Fighton247 Board

There is no question. If Matt can play, he does. Even if Max proves he's 100 times better than Barkley against notre dame (obviously, that's something one game or even one season can't truly show), Matt plays if he can. This is Matt's team, and he deserves it no matter what for what he's done for us.

"Here is an interesting trivia question which I don't know the answer to. Name the last full time USC starting quarterback who lost his last career regular season start. Mustain and Corp do not count."

The answer to your question is John David Booty.
2006
13-9 UCLA (remember, had we won that game, we likely would have gone to the BCS championship game)

came back one month later to beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl

I think a lot of people are saying Matt out of loyalty and that's to be appreciated. But let him get in there and throw a few picks or show that he's not fully recovered and watch how quickly their preferences will change.

Barkley

Even if Wittek plays well. Barkley has been waiting 2 yrs to play in a bowl game and this is his last shot. Let him finish out his career on a high note. Last thing people want to remember him for is getting injured against our crosstown rival.

Sanchez beat UCLA, Booty beat UCLA, Leinart beat UCLA, Palmer beat Notre Dame.

As a senior, John Fox QB'd the team that ended the UCLA streak in 1999.

As a junior, Van Raaphorst did indeed lose his final start at Cal in 1999. He was Palmer's backup by then, but Palmer was out for the season. John Fox took over for the last three games of the regular season.

Brad Otton QB'd the team that ended the Notre Dame streak in 1996. Also Lou Holtz's last game with the Irish, an OT loss, a week after USC's OT loss to UCLA.

As a senior, Kyle Wachholtz started the 1995 UCLA game that the Trojans lost, but Otton played the final three quarters. The previous week, Wachholtz played the entire game against Oregon State, and the Trojans won.

Rob Johnson ended the 1994 regular season with a 17-17 tie to Notre Dame a week after losing to UCLA. USC fans booed Johnson after the game during his senior salute.

Reggie Perry lost to UCLA in 1991 but didn't finish his USC career at quarterback.

Rodney Peete and Todd Marinovich both lost to Notre Dame. Peete was a senior, Marinovich a sophomore.

If Barkley is healthy, it would be a crime if he doesn't start and play the entire bowl game, whatever it is. While we may be disappointed in this season, and in his performance, he has given his all for this Trojan team. Besides, I still believe he is their best chance to win any game, if he is healthy.

If the girl is too injured to dance, or has two left feet, then what?

Please don't mistake my asking relevant questions for overlooking what this young man has done for the school. I too appreciate what Matt has done and will be cheering for him to do well in the bowl game if he plays, or at the next level. But I also appreciate the fact that Kiffin has a job to keep and knows the seat has grown hot given the growing chorus of people calling for his head due to some inexplicable losses.

So imagine if he puts in a kid who isn't ready or performs badly or worse, further worsens his injury because he's not quite 100% and his draft stock drops even more. Never mind the possibility of losing.

Like you said,"There are things greater than a damn football game". Does this statement also include not playing a kid who may not have healed properly in his last game for the sake of sending him out there and giving him a send off?

Matt.
Well, I would have a better idea who I'd " want" to see after Saturdays game.Especially if Max goes out there and played worlds above what anyone expects or imagines or if he goes down in flames and stinks it up royally.

If Max just goes off it would be hard for me not to want to see more of it and get him more time and see the future now. Still, barring injury the start goes to Barkley
I expect him to play well, but honestly as a "solid back up that will be a future leader next season", so some mistakes may happen and will/should be expected.
I'm hoping for the best and a great team effort that ends up with a W over the Irish.
Either way, the Trojans HAVE to go with Matt, he's the captain and the leader of the 2012 Trojans even if this team has under performed.
He's earned that in every way possible over his career @ SC w/o a doubt.

If anybody is clamoring for Wittek in the Pistachio Bowl because Barkley is faltering, I would be curious to find out what drug they've been strung out on these past few years.

handed the job as a freshman. Four years of being in there. Time to look forward. Why aggravate/ignore an injury just in time to foul up the nfl tryout.

I know that it makes me another "sunshine pumper", but to me Matt Barkley will always be the man who stood behind that podium in Heritage Hall next to the Christmas tree. The image of him laying on the Rose Bowl field under Barr is still plenty painful, but that will fade.

I hope that he's 100%, or close to, by bowl day, and I hope that he starts as he should. Though, a passing-of-the-torch moment would be a nice flourish.

Fight On!