Alshon Jeffery, Marcus Lattimore and the USC Gamecocks Have No Excuses This Year

If you ever have followed USC Gamecock Football, you would know that they have been a team of promise every year since 2000.

But each year since, they have brought nothing but misery to fans with losses that should have been wins, losses that made the university look at bad, and suspensions and seasons of disappointments.

Last season led by phenom Marcus Lattimore and rising Junior Alshon Jeffery, USC went on to upset No. 1 Alabama and beat Florida to win the SEC East title and clinch their first ever birth to a SEC title game.

Although a lost to Auburn in the title game and Florida State in the Chik-fil-a bowl ended the season on a bad note, 2011 seems even more promising (and more reasons for USC fans to talk) with the addition of the nations No. 1 recruit JaDeveon Clowney at the defensive end position, Stephon Gilmore returning at corner, and the recent reinstatement of Stephen Garcia at quarterback.

This SEC season like last year is gonna be pretty weak, with Alabama reloading and Cam Newton isn't here.

It's time for USC to step it up a notch and not only compete in the SEC title race again but also move to the national spotlight.

Too much talent on this team to even think about settling for mediocrity. USC has shipped  talented players the past 10 years to the NFL such as Sidney Rice, Captain Munnerlyn and Sheldon Brown who were good players on good USC teams that never got it done.

This season has boom or bust written all over USC if a 10-win season does NOT accumulate. The powers that be aren't the same.

And the only team that is as stacked as USC in the SEC, is the team that's staring at them in the mirror.

Not only expect Marcus Lattimore to have another big year, but expect Alshon Jeffery to have a even more memorable one. Heisman talk should be the norm. 

But also expect USC to make a serious run. Because if they don't, their future to be a successful program will continue to diminish.

So no excuses for USC at all this year. Get it done, or stay home.