Why Alabama OC Doug Nussmeier Should Be Considered for the USC Coaching Vacancy

USC football needs something fresh, new and exciting … USC needs Alabama offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. (Calm down Trojan fans, that’s Nussmeier, not Neuheisel.)

Doug Nussmeier (aka “Nuss” aka “The Nuss” aka “The Nuss-maker” aka “Slippery Pete”) joined Alabama as OC and QB coach in 2012. He had previously spent several years at the University of Washington in the same role under head coach Steve Sarkisian.

The Nuss is known for producing a consistently balanced and highly lethal offense. In his first year at Alabama, taking over for Jim McElwain, who left for the top job at Colorado State, Nussmeier’s offense set school records for TDs, points, offensive yards, passing TDs, and was the first Crimson Tide team to rush and pass for over 3,000 yards. Despite losing three offensive lineman and running back Eddie Lacy to the NFL, the Tide are averaging 35 ppg through four games this season, just a notch below last year’s 38 ppg.

In his first year at Washington, Nussmeier inherited one of the worst offenses in the country (118th) and helped mold a young Jake Locker and freshman Chris Polk into future pros, as well as bolstering what was a meek Washington offense. The Nuss also killed it at Fresno State, and if you’re keeping score, the 42-year old has learned from the following coaches: Nick Saban, Steve Sarkisian and Pat Hill, three guys who have achieved a modicum of success at the college level.

Developing QBs? Nussmeier is your guy: Tom Brandstater at Fresno State (had a cup of coffee in the NFL), Locker (starting, but injured in Tennessee) and now AJ McCarron, who will be drafted next year. One of USC’s major issues the last few years? Quarterback. What happened to Matt Barkley’s senior year? Lane Kiffin happened. The offense is currently unwatchable, and for a school with such a rich history of outstanding QB play, that’s completely unacceptable.

Before you go all crazy about NFL experience (which is actually irrelevant) he also spent two years with the Rams as the QB coach and runs a pro-style offense.

The same argument goes with the lack of USC ties – who the hell cares? Pete Carroll had no USC ties. What are Nick Saban’s ties to Alabama? What were Chip Kelly’s to Oregon?

[To the 17 of you crippled by the loss of Layla Kiffin – Nussmeier is playing above the rim, too.]

Why waste time going after Kevin Sumlin (probably NFL-bound) or Chris Petersen (how many schools does he have to reject before people get the picture?), when you could poach a guy who knows the West Coast and knows offense?

Oh, and P.S., he insisted Sark offer current USC QB Max Browne, at age 13 in the eighth grade, claiming the kid would be special (four years before Browne won Gatorade National Player of the year and before Browne had taken a snap in high school)… the man is a genius.