USC’S Coaching Debacle & Future NCAA Football Odds Analysis

Posted by Daniel Strum on Friday,October 16, 2015 11:42, EDT in

After carefully considering what was in the best of interest for the University and its football program, University of Southern California came to a decision to fire coach Steve Sarkisian at the start of this week to the shock of College football odds fans. In a statement given by USC Athletic Director Pat Haden, the termination was to begin immediately; meaning Sarkisian would cease his coaching responsibilities soon after the announcement. A day before the termination, Sarkisian was subject to an indefinite leave of absence after he appeared for practice seemingly drunk.

An Insider’s NCAA Football Odds Analysis of USC’S Coaching Debacle & Future

The drunken issue was not a new thing for the coach. He has been going through a divorce that may have driven him to alcohol and painkillers, consequently leading to indecent behavior, such as the display at Troy function in August. His struggles later manifested in the 42-14 win over Arizona State on September 26, where he was suspected by his staff to have been under the influence of alcohol.

The End of Sarkisian’s Era

However, it is his shaky start to the 2015 NCAAF betting season that has largely contributed to his firing, with the personal problems merely acting as a fuel to his hot seat. The former BYU quarterback went 9-4 in his first season as a coach for the Trojans last season after being hired at the end of 2013 campaign.

Following that season, the Trojans invested heavily in recruiting stellar talents to work with the already solid group, led by the cannon-armed QB Cody Kessler. Six weeks into the season, the Trojans are 3-2 (1-2 in Pac-12) on the season, with the two defeats both coming at home. The worst of those defeats was of course their Week 6 upset loss to the lowly Washington Huskies, a 17-12 loss that saw the Trojans struggle mightily on both ends of the field. After such a performance, and coupled with his personal indiscretions with the alcohol and all, USC saw it better to lay off the coach. And with that, a high-profile coaching position is up for grabs, one which we project its top candidates in the section below:

Candidates Up For Replacing Steve Sarkisian

Unless the Trojans revive their season under the interim coach Clay Helton, they will have gone seven seasons without a Pac-12 Conference title. Their past two hires have been good-looking and young coaches, but with not much results in the college football lines. This time they need to get it right or else USC will wind up in oblivion of bad results that have claimed far too many football powerhouses like Stanford and Tennessee over the years. That said, here are a few candidates that have, so far, been linked to take over the vacant position 

Chip Kelly

If the Trojans can convince him to ditch the Eagles in the NFL, he could easily bring his tried-and-tested spread offense skills to the resourcefully-endowed Trojans that would perfectly match the needs in the team. This could like the case of Nick Saban joining Alabama from Miami Dolphins and getting much success after struggling in the NFL, like Kelly is doing now in Philly. The only uncertainty is whether or not Kelly would be willing to leave the NFL. Still, it is an opportunity worthy of consideration. 

Brian Kelly

It looks almost impossible seeing Kelly leaving Notre Dame for a team that has been a fierce rival for the Fighting Irish nearly every season. Even so, he would be an excellent choice that would bring maturity and excellence to the Trojans. He has been quoted this year lamenting about how the Fighting Irish job is a tough one, especially in regards to academics, and how pressure from outside makes it difficult to coach the team as he’d love to do. Plus, he has been on record saying that it would be impossible for him to be at Notre Dame for 15 years. Having been at Notre Dame for six years, an upgrade to USC would certainly be alluring enough for him to jump ship in the quest for change.

Kevin Sumlin

The last time there was an opening for this position, both USC and Sumlin seemed to have a common interest, but things didn’t work out.  At the moment, he looks well settled with the unbeaten Aggies, so it’s hard to believe he’d leave the Texas A&M facility and the players he has brought in to work with the embattled Trojans. But on the bright side, USC equally has talented players and, unlike Texas A&M that faces stiff competition in the top-heavy SEC, the Pac-12 Conference is always open for the taking nearly every season, thus offering him a more viable shot at winning championships.

Jeff Fisher

Fisher’s major setback is the lack of coaching experience in college football. In addition, the Trojans may have reservations about bringing back their school hero on a coach, fearing he may take back the institution to the Pete Carroll days. That said, Fisher has a good understanding of the media and the Trojan system, and additionally boats of the ability to bring in a staff that will help him to manage USC properly. But then again, he isn’t doing too badly with the St. Louis Rams in the simplistic NFL world, so convincing him to come back to the dizzying world of college football won’t be easy. 

Bob Stoops

After 17 years at the helm of Oklahoma, it may just be time for Stoops to move on. His track record as a stellar coach is irrefutable, and the same goes for his reputation as a true disciplinarian with a good work ethic. With things starting to look in Oklahoma, the Trojans would make for an absolute fun-filled place to join.

Pat Fitzgerald

This guy is just 40 but has a 10-year proven record in the game, making him a good candidate for the transitioning Trojan team. His record may just be 65-54, but he is generally successful in light of Northwestern’s history. Plus, he is highly regarded by his peers, a factor that would help bring back discipline to the Trojan camp. Any team he coaches usually plays committed football and his coaching knowledge of a private school is also an added advantage. The only hindrance is whether or not he can leave the comfort of his home town.

Other possible candidates include Mike Gundy, Troy Calhoun, Justin Fuente and Dan Mullen.

On a final note, we’d like to wish Sarkisian all the best in his future endeavors. He certainly gave us a handful of memories worthy of being cherished. After breaking his silence since being fired to reveal that he still supports the Trojans despite going through a time, all we can do is hope that things will work out well for him.