Matt Barkley’s legacy is already complete. Even had he opted to forego his final season of eligibility in favor of the N.F.L., Barkley would have joined U.S.C.’s illustrious line of larger-than-life greats: Haden, Simpson, White, Palmer, Leinart, Barkley. For Barkley, the legacy went beyond the numbers — the best by any quarterback in program history — to his value to this current run of probation-ravaged Trojans; putting the team on his back, Barkley carried U.S.C. beyond the N.C.A.A. sanctions and back into the national picture. Yet he wanted — and wants — more.
Barkley wants to be a legend. He wants to be an all-time great. He wants to end his four-year run as U.S.C.’s quarterback as the best at his position in program history; he wants to be the best player in program history, in short.
Barkley’s accumulated enough goodwill over the last three years to make him a shoo-in for a spot on U.S.C.’s Mount Rushmore. That he decided to return for his senior year merely adds another layer to the ever-growing legend: with an N.F.L. paycheck on deck, Barkley pushed his arrival date back 12 months.
Was it that hard a decision? On paper, Barkley weighed two options: one more year of fun and sun, knowing that the N.F.L. isn’t going anywhere, or spending 2012, and the foreseeable future, as the quarterback of the Washington Redskins — or the Cleveland Browns, or the Indianapolis Colts, or whomever. That doesn’t seem like too hard a decision, though those millions sure sound good right now…
But Barkley doesn’t want to be a legend. Matt Leinart’s a legend, though his starring role has since been diminished thanks to the N.C.A.A. infractions that occurred over his multiple seasons in the starting lineup; Reggie Bush’s errors have infected that entire era of U.S.C. dominance.
Carson Palmer’s a legend not just for the Heisman, but also for his turn as the first star of Pete Carroll’s star-studded tenure. O.J. Simpson’s a legend… but no longer, not really. Mike Garrett’s a legend, though he, thanks to circumstances far different than Simpson’s, has had some bloom taken off his rose.
Matt Barkley wants to be the legend: the be-all, the end-all, the first name that rolls off your lips when talking U.S.C. football. “I am staying so I can finish what I started,” he said yesterday. No, he’s not finished — not yet.
Next year will provide several opportunities on an individual scale. There’s the chance to be a first-team all-conference quarterback, a designation Barkley has yet to achieve over three years; Oregon State’s Sean Canfield earned that honor in 2009, Andrew Luck in each of the last two years.
There’s a run at the Heisman: should Robert Griffin III follow Luck’s lead to the N.F.L., Barkley will be the leading favorite heading into the regular season. There’s a run at the U.S.C. record books: Barkley already holds most of the single-season and single-game marks, but there are career records that remain unconquered.
Then there are the team goals, and these certainly weighed more heavily on his mind. For the first time since Barkley’s freshman season, U.S.C. will be eligible for postseason play. This includes the Pac-12 title game, where the Trojans would have gone this fall, and — this most of all — includes the potential for a national championship.
Yeah, Barkley’s legend is already written in stone. But if he leads U.S.C. to a national title next fall, they’ll tear down Tommy Trojan and put one of Barkley in its place. U.C.L.A. might want to paint his statue True Blue and Gold, as they’ve done to Tommy in the past, but the Bruins haven’t touched Barkley yet; they’d aim for his statue but miss, I’m guessing.
And make no mistake: U.S.C. is back, locked and loaded, and the only thing that may stop the Trojans are the Trojans themselves. The Trojans were back this fall, when a roster tilted strongly towards underclassmen went 10-2, knocking off Oregon along the way. Next year’s team, even with a few losses to the N.F.L. — including blind side tackle Matt Kalil, which hurts — will be the program’s best in five years.
There’s Barkley. There are four other starters return along the offensive line, though that left tackle spot will be a concern. Three of the top four rushers will return, including 1,000-yard back Curtis McNeal. The scariest one-two receiver combination in the country, Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, will only be better. Now that’s a scary proposition.
Safety T.J. McDonald joined Barkley in turning down any N.F.L. overtures. Nick Perry won’t be back, but the Trojans return five of this year’s six leading tacklers. In all, barring a last-minute change of heart, the Trojans will return 19 starters. U.S.C.’s depth chart for U.C.L.A., the season finale, featured seven freshmen, four sophomores and nine juniors in the starting lineup.
Barkley’s the centerpiece, of course. He’s a superstar for the way he’s played on the field. He’s a leader for the way he’s lifted U.S.C. from above this probation mess, one that could have very well led another team to simply mail it in: with nothing left to play for but pride, U.S.C. could have quit as soon as the going got tough.
But the Trojans didn’t quit, opting instead to follow Barkley’s lead. Deciding to return for his senior season merely provides Barkley with the chance to add another chapter to his U.S.C.-based legend; with another fine season, Barkley’s legend spreads nationwide.
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