get brighter in the coming months, so long as a few things break in the Trojans' favor.

Holiday Bowl Statement Win

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An emphatic defeat of Nebraska in Saturday's Holiday Bowl accomplishes a number of things for USC.

The graduating seniors and NFL-bound early departures can exit the program with a final victory. Currently sitting at No. 24 in the College Football Playoff rankings, a big win over the Cornhuskers could also conceivably propel the Trojans to a top-20 finish.

As for building to 2015, dominating a Nebraska team with an interim head coach sends USC out of Year 1 under Sarkisian and into Year 2 with positive momentum.

Running back Justin Davis told me that a strong bowl showing could carry over into 2015; it certainly beats heading into next season with a loss.

Draft-Eligible Players Returning

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Buildup to the 2015 season starts on the recruiting trail, and Sarkisian's recruiting efforts start internally. 

Sarkisian saw the importance of retaining draft-eligible players who might be borderline NFL draft picks last year, and keeping such players in the fold next season will be vital to shaping the roster.

Wide receiver Marqise Lee's early exit a year ago was to be expected; losing offensive lineman Marcus Martin, defensive lineman George Uko, tight end Xavier Grimble and safety Dion Bailey was perhaps more surprising. 

This year, USC could lose wide receiver Nelson Agholor, defensive lineman Leonard Williams and running back Javorius "Buck" Allen despite each having one year of eligibility remaining. Like Lee a year ago, all three pursuing the NFL should be expected.

But the more critical losses in 2014 were those of Bailey, Uko, Grimble and Martin, all of whom would have played pivotal roles in the past season. In the same vein, quarterback Cody Kessler and wide receiver George Farmer could test the professional waters.

However, a big 2015 awaits should they return to USC.

Hype for Kessler's redshirt senior season began in earnest following his six-touchdown game against Notre Dame. 

Farmer was a breakout player down the stretch, recording 207 of his 310 receiving yards in the final four games. He capped the regular season with a pair of scores against Notre Dame. 

"His comfort level in the scheme and understanding what we're doing has definitely evolved," Sarkisian said. 

With Agholor likely bound for the NFL, there will be plenty of unaccounted for catches to be had, which means more opportunities for Farmer to shine in 2015.

Top-Five Recruiting Finish

USC's first recruiting class with a full allotment of scholarship in three years is coming together nicely. Of 18 commitments, 5-star offensive lineman Chuma Edoga and 4-star quarterback Ricky Town lead the group.

The Trojans sit atop the Pac-12 rankings, and should they remain there come national signing day, it would be Sarkisian's second No. 1 finish on the recruiting trail in as many years with the program.

But the ceiling for USC's recruiting haul is higher than simply best in the Pac-12.

When the Trojans dominated the national landscape in the 2000s, then-head coach Pete Carroll routinely finished at or near the top of the national recruiting rankings. 

In fact, per Rivals.com, USC finished No. 1 in recruiting every year from 2004 through 2006 and no lower than No. 3 from 2003 through 2007. 

The 2015 USC recruiting class is currently ranked No. 8 but has plenty of room to climb. 

Sarkisian and Co. are targeting several high-profile prospects, including 5-star cornerback Iman Marshall. The standout from Long Beach Poly in Long Beach, California, tweeted a photo of himself in a Trojans jacket last week.  

"

Get Ya Money Up 💰 pic.twitter.com/uRsNLqXDMm

— Biggie (@iman_marshall8) December 18, 2014"

USC has its sights set on other top-tier recruits in Southern California, like the Junipero Serra duo of linebacker John Houston and tackle Rasheem Green.

Healthy Offseason

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Injuries hit the 2014 Trojans hard before they ever took a snap.

A backfield that once looked to be replete with options was thinned for the year when running back Tre Madden was lost just before the season opener. The defensive line's depth also took a major hit when Kenny Bigelow tore his ACL in July. A month later, the linebacker corps lost Jabari Ruffin.

Even with a full recruiting class on its way, the Trojans' roster will not be back to pre-sanction size immediately. 

Thus, maintaining a healthy lineup is still of utmost importance in 2015—particularly given the flux of freshmen means a premium on experience. Having a solid corps of game-tested veterans ready and available to take the lead into next season will be key.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics courtesy of CFBstats.com. Recruiting rankings and information via 247Sports.com composite scores.