Often is the case in life and in sports alike that athletes come and go, but as certain individuals move on, opportunities are created in the wake.
Alexander Graham Bell, best known for his invention of the telephone, once stated that “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”
The saying speaks volumes about the departure of Mark Sanchez, as the team will and must certainly move forward with spring ball just weeks away.
Waiting in the wings are two very talented quarterbacks in their own right, Orange (CA) Lutheran High School product Aaron Corp and Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain.
Replacing Sanchez’ production will be no easy task, no easier then replacing the likes of Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and John David Booty.
Somehow, however, the Trojans managed to do it, needless to say in convincing fashion.
The Trojans will have to rely on two quarterbacks that seemingly worked there way in and out of the second unit weekly. Head coach Pete Carroll has reiterated countless times that there was ongoing competition behind the recently departed Rose Bowl MVP, a competition the coaches hoped would bring out the best in Mustain and Corp.
It was not until the final week of Rose Bowl preparations that Aaron Corp regained the second-string spot behind Mark Sanchez, now turning into a far bigger accomplishment then thought at the time.
The exit of Sanchez will usher in yet another era in quarterback legacy at the university, and redshirt sophomore Aaron Corp is ready to compete for the starting job.
“First off, congratulations to Mark (Sanchez),” said Corp of his former position mate right off the bat. “I think its awesome that he’s going to pursue his dream, but its going to be a true competition and I’m excited for it. I’m happy to have this opportunity.”
Not since the departure of Carson Palmer has a quarterback competition drawn so much attention, something Corp is well aware of.
“They (the coaches) just said it was going to be a big-time competition,” furthered Corp of the upcoming spring. “Like it was when Matt Leinart and Matt Cassell were competing for the starting job. It’s going to be competition at its finest.”
Spoken like a true student of the Pete Carroll school for philosophy, Corp has spoken to Mustain and Garrett Green, although the conversation was all in good nature.
“We have all accepted it,” said Corp of Sanchez’ decision and the impending competition. “We’re all friendly to each other and that’s basically it.”
The friendly competition will likely come down to Corp, and two of the nation’s top prep quarterbacks in the country, Mustain and early enrollee Matt Barkley.
So while the jury is still out on Sanchez’ eventual replacement, the competition will occur between quarterbacks highly touted by nearly everyone college football program in the nation at one point or another.
“That’s why we come here,” said Corp of the scenario in front of him. “You know you’re going to get the best coaching to prepare you for the next level in a pro-style offense.”
Not only will the Trojans need to replace Sanchez, but they will be doing so while breaking in new offensive coordinator John Morton and quarterbacks coach Carl Smith.
Returning nine starters on the offensive side of the ball should ease the transition, an aspect of the year Corp is hardly concerned with.
“I’m excited,” said Corp, with two new offensive minds at his disposal. “I know coach (John) Morton and he works really hard, he’s always the first coach in and the last coach out, and he studies hard.
“Coach (Carl) Smith has a ton of experience and he’s coached everywhere. It’s going to be good having all of coach Smith’s experience.”
Also easing the transition is the plethora of weapons on the offensive side of the ball, specifically the quarterbacks best friend, the wide receivers.
“We have Ronald (Johnson) and Damian (Williams) returning to lead a group of young guys,” explained Corp of the receivers, only losing the services of Patrick Turner. “With guys like Brandon Carswell, Brice Butler and Travon Patterson, we have every type of receiver you could want.
“We’re looking good.”
The Trojan wide receiving corps exceeded any and all of the expectations on the year, and will look to raise the bar even higher with yet another year of experience under their belts.
The Orange County native torched the annual spring game, showing fans a glimpse of what he is able to accomplish on the football field. Although according to Corp, much has changed in the matter of a year.
“I’ve gotten a lot stronger and need to continue getting stronger,” admitted Corp, who is obviously on the lighter side of the scale. “My command of the offense has really improved and there’s always room for more improvement.
“I came in at 185 lbs and I weight in at 201 lbs today. There’s still room for me to grow, but I’m still trying to stay fast.”
That “fat” he refers to is an aspect of the Trojan offense absent for many years, although if rewarded the starting job, Corp can expect to see a few plays catered to his skill set.
“They haven’t really talked to me about it,” he said of the play-calling. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened. At the same time, they aren’t going to change the offense just for me. They would just install one or two run plays.”
Corp’s improvement throughout the year earned him the back-up role to Sanchez come Rose Bowl, the only question now is whether or not he can stay there come next fall?
