12/9/08
No team in the country can continue to lose players to the NFL and reload the way Pete Carroll does at USC. This obviously has to do with Carroll’s uncanny ability to pull in the best high school players that the nation has to offer…and in jaw dropping amounts. This time around, it will be the defense that gets replenished. Simply put, the nation's No. 1 defense (pass, total, scoring) has nine seniors departing. And senior-to-be free safety Taylor Mays may head off to play on Sundays. The names on the 2009 defensive depth chart may have yet to become household names, but they will quickly do so. For this ability to reload so quickly and effortlessly it is impossible to pull USC out of our preseason Top 5 list. Next season, it will be the offense’s turn to be the group everyone is discussing. Senior QB Mark Sanchez is primed to continue the great reputation of hurlers here. Should something prevent him from suiting up his last season, renowned Arkansas-transfer Mitch Mustain is still waiting in the wings. The RB consortium is still bolstered by Gable, McKnight and Johnson, while Damian Williams (another Arkansas transfer) continues to give USC weapon choices that can hang with the best in the nation. Guard Jeff Byers was the only senior on this offensive line. The remaining five positions (including the TE) are stacked with seniors. Whew, the threats of both the running game and passing game should be equally as troubling for opposing defenses. The huge amount of losses on the defensive side is going to keep USC from being that preseason No. 1 team, a posture Los Angeles has become accustomed to over the past several seasons. However, take care of business against the Oregon State and Stanford’s of the world and the Men of Troy will be right back in the BCS National Championship Game.

UPDATE: OG Jeff Byers has been granted a sixth year of eligibility for 2009. His return makes this Trojan OL the most talented and experienced group in all of college football for next season.