Southern California
4th PAC-128-5
Hawaii
3rd Western Athletic10-3
Southern California @ Hawaii preview
Aloha Stadium
USC, bruised and battered from a turbulent offseason that saw the departure of Pete Carroll as coach and NCAA sanctions that resulted in a two-year bowl ban, opens the season Thursday night in the tropical paradise of Hawaii.
Lane Kiffin, a former Carroll assistant, takes over a program that won 83 games in nine seasons under his former boss. Kiffin, 35, the second-youngest coach in Football Bowl Subdivision, has won only 12 in his head coaching career, which includes one season with the Oakland Raiders and one with the Tennessee Volunteers.
It is USC’s first trip to Hawaii since 2005, when the Trojans rolled to a 63-17 victory in Aloha Stadium. USC, 6-0 all-time against Hawaii, has scored at least 61 points in each of the last three meetings.
Marc Tyler is the surprise starter at tailback for USC. He considered transferring at the start of fall camp after being No. 5 on the depth chart, but Tyler’s father, Wendell, a former UCLA and NFL running back, convinced his son to stay.
How long Tyler holds on to the job is up for debate. Prized freshman Dillon Baxter, who enrolled at USC in January and made several highlight plays during spring practice, was suspended for the opener after violating team rules.
Improved play by sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley is critical to USC’s success. Barkley was inconsistent as a freshman. He had 15 touchdown passes but had 14 passes intercepted as the Trojans finished 9-4, the most losses since the 2001 team went 6-6 in Carroll’s first season as coach.
Hawaii is coming off a disappointing 6-7 season that left coach Greg McMackin on the hot seat. The Warriors, who experienced great success under former coach June Jones, missed playing in a bowl game for the first time since 2005.
It probably didn’t help that Jones guided Southern Methodist to victory in the Hawaii Bowl in only his second season as SMU's coach.
McMackin hired Mouse Davis as receivers coach in the offseason in an attempt to jump-start the Warriors’ offense. The popular Davis, a Hawaii assistant from 2004-06, is one of the architects of the run-and-shoot offense. Davis will help offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich with play calling.
Bryant Moniz returns as starting quarterback. He was thrust into the roll in 2009 after a season-ending injury to Greg Alexander. Moniz, like Barkley, was inconsistent. He threw 14 touchdown passes but had 10 passes intercepted.
Lane Kiffin, a former Carroll assistant, takes over a program that won 83 games in nine seasons under his former boss. Kiffin, 35, the second-youngest coach in Football Bowl Subdivision, has won only 12 in his head coaching career, which includes one season with the Oakland Raiders and one with the Tennessee Volunteers.
It is USC’s first trip to Hawaii since 2005, when the Trojans rolled to a 63-17 victory in Aloha Stadium. USC, 6-0 all-time against Hawaii, has scored at least 61 points in each of the last three meetings.
Marc Tyler is the surprise starter at tailback for USC. He considered transferring at the start of fall camp after being No. 5 on the depth chart, but Tyler’s father, Wendell, a former UCLA and NFL running back, convinced his son to stay.
How long Tyler holds on to the job is up for debate. Prized freshman Dillon Baxter, who enrolled at USC in January and made several highlight plays during spring practice, was suspended for the opener after violating team rules.
Improved play by sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley is critical to USC’s success. Barkley was inconsistent as a freshman. He had 15 touchdown passes but had 14 passes intercepted as the Trojans finished 9-4, the most losses since the 2001 team went 6-6 in Carroll’s first season as coach.
Hawaii is coming off a disappointing 6-7 season that left coach Greg McMackin on the hot seat. The Warriors, who experienced great success under former coach June Jones, missed playing in a bowl game for the first time since 2005.
It probably didn’t help that Jones guided Southern Methodist to victory in the Hawaii Bowl in only his second season as SMU's coach.
McMackin hired Mouse Davis as receivers coach in the offseason in an attempt to jump-start the Warriors’ offense. The popular Davis, a Hawaii assistant from 2004-06, is one of the architects of the run-and-shoot offense. Davis will help offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich with play calling.
Bryant Moniz returns as starting quarterback. He was thrust into the roll in 2009 after a season-ending injury to Greg Alexander. Moniz, like Barkley, was inconsistent. He threw 14 touchdown passes but had 10 passes intercepted.