USC Football: Who Should Trojans Start at QB in 2016?

A quarterback competition isn't unique to USC; they're happening all over college football training camps this month including elsewhere in the Pac-12 Conference. Being a first-year coach tasked with choosing a starter doesn't make Clay Helton stand out, either, since it's the same situation at several other power-conference schools such as Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.

Yet the circumstances Helton and the Trojans are dealing with this preseason still have a different feel than anywhere else.

Maybe it's because USC operates in the shadow of Hollywood, making the battle between junior Max Browne and redshirt freshman Sam Darnold feel like a casting call for the lead in a Oscar-worthy drama. Or it could be that Helton isn't the prototypical first-year coach—he's technically had the job since October—and thus isn't being afforded the usual amount of slack.

Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: whoever Helton ends up going with could end up being the defining moment of his coaching career.

According to Kyle Bonagura of ESPN.com, Helton has said he'll make that decision on Aug. 20, two weeks before USC opens the 2016 season against defending national champion Alabama in Arlington, Texas. Between now and then everything about Browne and Darnold will be evaluated, with each passer given an equal shot to show their merit.

There's a lot to like about each option. Browne is the patient veteran, in his fourth year with the program and coming off two seasons as Cody Kessler's backup. Darnold is the latest in a long line of well-regarded quarterback prospects the Trojans have signed in their history, a 4-star prospect from the 2015 class who came in at the same time as Ricky Town but moved up the depth chart quickly and likely contributed to Town's decision to transfer to Arkansas.

But there's also not much game data to go on. Browne appeared in only nine contests the past two seasons, just three in 2015 and none after Helton replaced Steve Sarkisian as interim coach. Darnold's last action in a real game came in December 2014 with San Clemente (California) High School.

That makes the practices and scrimmages this month so critical to the decision process. USC scrimmaged in full pads on Wednesday, with Browne completing 10 of 21 passes with an interception while Darnold was 15-of-21 with a passing touchdown and a rushing score per Joey Kaufman of the Orange County Register.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

"Darnold has continued to build a case to be named the Trojans’ starting quarterback when their season opens next month against Alabama," Kaufman wrote. "And at least on this day, there seemed to be evidence that he had the edge over Max Browne."

Helton isn't showing his hand, though. He told the Los Angeles Daily News' Scott Wolf that Darnold is “getting a little bit more consistent” while Browne “has been pretty consistent,” sounding like a politician unwilling to take a stand on a key campaign issue.

Such competitions can bring out the worst in some people, especially with those in high-pressure positions like quarterback. USC is incredibly fortunate in that area since all signs indicate Browne and Darnold have become BFFs amid their head-to-head clash.

Junior wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster told Uggetti the bond between Browne and Darnold is so close they would "marry" each other if given the chance.

"Honestly, they're like best friends," Smith-Schuster said. "They're doing everything together."

That likely means whoever loses out in the competition won't have hard feelings, which is a major bonus if Helton ends up having to make a change at starter during the course of the season. It's not a guarantee, though, and with the prevalence of quarterback transfers in college football there's always a risk that one or both guys might look elsewhere after this season.

Name	Max Browne	Sam Darnold
Year	Redshirt junior	Redshirt freshman
Height, weight	6'5", 220 lbs	6'4", 225 lbs
Recruiting rank	11th (2013)	147th (2015)

Just look at Texas A&M, which lost both Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray to transfer after 2015, despite each getting opportunities to start. USC hasn't been immune to the QB transfer trend, not just last year with Town but also Max Wittek (to Hawaii) before the 2014 season. Helton was offensive coordinator for each of those Trojans teams.

Helton doesn't have the luxury of a cream puff opener that he could use as an extension of the evaluation period. Whoever he picks to face an Alabama defense that returns its top four sack recorders and players who made 13 of the team's 19 interceptions will probably have to go the distance unless the game gets out of hand.

That's why going with Browne makes the most sense. He's the more experienced of the two and the least likely to get rattled, or to have trouble moving on from what could be a very rough performance. Throwing Darnold out there against the Crimson Tide could ruin him, and it could also disenfranchise Browne and make him feel like his loyalty to the program meant nothing.

Browne earned his degree in December, and a few months prior he told former Orange County Register writer Michael Lev he was "100 percent committed" to staying at USC. Helton should reward Browne for this dedication unless he does something in the next week to hurt his case.

All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports, unless otherwise noted. All statistics provided by CFBStats, unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.