USC Now mailbag: Steve Sarkisian on his way to more than seven wins?

Time for a bye-week edition of the USC Now mailbag.

Questions or comments? Feel free to send them to LNThiry@gmail.com or tweet @LindseyThiry and I will respond to select emails in the Friday mailbag.

Comment: I just have to say I cannot believe how many people are asking for [Ed] Orgeron’s return and the whole “Hire Ed” campaign, including you. I give Ed a great deal of credit for how he handled the team after [Lane] Kiffin’s firing but frankly all he did was let his assistant coaches coach. Do all these Orgeron fans realize he had a terrible head coaching record of 16-27? That is certainly not the record of a coach that will take SC to the CFB playoffs. That being said with Sark calling plays, I do not think he can either. And don’t get me started with Wilcox. USC has always had a dominant defense; that can no longer be said as this defense is very offensive.

— Tony Valoria

Reply: Tony, I’m not on any campaign, including the one to “Hire Ed!” In last week’s mailbag, I was merely pointing out that the “Hire Ed” train is picking up steam with fans.

Interesting point that “all Orgeron did” was allow his assistants to coach. Even Kiffin said he learned that he should have delegated more, so this is where Orgeron was a good head coach. He delegated and trusted his staff to handle its duties and he focused on managing the program.

It seemed to work well enough — a 6-2 record and assistant coaches and players who seemed happy — something that seems to be a rarity these days in college football.

You’re correct: 16-27 is not the record of a coach who would seem capable of taking USC to the College Football Playoff. Fans also tend to forget that the Orgeron-coached Trojans lost to their biggest rivals -- Notre Dame and UCLA — two defeats that played a crucial role in Orgeron’s head-coaching future at USC.

I feel like a broken record every week here, but thanks for not getting started with Wilcox.

Comment: The University of Southern California Trojans have an “average” coach which translates into an “average” team equal to an “average” season and have no more than an “average” chance to improve next year. The team’s performance is equal to their preparation for each and every game and will reflect the leadership or lack of it by the head coach: The buck stops there, pure and simple. Pat Haden committed the university to the current head coach and since he did not take his former team to the Pac-12 championship, he certainly is not going to take the USC Trojans to one either.

— Daniel C. Garcia, BFA, CMI, MAM

Reply: So the point of this presentation is that everything is “average”?

Except the recruits!

USC signed a top recruiting class under Sarkisian – with players such as Adoree’ Jackson, JuJu Smith and linemen Toa Lobendahn, Damien Mama and Viane Talamaivao -- and the Trojans are on track for another.

But maybe knowing that will frustrate you more.

Comment: Excellent replies to all the commentary especially the one to the psychotherapist.

As far as I know, you do not have any football coaching experience - TOO BAD. Given that you get what is going on with this team better than its HC, maybe you can somehow use mental telepathy or some other suggestive tool to get Sark to stop saying every week/second week that the loss rests on his shoulders or that the team has to develop a killer instinct, etc. Enough with the disingenuous clichés.

Which begs the question, what was he teaching the team during spring and fall football? Surely the teachings weren’t restricted solely to how to play their respective positions.

Anyway, love your articles and your video interviews.

—Michael, Toronto, Canada

Reply: Greetings from south of the border, Michael.

You’re correct. I have no football coaching experience, though I was team captain every day at recess from third grade until sixth. When the boys hit their growth spurt, they were finally able to start competing and they demoted me.

Anyway, your frustration about Sarkisian sounding like a broken record is understandable, but what do you expect him to say? As the head coach he has to take responsibility for the team’s performance. And the team does need to develop a mentality that enables them to finish games. Maybe USC fans can send him a thesaurus so he can find a way to repeat the same phrases using different words?

During spring and fall practices the players were learning … football. The media are not allowed to sit in on meetings, so I cannot detail what is taught or discussed.

Comment: Seven-win Sark. Urban Meyer won 22 straight before his first loss. I would accept half that, 11 wins. Eleven-win Sark, with the talent, stable coaching staff, is this unreasonable? This team WON nine games last year with all the changes.

So next year he will become nine-win Sark, right?

— Danny Smith

Reply: Danny, Danny, Danny. USC was 10-4 last season, 10 wins!

Have you already given up on this season? It is possible this team finishes the regular season 9-3 if it defeats California, Notre Dame and UCLA. Unlikely? Yes. Impossible? No.

So if Sarkisian wins nine games this season (plus a bowl game) is that acceptable? And if he wins nine this season, of course I expect him to win at least nine next season.

On the flip side, if USC defeats California and loses to UCLA and Notre Dame, Sarkisian would have a 7-5 record going into a bowl game. Nine wins next season is possible, but if the Trojans lose Leonard Williams, Javorius Allen and Nelson Agholor to the NFL draft it seems like a long shot.

Question: I read your morning reports daily and I am quite interested on what you think Cody Kessler’s draft status is becoming. With his stats this year and seeming to get better each week, is he improving his draft stock if he decides to come out next spring? What is the likelihood of this happening or is he definitely one of these guys like Barkley who stays?

— Jim Corey

Reply: Hi Jim, thanks for reading.

I’m certainly not an NFL draft analyst, but I am confident that scouts take more into account than statistics when determining a player’s draft status.

Kessler’s statistics this season have been impressive. He has 25 touchdown passes and two interceptions.

However, are Kessler’s numbers impressive because he is too conservative? That’s been a criticism I’ve heard about him — which is something NFL teams take into account.

Kessler said this week that he is recruiting draft-eligible teammates to return to USC, which likely means Kessler plans to return.

Another season at USC would certainly help.

Question: Who are the most important recruits for the Trojans to land in February, besides draft-eligible juniors?

—Tarik LaCour

Reply: Defensive linemen and safeties.

Three defensive linemen have committed in the 2015 class — Jacob Daniel, Christian Rector and Noah Jefferson — but USC continues to recruit the position.

The top targets remain Gardena Serra’s Rasheem Green and Honolulu (Hawaii) Punahou’s Canton Kaumatule.

Kaumatule signed a financial-aid agreement during an official visit to Oregon last week, but USC will try to get him to campus for an official visit.

No safeties have committed. After the season, USC will have three scholarship safeties — Su’a Cravens, Leon McQuay III and John Plattenburg.

Encino Crespi High safety Marvell Tell remains a top target.