USC quarterback Matt Barkley is good. So good that he makes opposing coaches admit they wish he would have left school following the conclusion of last season. You can count University of Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone as one of those coaches.
"I was one of a couple people that was hoping he'd go on to the NFL," Marrone said. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm happy he's back."
Marrone would go on to declare that had Barkley gone into the 2012 draft, he would have been drafted ahead of Robert Griffin III. Pretty heavy praise for the Trojans' quarterback. One has to wonder how Marrone's own team feels about their coach's outpouring of praise for the Heisman front-runner.
The Orange face the Trojans this Saturday at the MetLife Stadium in the New York College Classic. Last time 'Cuse went up against SC, the Trojans -- more specifically Barkley -- pounded them with five touchdowns and 324 yards.
For more on Trojans football, visit USC blog Conquest Chronicles, plus Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes and SB Nation Los Angeles.