Troy Polamalu: Recruitment, ground game and defense will bring USC football back
By John Buhler
Troy Polamalu knows the recipe for success for USC football to be a dominant team again.
Troy Polamalu believes in the current USC football coaching staff but feels something is missing.
Polamalu starred for the USC Trojans from 1999 to 2002 before becoming one of the greatest safeties in NFL history with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While he admires his alma mater from afar and thinks head coach Clay Helton is the right man for the job, he wishes USC would get back to its roots of dominating in recruitment and imposing their will with three yards and a cloud of dust.
Keeping the best players in Southern California is paramount for USC football.
"“Here’s what I know to be a really important thing that has led to USC to have its dominance, whether that was back in the 70s or in current times,” said Polamalu to FanSided on behalf of Head and Shoulders. “It comes down to making sure the best players in Southern California stay in Southern California and that you’re able to pick and chose the best players from [other states.]”“So I know that recruiting is one thing that was really big when I was back at USC. You gotta keep USC guys USC guys. Regarding the x’s and o’s, our current coach is an excellent leader of young men, and I couldn’t think of anybody better right now.”“I’m always a fan of three yards and a cloud of dust. It’s really helped Alabama get on all these great runs of late. It always starts with a great development of great running games. USC has a great tradition of running and pounding the ball and playing great defense.”"
The Trojans have been down for the last decade-plus since Polamalu’s former head coach Pete Carroll left for the Seattle Seahawks in 2010. Though sanction’s followed Carroll’s exodus to the NFL, Polamalu is spot-on with the amount of top-flight high school football talent prevalent in Southern California. These players can’t go to SEC schools or to a team like the Oregon Ducks.
While USC might have a solid team this year with Kedon Slovis at quarterback and Graham Harrell as his offensive coordinator, it feels like Polamalu would prefer the Trojans to get back to their roots of winning on the recruiting trails, with the ground game and with punishing defense. When you have the best players playing for you, you can beat an opponent in the most rudimentary way.
Until recruitment gets back to what it should be, we’ll have to wait for USC’s triumphant return.
Troy Polamalu spoke with FanSided on behalf of Head and Shoulders and as a Madden Ratings Adjustor, helping 99 Club member Patrick Mahomes at the very least get to 100 on his hair rating.
Next. 10 college football rivalries dying a slow death. dark
For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.