Space for Rebuilding

When you’re USC, synonymous with football and the dream school of most of the touted high school recruits in America you don’t get a rebuilding year. You don’t get a year off from national title expectations and media onslaught. You don’t get a reprieve from analysts, fans and foes because your dominance has become your worst enemy. You are SC, a virtual NFL farm system that turns out skilled position players who not only make the pros but establish careers of Hall of Fame proportion. It’s unacceptable if not deplorably heinous to not finish the season ranked #1 in all polls and/or win the Pacific 10 conference.

But while Pete Carroll and his band fight on taking every team’s best shot, the truth is that this is as close as they get to a rebuilding year. There’s a phenom true freshman playing quarterback at a level most college seniors never do. (that means Matt Barkley was in high school a year ago). Not to mention the Trojans surrendered many of their key players on offense and defense to the next level in this year’s NFL draft.

When you’re good, know that the season for rebuilding is coming . It takes courage to accept such reality and even more to press forward after losses remind you of the phase you’re really in.  So what if people tell you that losing is not an option. Greatness is often interrupted and simultaneously defined by a commitment to preparation, calculated risk and the authentic evaluation of which holes need to be filled.