Harbaugh: USC may be greatest team in NCAA history

[BAMAPHIN 22]

New Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh's preseason rankings have the Southern California Trojans at No. 1 -- possibly of all time.

"There is no question in my mind that USC is the best team in the country and may be the best team in the history of college football," Harbaugh said Thursday at the Pac-10 football coaches' annual media day.

USC coach Pete Carroll smiled when he came to the podium later and was told of Harbaugh's assessment, which might put some added pressure on the Trojans.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/ncaa/07/26/pac10.notes.harbaugh.ap/index.html

 

[finswin56]

Looks like the rookie coach has the coach speak down like a 20 year vet

 

[DonShula84]

I think they should play a game before anyone calls this team the greatest ever. Upset coming in South Bend to ruin the season! :wink:

 

[HysterikiLL]

The team is a lot different from any team SC has fielded under Pete Carroll. There aren't as many go-to bonafide studs on offense (yet) but there is a ton of depth everywhere. The team is young and IMO looks to have the kind of NFL talent that the 01 Canes had (considering that a lot of the future stars were unproven freshmen and sophomores). I still think that was the best team in terms of individual talent in history.

But what separates USC is the defense. It's just crazy. Taylor Mays is running damn near close to world-class 100m sprints and he's getting faster, per Coach Carlisle and Coach Carroll. Here's the catch, he's 6'4'', 225, a safety, and only a true sophomore! I think this dude is going to revolutionize the position. LB follows suit with incredible speed from everyone. The DL is smooth and athletic also. What I love about Carroll's defenses is that he loves big cover-2 type defensive backs. It's more about closing down the routes and preventing the big plays and letting the LBs get to the ball carrier up front. I love that style of football.

 

[MikeO]

This USC team has that potential.

Rough schedule though they have

 

[Mike13]

Now thats quite a stetch,USC is a very good team but are they better than the 2001 UM team?(Or was it 2002? and that was off the top of my head)

 

[HysterikiLL]

Now thats quite a stetch,USC is a very good team but are they better than the 2001 UM team?(Or was it 2002? and that was off the top of my head)

On paper, depth-wise, I certainly think they match up. That 01 teams best quality was that they had an unbelievable amount of athletic talent that somehow managed to work together as an unbelievable team. That's rare. USC have the unbelievable athletic talent, and they have a coach that can certainly put a team together, so only time will tell.

 

[CharlestonPhan]

"Harbaugh: USC may be greatest team in NCAA history"

Spurrier is definitely moving things in the right direction, but my Game****s aren't quite that good yet. another couple years at least til they are there.

whats that? oh, he was talking about that other school in the PAC Ten.

nevermind. :)

 

[JayMang]

The last time anyone compared a USC squad among the greatest of all time was a week before the Rose Bowl a couple of years ago.

Oops.