Where Will Matt Barkley End Up Among the Top USC Quarterbacks Ever?
The USC Trojans football program has always been known best for its long lineage of legendary running backs. With the likes of O.J. Simpson, Marcus Allen, Charles White and Reggie Bush, among others, on the football honor roll, 'SC has clearly earned the moniker of "Tailback U."
As distinguished as the Trojans tradition is, the program has only recently become a breeding ground for high-quality college quarterbacks.
The latest student-athlete to take over under center for 'SC is Matt Barkley.
The junior-to-be out of Santa Ana Mater Dei has performed remarkably well thus far through his college career, but where might he end up among the best of the Trojans' newly revived quarterbacking tradition?
Barkley's Been Statistically Solid So Far
1 of 10
Just two years into his Trojan career, Matt Barkley already looks to be well on his way to putting his stamp all over the school record books.
First and foremost among Barkley's accomplishments is the fact that he was the first true freshman in USC's long and storied history to start a season opener. Granted, Barkley didn't exactly set the world on fire, throwing for a solid but not spectacular 2,735 yards and 15 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.
However, clutch performances in some key games, including an early-season win over Ohio State at the Horseshoe in Columbus, gave fans a glimpse of Barkley's capabilities.
Barkley's play improved during his sophomore year, despite playing under the cloud of NCAA sanctions and without the prospect of a bowl game at the end of the season. In 11 games, Barkley threw for 2,791 yards and 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing nearly 63 percent of his passes.
Young Matthew Has Already Made His Mark in School Record Books
2 of 10
As seemingly modest as Barkley's statistics have been through his first two seasons, they still place him rather prominently among USC's pantheon of passers.
His career total of 5,526 passing yards already stands as the fifth-most by any quarterback in school history, behind only Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Rodney Peete and Rob Johnson.
He also ranks fifth among all-time Trojan quarterbacks in touchdown passes, tied with current New York Jets star Mark Sanchez with 41.
So, with possibly two years left to go in his college career, how does Matt Barkley stack up to those ahead of him?
(Note: the following list of quarterbacks is not intended as a ranking, but instead as a rough chronology.)
Pat Haden
3 of 10
Perhaps no quarterback is thought of more highly by USC alumni and other old-time Trojans fans than Pat Haden.
In three years, two of them as a starter, under legendary coach John McKay, Haden played in three Rose Bowls, earning the game MVP in 1975, and led the Trojans to two national championships.
As if that resume weren't impressive enough, Haden was also an excellent student, earning a Rhodes Scholarship after graduating.
While Barkley won't have the opportunity to match Haden's greater accomplishments, he has already far overshadowed Haden statistically, as the current athletic director posted 3,288 yards and 33 touchdowns in his time under center in LA.
Then again, the forward passing game was still in its infancy back in Haden's heyday in the 1970s.
Paul McDonald
4 of 10
Trojans football fans often refer nostalgically to Paul McDonald as one of the best quarterbacks in USC history.
McDonald was selected as an All-American in 1979 after leading 'SC to a share of the national championship in 1978.
Statistically, Barkley is already well ahead of McDonald, who had 4,138 yards and 37 touchdowns in two seasons as the starter in Los Angeles. However, Barkley still has a ways to go before becoming the All-American and national champion that McDonald was.
Todd Marinovich
5 of 10
Few would think to include Todd Marinovich among the all-time quarterbacking greats at USC, but his circumstances quite closely mirror those of Matt Barkley, at least thus far.
Like Barkley, Marinovich began his high school career as the quarterback at Mater Dei, becoming the first freshman to ever start in a high school football game in Orange County. Though Marinovich ultimately moved on to Capistrano Valley High in Mission Viejo, he still finished his high school career as the most prolific passer in high school football history, throwing for 9,914 yards in his four years.
As such, Marinovich entered the 'SC football program with a veritable boatload of hype and lofty expectations, just as Barkley did in 2009.
Marinovich even preceded Barkley as the first freshman to start a season opener for the Trojans, though he, unlike Barkley, had already spent a red-shirt year in the program prior to his first snap.
That first season was the stuff of legend, with Marinovich leading the Trojans to a 9-2-1 record, a Pac-10 conference crown and a win in the 1990 Rose Bowl over Michigan. Thanks to that success, Marinovich was named the College Football Freshman of the Year in 1989 and a first-team All-Pac-10 performer, not to mention the fact that he received a personal request from former President Ronald Reagan for an in-home visit.
Unfortunately, Marinovich struggled to replicate his freshman year success, with personal problems–drug use, academic improprieties and clashes with head coach Larry Smith–leading him to leave school after only two active years in the program.
Nonetheless, Marinovich finished his USC career with 5,001 yards and 29 touchdowns–numbers that Barkley has already surpassed. Assuming Barkley's life off the field holds up, he should be able to zoom even further past Marinovich's totals.
Rodney Peete
6 of 10
Before Marinovich made a name for himself at USC, it was Rodney Peete who was reviving the quarterbacking quality downtown.
A remarkable athlete who also starred on the school's baseball team under legendary coach Rod Dedeaux, Peete was 'SC's first gunslinger under center, shattering just about every Trojans passing record, including yards (8,225) and touchdowns (54).
Aside from statistics, Peete led the Trojans to two Rose Bowl appearances, was the Heisman runner-up his senior year (losing to Barry Sanders) and became the first Trojan to win the Johnny Unitas Award, which is given each year to the best senior quarterback in the country.
Oh, and he twice beat Troy Aikman's UCLA Bruins.
Barkley has already matched Peete's win total over the Trojans' crosstown rivals and, barring injury, should eclipse Peete's statistical accomplishments next season.
However, because of NCAA sanctions, Barkley will never be able to match Peete's Rose Bowl appearances.
Rob Johnson
7 of 10
Peete's records, as remarkable as they were at the time, didn't stand for long once Rob Johnson got his shot to start at USC.
Johnson played on some loaded Trojan teams in the 1990s, putting up 8,472 yards and 58 touchdowns while completing passes to the likes of Keyshawn Johnson, Curtis Conway and Johnnie Morton.
However, with Johnson's lone marquee postseason win coming in a 55-14 thrashing of Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl, Matt Barkley has an excellent chance to surpass Johnson's USC legacy in terms of statistics as well as prestige.
Carson Palmer
8 of 10
Give credit to Carson Palmer for being one of the major catalysts behind the most recent Pete Carroll-led dynasty at USC, of which Matt Barkley came with the intention of being a part.
Despite being only the second person to ever start at quarterback as a freshman at USC, Palmer didn't exactly set the world on fire during his first three seasons.
It wasn't until Norm Chow came to LA that Palmer became a Heisman-worthy quarterback, throwing for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns while leading the Trojans to a 38-17 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2003 Orange Bowl.
By the end of his career, Palmer had left Rob Johnson's numbers in the dust, finishing with 11,818 yards and 72 touchdowns to establish new school records once again.
As impressive as Palmer's resume may be, with a Heisman Trophy and an Orange Bowl victory to his credit, Barkley has a legitimate chance to eclipse Palmer in the annals of Trojans football history, assuming he continues to improve at quarterback under Lane Kiffin.
Matt Leinart
9 of 10
Matt Barkley may be more talented than Matt Leinart was, and he may have had a more decorated career at Mater Dei than Leinart did, but he would be hard-pressed to surpass Leinart as the most decorated quarterback in USC football history—regardless of how spotlessly clean the school's record books are wiped thanks to the Reggie Bush fiasco.
Let's do a quick rundown of Leinart's accomplishments at 'SC.
In terms of games played, Leinart went 37-2 as the Trojans' starting quarterback while leading the team to back-to-back national championships (one from the Associated Press, the other from the BCS) and BCS bowl appearances in each of his three seasons as USC's starting quarterback under Pete Carroll.
Statistically, Leinart accounted for 10,693 passing yards, the second most in school history behind Carson Palmer, and 99 touchdowns, easily the most in school history, while throwing only 23 interceptions.
Individually, Leinart earned MVP honors in USC's trouncing of Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl for the 2005 BCS National Championship, capping a wildly successful season for which he won the Heisman as a junior.
Additionally, Leinart finished third in the Heisman vote behind teammate Reggie Bush and Texas quarterback Vince Young the following season, and might just have won it again if not for Bush's spectacular season.
Again, tough for Barkley to live up to.
So How Does Barkley Stack Up?
10 of 10
Statistically, Matt Barkley should have no problem leaving his prints all over USC's record books, assuming he stays healthy and doesn't leave school early.
Barkley's numbers already place him as the fifth-most prolific passer in school history, so another season or two of continued improvement on the field should have him in the top two or three by the time he's done.
On the other hand, USC football, with its rich history of national championships, conference titles and Heisman Trophy winners, has always been much more about winning than putting up gaudy numbers.
And, unfortunately for Barkley, he may turn out to be a victim of circumstance when it comes to meaningful victories.
Through two seasons, Barkley's record as a starting quarterback–16-9–is no match for any of the quarterbacks mentioned on this list.
And because of the school's current NCAA sanctions, Barkley won't have the opportunity to lead the Trojans to a BCS bowl until his senior season, assuming he does not jump to the NFL before then.
Thus, even if Barkley goes on to shatter every statistical mark previously set by Palmer and Leinart, his legacy will be unfortunately be limited by his lack of postseason splendor.
