Looking back on each Year 2 for Steve Sarkisian as a coach

USC Head Coach (2014-2015)

The first head coaching job that Sark held with a true blue blood program came with USC in the mid-2010s. And Sark got off to a promising start with the Trojans with the way he rounded out the 2014 season. After two straight wins over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the regular season finale and another Holiday Bowl triumph over Nebraska, USC looked to have momentum heading into the 2015 offseason.

USC finished up the 2014 season with nine wins and a top 20 spot in the final AP Poll.

That led to a lot of hype building for Sark and the Trojans heading into the 2015 season. In 2015, USC was bringing back a very productive and efficient quarterback in Cody Kessler. During the 2014 season, Sark saw Kessler register a whopping 3,826 passing yards, 39 passing touchdowns, just five interceptions, and two rushing scores.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Kessler was snubbed from not even getting in the top 10 of the Heisman voting in 2014.

Yet, he would have his shot to prove himself under Sark in his second year at the helm in 2015.

USC started off the 2015 season with a bang, as the No. 8 ranked team in the preseason AP Poll. Wins over the Arkansas State Red Wolves and Idaho Vandals by a combined margin of 99 points lifted the Trojans all the way up to No. 6 in the AP Poll by Week 3.

That’s where it all started to fall apart for Sark and the Trojans, though. In October 2015, SI reported that USC placed Sark on an indefinite leave of absence after he missed a scheduled practice and showed up to others intoxicated.

By the time he was placed on leave indefinitely, Sark registered a record of 3-2 with the Trojans to start the 2015 season.

Sark would later be replaced by the interim head coach Clay Helton for good by the end of 2015. USC finished up with a record of 8-6 (6-3 PAC-12) following a very tumultuous 2015 season on and off the field.