Is Carroll’s QB Choice That Surprising?

USC’s Pete Carroll is known as a coach who takes risks. After losing his golden boy Mark Sanchez to the NFL after just one year as the Trojan’s leader, he was presented with a choice: does he put his faith in Aaron Corp, the returning player with the most experience…or does he put he start Mitch Mustain, a transfer who is probably talented enough to be the easy starter choice at most other Pac-10 schools…or does he embrace Matt Barkley, a freshman with no experience, but with enough talent and skill to keep up with Corp at practice?

Today, Carroll announced that the starting position would belong to Barkley when the team plays San Jose State on September 5. At the end of spring training, Carroll had announced that Corp would be the team’s starting quarterback for Week One, so many people seem surprised by this new development. Come on, people…you didn’t see this coming?

Corp and Barkley competing at practice. Image: Newscom

Number one, although Corp was promised the starting job last spring, I’ve noted before that the practice was one of competition over the past month. It wasn’t a secret that Carroll was working out all three players as though they may be starting.

Number two, Carroll was visibility and vocally upset at the end of last season when Sanchez made it public that he was going to enter the draft. I don’t blame him. He spent a year building up someone who he thought would be with his team for at least two seasons. The Trojans were good last year. Maybe with a returning Sanchez, they could have been great this year – maybe even national champions. So, it makes sense that Carroll would go with a younger quarterback who is going to give him two or three years at least. Corp, on the other hand, could pull a Sanchez at the end of the season.

Number three? Boy’s got talent. To be a freshman and convince a coach that you should lead USC, you have to be good. Carroll has said that Barkley has the “temperament to handle the position” as well. The players like him. He’s not an ass. Those things count.

Oh, and I thought I had just three points…but number four, let’s not forget that Corp is coming off of an injury. He broke a bone in he leg on August 10 and missed two weeks of practice. In the weeks leading up to your first game, that’s major.

Carroll has noted that the competition will continue, but he’s also said that Barkley isn’t just the team’s one-game starter. He’s going to give the guy a chance, even if he’s not so good during Week One. I have to say, though, if the Trojans lose against San Jose State, Carroll might be singing a different tune.