How Did The USC Sanctions Shift The Balance of Power in the Pac 12?

Back in the mid-2000s the USC Trojans were easily the most dominant program in the country. During that impressive run of national championships and Heisman Trophy winners in quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart as well as electrifying running back Reggie Bush (more on that in just a second) head coach Pete Carroll was on top of the college football world. They looked to be on the fast track to becoming one of the dynasties in college football history. Then after an NCAA investigation regarding what was referred to as "lack of institutional control" from 2004-2009 by not only the football team, but the men's basketball and women's tennis teams as well. But for the sake of this writing, I will not dive into the basketball and tennis aspect of the sanctions and focus on the football side of things, I mean... This is a college football blog after all, right?

The football violations were centered around the aforementioned Reggie Bush and the alleged interaction with several marketing agents and his acceptance of several monetary payments from what would be classified as an agent, not to mention a house purchased for Bush's family as well as a luxury car fitted with high dollar rims and stereo system. In light of the findings the USC football team was penalized severely by the NCAA (partially, in all fairness due to the lack of cooperation on USC's part, many writers feel). The Trojans were banned from post season play following the 2010 and 2011 seasons, and a scholarship reduction of 30 total scholarships over the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons, and all wins from December 2004 through the 2005 season, including the USC national championship victory over Oklahoma were vacated, and to top it all off, all of Reggie Bush's records and his Heisman Trophy were vacated. Any images and/or video of Bush also were removed from all NCAA related television and other forms of media.

Since those initial 2010 sanctions we have seen the Oregon Ducks and Stanford Cardinals become national powers, and UCLA, Washington and Arizona State have all made significant strides in not only recruiting but in the win/loss columns as well. Which brings up the question, did the USC sanctions have a significant impact, if any on the reemergence in the quality of football played out west? Now, let's not beat around the bush, in the mid-2000s the USC flat out dominated the Pac 10 at the time, now Pac 12. During that run from 2003-2009 the Trojans won the Pac 10 championship 6 times. Pure domination. Which obviously makes recruiting relatively easy, especially on the west coast with no significant football program in your region. 

Since the sanctions were handed out, naturally the Trojans have came back to earth with zero Pac 12 championships and Oregon and Stanford have taken control of the Pac 12 and with the hiring of Jim Mora Jr the cross city rivals UCLA have made some noise and expectations are high in 2013 for the Bruins. Washington and Arizona State have also made significant strides since 2010. I truly do believe that the bowl ban and scholarship reductions altered the ability of the Trojans to recruit top level talent. The lack of bowl appearances would obviously scare many top level recruits away and teams in the Pac 12 like Oregon, Washington and UCLA have began the swoop in and take advantage. The scholarship reductions also changed the number of incoming freshmen coach Lane Kiffin and company can bring to campus as well. The sanctions have brought the Trojans back to earth, and now the Oregon Ducks and Stanford Cardinals have become the class of the Pac 12 and the previously untouchable Trojans are "just another team" with the Arizona State's and Cal's of the conference.

- Josh Gamez

@itsjoshgamez

josh.projectcfb@gmail.com