Trojans vow to fight on
Few expected to look into transfers
LOS ANGELES – Captain Compete will have to put away the mask and the Speedo for a little while at Southern California. In the wake of the NCAA’s crushing sanctions, the Trojans don’t know whether they’ll ever get back to their unique version of normal.
Alumnus Will Ferrell’s superhero alter ego used to show up at occasional Trojans practices to urge his favorite football team to fight on. Next season, most alumni won’t even be allowed on the sidelines.
On an otherwise quiet Friday on USC’s downtown campus, the Trojans still were adjusting to their new reality – two years without a bowl, sharp scholarship restrictions, four years of probation and other sanctions that will make USC’s return to prominence awfully daunting.
Although the NCAA will allow juniors and seniors to transfer without sitting out a season, few are expected to explore the possibilities, according to quarterback Matt Barkley and other players.
Although the NCAA’s report said the governing body was troubled by the culture around the athletic department, the Trojans have vowed to fight the football sanctions – and embattled athletic director Mike Garrett apparently hasn’t backed down.
“As I read the decision by the NCAA … I read between the lines, and there was nothing but a lot of envy,” Garrett reportedly told Bay Area boosters.
“They wish they all were Trojans. … Today I really got a purpose for wanting to dominate for another 10 years.”