USC's Offense in 2012 Has a Chance to Be One of the Best in College Football History
By Jason McIntyre
Everybody loves LSU this season – the defense will be nasty – but the Trojans, despite a rough schedule, should have the best offense in the country and make the National Title game.
Returning:
QB Matt Barkley – 69 percent completions, 3,528 yards, 39 TDs, 7 INTs
RB Curtis McNeal 1,005 yards, 6 TDs
RB Silas Redd 1,241 yards, 7 TDs (with Penn State)
WR Robert Woods 111 catches, 1,292 yards, 15 TDs
WR Marquise Lee 73 catches, 1,143 yards, 11 TDs
Let’s compare the 2012 USC offense to that legendary 2001 Miami Hurricanes, arguably the most stacked team in college football history:
QB: Ken Dorsey (2,652 yards, 26 TDs)
RB: Clinton Portis (1,254 yards), Frank Gore (575 yards, 9.1 ypc), Willis McGahee (327 yards)
WR: Andre Johnson (10 TDs), Ethenic Sands (385 yards)
TE: Jeremy Shockey (519 yards), Kellen Winslow (34 yards)
The 2001 Hurricanes averaged 43.2 ppg and 6.6 yards per play on offense. The offense was a machine, and the defense produced the following NFL players: LB Jonathan Vilma, DT William Joseph, CB Philip Buchanon, S Sean Taylor (RIP), DT Vince Wilfork, S Antrel Rolle, LB DJ Williams and S Ed Reed.
A better comparison is to the 2005 USC team. The Trojans were absolutely loaded, played one of the best games in the sport in the last 20 years against Notre Dame, and then lost in the title game to Vince Young. The USC offense that year was as prolific as college football has ever seen:
QB: Matt Leinart (3,815 yards, 28 TDs)
RB: Reggie Bush (1,777 yards), LenDale White (1,319 yards, 24 TDs)
WR: Dwayne Jarrett (1,274 yards), Steve Smith (957 yards)
That team – which topped 50 points in seven games – averaged 7.5 yards per play.