The problem with USC is two-fold:
Very poor coaching hires
Since Pete Carrol, the coaching hires have been suspect, at best.
I still don’t understand how Kiffen got the job. Hot wife notwithstanding, I just don’t see what in his resume make USC think he would be a winner. USC may have come out okay after letting Kiffen go had they chosen to give Ed Orgeron the job, but alas another poor choice ensued.
Steve Sarkisian, while having a pretty decent coaching pedigree, also had never really done anything amazing at Washington and his off-field personal issues were pretty well-known even all the way to his playing days at BYU. Unfortunately, Sarkisian left the same week USC played Utah and the team rallied, temporarily, under Clay Helton.
That brings us to Helton where the term “trial by fire” took on a whole new meaning when USC visited Alabama. Helton just isn’t quite ready for the big time job, especially somewhere like USC where expectation are sky-high each season. It was clear that the Trojans were not mentally prepared for that game and, when things started to get out of hand, USC folded.
A team of individuals
With a pretty much limitless pool of talent to pick from, you would think that USC would be dominant every game, every season. Sadly, this level of talent also brings a bit of “elite attitude” in a lot of the players.
The best way I can describe this attitude? USC is made up of a lot of talented individuals who happen to be wearing the same uniform. Many of those players are there solely to play at a high-profile school, get their highlight reel built up and move on to the NFL. While this a goal that many athletes have on many teams, it seems to be pretty rampant as the “sole” goal on teams like USC.
Utah @ 
Baylor .
