Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell looks like the front runner for the USC football coaching job after an impressive win over Notre Dame.
Even before he beat Notre Dame, Luke Fickell looked like he might be the guy for USC football.
After going into South Bend and humbling the Irish, Fickell proved he’s exactly what the Trojans need.
Fickell’s Cincinnati bested Notre Dame, 24-13, seeing off a comeback after going up 17-0 in the first half.
Luke Fickell should be USC football’s head coach front runner
The Bearcats won with defense. Trojan fans who have watched USC’s defense get dominated by Stanford and Oregon State in recent weeks have every reason to take notice. It’s about time USC went back to a defensive-minded head coach like Pete Carroll.
The game against Notre Dame was a prime example of what Fickell has built in Cincinnati over the last five years. This isn’t a one-year wonder situation. He won 11 games in 2018 and 2019. He went 9-1 in 2020, giving Georgia a game in a narrow Peach Bowl loss.
Now, in the biggest road game he’s faced, he got his team ready to play against a vulnerable opponent.
USC will face that same vulnerable opponent in a few weeks, but the defense isn’t as well drilled and the offense lacks an identity. They’re likely to pay for it.
Fickell went into South Bend and did that with a team that ranks 53rd in 247Sports’ Team Talent composite. That’s one spot ahead of the Beavers and five spots behind the Colorado team USC just smacked around. Imagine what he could do with the Trojans, who rank 10th but don’t play like it.
USC athletic director Mike Bohn hired Fickell when he was the AD at Cincinnati. He saw his ability then. It’s even more apparent now.
The hardest part will be convincing the longtime Ohioan to head west. Every impressive win he racks up this season should only incentive the Trojans to back up the Brinks truck and give him an offer he can’t refuse.
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.