Urban Meyer keeps sounding like a guy who wants to coach USC

Urban Meyer would make USC football a national power once again as the team’s head coach.

Urban Meyer keeps on talking about USC football, and it sounds like he wants to coach the Trojans.

Meyer has spent the last two years out of coaching, as retired from the profession for medical reasons. However, every college football program improved almost instantaneously upon his arrival, so there is no doubt how quickly the hall-of-fame-level coach would get the Trojans program turned around. Here is what he had to say about USC on Big Noon Kickoff in Week 11.

“Every conversation around USC is about throw and catch,” said Meyer. “Throw and catch doesn’t win championships by itself. What about defense, what about toughness, what about special teams? What about running the ball when you have to run the ball? This is still USC.”

“I go back to the glory days of when you guys played,” referring to his Big Noon Kickoff colleagues Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart. “Yeah, you threw and caught, but you ran the darn ball and the offensive line came smoking off the line of scrimmage. This is still football.”

“I want to see USC get the big tough guys up front, move guys off the line of scrimmage. At the end of the day, football is still football. Yes, throwing and catching is really important. By itself, you’re not going to win a championship.”

A philosophical change will be what ultimately brings USC football back

It is interesting that Meyer brings up this point of how important the running game is for USC’s identity. In my conversation with USC legend Troy Polamalu a few weeks back, the hall-of-fame safety echoed the same sentiments. He believes recruitment, defense and three yards and a cloud of dust will make USC what it should be. We know the Trojans can sling it, but will they run it?

Though Meyer may not-so-secretly covet the USC job, it will not be open until after the 2021 college season at the absolute earliest. Head coach Clay Helton’s buyout presents a problem and do not think for a second the private university will want to eat a cent of that until the United States gets out of the global pandemic. But come 2022, Meyer could be the one leading USC.

It seems highly unlikely, but as long as USC remains down, Meyer will be linked to the program.

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