Kessler and the Trojans primed for a successful 2015 campaign

It is the 13th century B.C. The Greeks have entered the impenetrable walls of Troy after a 10-year siege. The beloved Helen has been returned to King Menelaus, and the Greek forces have completed the sack of Troy. The fall of Troy will be written into history by Homer and preserved for eternity in the epic tales of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Fast-forward to  2015. Centuries have passed since the fall of Troy, but their  destined reign  is all but forgotten. In the fall, the Men of Troy will again step onto the battlefield, but the war of 2015 is hardly the second coming of the Trojan War. The kingdom of Troy is once again after the coveted Helen, though she now comes in the form of a golden badge of honor that will forever rest within the walls of Heritage Hall.

The fallen hero Paris has been replaced by a spritely and experienced leader who traded his weapons for a pigskin. The people of Troy have faith that this young hero will lead the Trojans to victory once more. This captain and quarterback is none other than Cody Kessler.

Kessler and his cohorts are under the direction of second-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, who led the Trojans to a 9-4 season in 2014. Though it is an improvement from years past, Sarkisian and the Trojans are in search of a perfect season.

The upcoming term  will feature some hard fought battles for the Trojans.

In their quest for victory, the Trojans will have to ward off attacks on the homefront by the Cardinals and the Bruins. The Trojans have remained undefeated  against the Cardinals in the past two seasons, though both games have come down to the final minutes. The rival Bruins have had no problem defeating the Trojans recently, but this year they will be without quarterback Brett Hundley, who has entered the NFL.

The Trojans will also  need to go behind enemy lines to secure wins over the Fighting Irish and the Ducks. Last season, the Trojans easily put the Irish to rest at the Coliseum, but they will have to win in South Bend this year. The Ducks pose what will likely be the most difficult battle of 2015. Though their Heisman-winning quarterback has also  entered  the NFL, the Ducks run a precise system offense that hasn’t wavered, regardless of who was calling plays.

Kessler will be flanked by veterans Adoree’ Jackson and JuJu Smith, last year’s breakout stars. Jackson is a triple threat who excels on offense, defense and special teams. He appeared in all 13 games for the Trojans last year, starting 10 times at cornerback and once at wide receiver. He had 49 tackles, including four for losses, 10 deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery on defense. Offensively, he had 10 receptions for 138 yards with three touchdowns and one carry for five yards. On special teams he had 23 kickoff returns for 684 yards with two touchdowns and two punt returns for 12 yards. Smith also earned his stripes last season, though he was only the second receiver, behind Nelson Agholor. Like Jackson, Smith appeared in all 13 games, starting 12 times. He had 54 receptions for 724 yards with five touchdowns. On special teams, he had 11 kickoff returns for 132 yards and five tackles.

Sarkisian also has a highly regarded brigade of new Trojans who could see time on the field this season. Sarkisian brought in a quartet of five-star recruits: defensive back Iman Marshall, linebacker Osa Masina, defensive lineman Rasheem Green and offensive lineman Chuma Edoga. USC also signed 15 four-star recruits and seven three-star recruits.

The veterans and newcomers alike will be united under the leadership and poise of Kessler, who caught the nation’s attention last season. In 2014 Kessler had a record-setting season. While starting all 13 games, he completed 315-of-452 passes (69.7 percent) for 3,826 yards. He boasted 39 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He has already received Heisman buzz, and if he can improve on his win count in 2015, he stands an excellent chance of winning.

Sarkisian now has a year of experience under his belt, a quarterback with two years of starting experience and a handful of impact players on both sides of the ball. The lack of depth caused by the NCAA sanctions was very obvious in the final minutes of USC’s 2014 losses. The new recruiting class should complement the core of returners and add a much-needed depth to the roster.

Behind the arm and leadership of Kessler, the Trojans are poised to restore dominance to Troy.