I could make the case that since 1960 UW is Michigan. Maybe 1975
I know that we? as fans tend to over rate our DAWGS but no program in America is as over rated as Michigan[/b]
Agreed.
I'll say this too: Ohio State and USC are NOTHING alike. Very different jerbs. They share little in common other than a winning tradition and ability to recruit well. But the people behind the curtain and the prevailing cultures are super different. Urbs' intensity fits well in Columbus, where football is a religion. There are other soft skills you need to navigate your way around the largest population center on the west coast, and west coast kids are different than eastern kids. The differences are not as pronounced as when comparing southern football factories like Bamers to laid back west coast Pac 12, but it's along those lines.
Disagree. College football is college football, and the recipe works no matter where you are (adjusting for altitude, of course): Have access to a deep and wide talent pool, pay well enough to acquire the services of a lot/the best of them, be good with Xs and Os.
USC has had institutional problems lately, with a run of absolutely terrible AD hires, but there will be a new AD. They have a huge fan base when the team is winning. They have the tradition and pull to recruit nationwide, thus mitigating perceived "culture" issues. They just need a coach who's both dirty/ruthless and good enough to put it all together, and they'll be fine. Urbs would be competing in the playoffs (not just getting a participation ribbon) by year three if not two.
Pet Carroll's roster at 'SC was chock full o' southern and eastern kids. Urban Meyer's aOSU teams had plenty of west coast talent on them. When you recruit nationally, regional culture is kind of a moot point. If the west coast kids are so different than the east coast kids, why are these blue bloods in the east and south gobbling up west coast talent?
All of these perceived challenges and pitfalls of being a coach in LA only exist when you're a shitty coach in LA. Win games, and everybody is stoked and looks the other way when it comes to getting the needful done.
TL;DR: If Urban Meyer really wants to get back into coaching, wants the USC job, and the USC AD isn't fs enough to not hire him, then...