Countdown to Kickoff: 16 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now 16 days away from kicking off another season of USC Football. We got a double shot of Trojan QBs wearing #16 this season, 5th year senior Mike McDonald and the all-world sophomore transfer Mitch Mustain...

McDonald (above) will serve as USC's holder for the 2nd straight season, and is currently the backup to senior QB John David Booty as Mark Sanchez recovers from a thumb injury sustained during the 1st scrimmage of fall camp. Mustain (below) comes to USC with an already impressive resume after transferring from the University of Arkansas. He was the #1 rated QB in the 2006 recruiting class, but transferred to USC with teammate Damien Williams following a tumultuous freshman season. He must sit this season out per NCAA rules, but Mustain is already causing a stir amongst fans. Most USC fans are split 50/50 on the race for the 2008 starting QB; there are those loyal to Sanchez, and those who are ready to anoint Mustain as the next Heisman Trophy winner (me). Whichever way you feel, it's simply amazing that USC will have 3 very good QBs, who can probably start anywhere else in the country, competing for the starting job next season.

Fight On!

The Future...

Nice little glimpse into the future of USC Football...

That's incoming freshman center Kristofer O'Dowd snapping to quarterback Mitch Mustain, and the jewel of USC's 2007 recruiting class Joe McKnight in the backfield.

These guys are going to terrorize opposing defenses in 2008.

Fight On!

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One QB arrives...another goes elsewhere

Arkansas QB Mitch Mustain, a highly touted recruit coming out of high school last year, has decided to transfer to USC. Mustain, considered by many locals to be the best player ever to come out of Arkansas, endured through a tumultuos freshman season. Mustain had always wanted to stay home and play for his hometown team, but wavered on his verbal commitment to the Razorbacks during his recruitment and did not feel entrusted by Arkansas Coach Houston Nutt and his system. He ended up signing with Arkansas last year, but that was only after Nutt hired Mustain's high school coach, Gus Malzahn, as Arkansas' offensive coordinator, perhaps in an effort to land the highly coveted recruit and save his job.

The signing of Mustain raised morale amongst the Razorbacks fans, as the general feeling was that he would take the reigns of an offense which already featured the nation's most prolific tandem at RB in Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. However, Mustain was not named the starter for the season opening 50-14 loss at home versus USC. This angered the larger than normal crowd that filled the stadium waiting to see their local hero, but they did get a quick glimpse of what could have been a very promising future. Arkansas lost big to the Trojans that night, but fans (including many Trojans) will always remember when Mustain entered the game in the 4th Quarter (video below). Mustain came in and led the Razorbacks on a quick touchdown scoring drive, and showed his talent and proved worthy enough to be promoted as the starter.

He led Arkansas to victories in its next 8 games, but was suddenly benched by Razorbacks Coach Houston Nutt despite his 8-0 record as a starter and the team's 9-1 record and 1st place standing in the SEC. This was the beginning of the end for Mustain era at Arkansas. Houston Nutt took over the play-calling duties from Gus Malzahn, and basically abandoned the passing game towards the end of the season, often using his stud RB McFadden at QB in an unbalanced, run heavy offense. Nutt's actions caused Malzahn to leave and become offensive coordinator at Tulsa. Freshman WR Damian Williams, Mustain's high school teammate at Springdale (Ark.) High, transferred to USC and arrived this spring. It appears that the presence of Williams, along with USC's recent success with QB's, is what enticed Mustain to choose 'SC. He will now sit out the 2007 season, per NCAA rules, and then battle redshirt sophomore Mark Sanchez and incoming freshman Aaron Corp for the starting job in 2008.

Elsewhere, TrojanNYC reports that USC recruit Dayne Crist, has committed to Notre Dame. Crist (pictured below) is a 6'5" QB and a senior to be at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (go figure). Don't know much about this kid, but he must not want to compete against Sanchez, Mustain, and Corp when he gets here.

Fight On!