Pressure builds on USC’s Sarkisian
A buzz surrounded Southern California football even before coach Steve Sarkisian slammed too many drinks and embarrassed himself in public. He slurred words, shouted profanities and generally played the part of a college kid at a frat party.
So, Sarkisian spent last week apologizing — claiming he mixed alcohol with medication, a combination that led to his use of "inappropriate language" — while getting ripped by critics for his bad behavior at a Trojans booster event.
He's not the first guy to make that type of mistake. The good news is he did not get arrested for anything, and Ted Wells is not investigating the matter.
The story is never completely going away, because it's already included in his Wikipedia bio, but he can bury it in the background by winning big this season. USC is considered one of the nation's top 10 teams, returning star quarterback Cody Kessler and seven defensive starters, so that's more good news.
"I think Sarkisian is an immature coach, and I thought that before this thing happened," said Bruce Marshall, handicapper for The Gold Sheet. "The pressure is on him, and I'm not sure he's up to it."
If the Trojans lose, the critics are waiting to kick Sarkisian while he's down. If he loses too many games, he could be out of a job. He already has surrendered offensive play-calling duties.
Marshall and Chris Fallica, a research producer for ESPN's "College GameDay" show, each targeted USC to be one of the nation's most overvalued teams from a point-spread perspective while speaking at a handicapping seminar Friday at the Westgate Las Vegas. Marshall and Fallica also called out Notre Dame as overrated.
The Trojans went 9-4 straight up and 7-6 against the spread last season, when they were the second-best team in Los Angeles. Kessler, who passed for 39 touchdowns as a junior, is legit and has plenty of big-play weapons. But Marshall said he's "skeptical about the defense" and noted Sarkisian is walking a "slippery slope."
Marshall (goldsheet.com) is picking either UCLA or Arizona State to win the Pac-12 Conference South. Bruins coach Jim Mora, 3-0 against USC, is replacing veteran quarterback Brett Hundley with true freshman Josh Rosen. Sun Devils coach Todd Graham, who has posted back-to-back 10-win seasons, brings back 10 defensive starters and promising quarterback Mike Bercovici.
The Trojans, who host Stanford on Sept. 19 and play at Arizona State on Sept. 26, are "not head and shoulders above anybody else in the South," Marshall said.
The Pac-12 North is all about Stanford and Oregon. Senior quarterback Kevin Hogan leads the Cardinal. Vernon Adams Jr., a dynamic transfer from Eastern Washington, won the Ducks' quarterback job.
"Adams is a Heisman Trophy long shot. He is pretty good," Marshall said. "But I think all of these teams could cannibalize each other and lessen the chance of the Pac-12 sending a team to the four-team playoff."
More predictions from the Westgate's college handicapping seminar:
— Look for Louisville to pull an early surprise and top its regular-season win total of 7½. The Cardinals went 9-4 in coach Bobby Petrino's first season back on the sideline.
"I think Louisville is the most underrated team in the country," Fallica said. "I think over 7½ is one of the best bets out there."
Fallica also called for the Cardinals "to pull the upset" Saturday as 11-point 'dogs against Auburn on a neutral field in Atlanta.
— Nick Saban is not going to be smiling. Alabama, which has a win total of 9½, could roll to five losses, according to Joe Lisi of Yahoo Sports Radio.
"I don't care what people say, I'm standing by it," Lisi said of his five-loss projection for the Crimson Tide, a team breaking in a new quarterback and returning only 10 starters. "I just don't think it's the same Alabama team, and there is parity in college football."
— Jim Harbaugh, Michigan's new coach, is in for a rude awakening. The Wolverines open the season Thursday as 5½- to 6-point underdogs at Utah. Las Vegas radio host Ken Thomson (Sportsxradio.com) is calling for the Utes, who dominated in a 26-10 win in Ann Arbor last season, to cover in a blowout in Harbaugh's debut.
— UNLV is not going to win many games, but it has the look of an undervalued point-spread team, eventually. The Rebels are expected to get routed by Northern Illinois, UCLA and Michigan before the schedule softens in coach Tony Sanchez's first season.
"Sanchez is changing the mentality. This team could show a lot of fight and might get better as the season goes along," said Dave Cokin, Las Vegas handicapper and radio host. "The Rebels could be a decent spread team as the season goes on."
— Hawaii is a live home ´dog late Thursday night. The Warriors, led by USC transfer quarterback Max Wittek, are getting 7½ to 8 points against Colorado in a game that kicks off at 10 p.m. Pacific.
"That's when the Colorado players are usually watching Jimmy Kimmel, and instead they will be playing a game," Marshall said. "I like the spot for Hawaii."
At USC, Sarkisian has put himself in a tough spot by talking while under the influence. Are the Trojans worthy of the hype or will the season be a buzzkill for their coach?
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports betting columnist Matt Youmans can be reached at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts "The Las Vegas Sportsline" weekdays at 2 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM). Follow him: @mattyoumans247
