USC Football Roster, By The Numbers

WEDNESDAY
The SC coaching staff will tell you about the challenges they are facing with this football team any chance they get. If you did not know any better, you would think the team has already been hit by the NCAA mandated reduction in scholarships. In reality, that punishment does not go into effect until 2011.

"Numbers are down...lack of depth...we have no subs...cannot practice like we used to..."

Here are the facts...
The Trojans lost four players who transferred as a result of sanctions. Two second-teamers and two third-teamers. Like every other team, a couple players were lost due to season-ending injuries suffered before the season began.

*Had there not been four transfers and a couple serious injuries, would things be different on the defensive side of the ball this season? That is the million dollar question.

My answer would be NO.

Plug in those six or so players lost and you have the same results.
Maybe you would see improved play in the defensive line. Yet, you would see the same results at LB-Kennard put at MLB (which has been a disaster) due to Galippo being demoted to second-team. You would also see the same results at DB-Four young, inexperienced players with only two starts between the four of them.

Michael Lev of the OC Register breaks it down for us:
The Trojans have 73 scholarship players on their roster, according to my calculations. That’s 12 below the allowable limit.

They stand to lose 16 seniors and redshirt seniors after this season, assuming no underclassmen declare for the NFL draft. That would drop USC to 57 scholarship players heading into signing day.

Assuming the school’s appeal to the NCAA isn’t decided by then, USC could sign 28 players (including some midyear enrollees, who’d count on the 2009-10 books) to get up to the NCAA limit of 85.

You can view the 2010 Trojan roster HERE.