... the NCAA laid the hammer down on USC for transgressions committed in the Reggie Bush scandal, the Trojans became just an afterthought in the college football world.

Then, after starting out with a shaky 4-0 record, USC lost two heartbreaking games to Washington and Stanford, which further relegated the Trojans to the back of the news cycle.

But all the while, a quiet young leader was plying his craft, oblivious to the denigrating talk of his beleaguered team.

Though the Trojans defense certainly had (and still does have) issues, quarterback Matt Barkley just went about his business, focused laser-like on doing all he could to make USC relev...

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