Matt Barkley Stays at USC: Why He and Trojans WRs Will Be Unstoppable in 2012

Here's what you do if you have USC on your schedule for the 2012 college football season. Get a red pen, go to the calendar and fill in the box with a big red "L."

Seriously, this team is going to accomplish some pretty big things next year.

Senior quarterback Matt Barkley is returning instead of going to the NFL draft a year early. This now completes one of the best teams on paper heading into next season.

But the problem is, we're not just jumping to conclusions; we've seen what this team is capable of this season. Every member of this offense is eligible to return next season except full back Rhett Ellison. And USC isn't on punishment anymore, so they will be able to enjoy all of their success in the postseason. 

Barkley is coming off of his most impressive season of his career, completing 69 percent of his passes for over 3,500 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also limited his interceptions by only throwing seven. He threw a combined 26 the two years before.

The senior quarterback is still going to have Robert Woods, Marqise Lee and D.J. Morgan to throw the ball to. He also received another weapon when 4-star wide receiver Darreus Rogers committed to the Trojans earlier this season.

Despite being on probation this season, they had the 15th-best passing game in the country, averaging 294 yards in the air. The offense was one of the most explosive in the country, as they scored nearly 36 points per contest.

They went toe-to-toe with Stanford this season with Andrew Luck and company. They beat Oregon and the Ducks high-flying attack, as they dropped 38 on them. That was the second-most points scored on the Ducks all year, besides the 40 LSU scored in Week 1.

The Trojans were so explosive this season. Despite their two losses this year, many critics were willing to put them in the national championship if they weren't banned from the postseason. Who knows who would have won the Pac-12 if USC wasn't on probation this year.

Now we don't have to guess; it's all about to unfold when next season kicks off.

Oregon, who is likely the only team that will challenge USC next year, has just lost running back LaMichael James to the NFL. The Trojans are returning nearly everybody.

Be afraid, college football, be very afraid.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]