Dear Matt Barkley,

First of all, on behalf of the USC family, I'd like to congratulate you for a 10-2 record, a PAC12 south division championship, 39 TDs..ahhh the list goes on and on...

So, here is my attempt to get you to stay at USC for another year. NOT for me or your fans, but for you. Ultimately, it is you and your family who needs to make this decision and the rest of your fans who will have to accept the decision that you have made whether we like it or not. Your USC fans and family are 100% behind your decision as we have been for Mark Sanchez and other QBs who have left early and haven't finished college in order to play out their dreams in the NFL. Look, I am not in your position and I cannot sympathize with your decision since I have never been in a position where I had to make the same decision. I CAN tell you this. There are people on both sides of the decision...those who have decided to stay for another year, and those who have gone early. I will be the first to tell you that I think Mark Sanchez does not regret leaving USC to get to the AFC Championship game. Regardless that he lost that game, the fact is, he was there within five years of his signing. That is a pretty special thing to put on a resume. That being said, Andrew Luck DID come back to Stanford and now has positioned himself to become the Number 1 draft pick for the upcoming draft in April 2012. Matt Leinart also stayed for his final year and was chosen 10th to the Cardinals.

Here is the deal, you CAN go back to USC and risk injury and worry about that...or you can do like Michael Bush from Louisville and even though he broke his leg at Louisville in his senior year, he is now playing for the 7-4 Raiders who will be playing the 11-0 Green Bay Packers alongside our fellow SC alum Carson Palmer who also returned for his Senior and BEST season of the 4 years that he was at USC.

So having provided several examples of players who have returned and others who left early...what we haven't talked about is this....the question of graduating from USC...having a degree from a school like USC, a prestigious university that can provide you a job/career regardless of what happens in your NFL career. While you are a first round draft pick....what happens if you DO go the way of Payton Manning who had to have possibly career ending surgery on his neck. What is your back up plan? I am NOT saying that you have to consider injury as a reason for going back to school....I would never incite or suggest that you will get hurt. I played sports for decades and the last thing you want to consider is injury..it gets inside your head and messes with you as an athlete. So NO, I am NOT saying that at all. What I AM saying is that LIFE happens and with that said, it is critical that you consider the weight of a NFL QB whose lifespan is roughly 20 years at best, to know what you are going to do with the rest of your life. Bo Jackson had a career ending injury to his hip and now is the VP of a bank..not too shabby. He got his degree from Auburn and is now a champ in a different business entirely. THIS is why I think you should return to USC. NOT to chase Matt's record of 99 TDs which I think you could break without a problem. NOT to post a better QB rating than the 161 rating that you have right now....and DEFINITELY not for your fans.

I think that IF you are going to stay as the QB for USC, it has to be for better reasons than stats. Stats will come and go ..just like paychecks...but what matters is the ability to have a family and be able to sustain them financially...while that could translate in going to the NFL early for that magical paycheck and bonus, why NOT stay at SC, get the degree, the better stats, the chance at beating Matt Leinart's TD record or even breaking your own records of 6 TDs and 35 completions...I think what matters MORE...is your ability to live life well in the off season or after the career is over. I don't know if you ever saw "Brian's Song", I am guessing that you have...it is about Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo and Gale left school early and within a few years of signing with the Bears, busted his knee. He thought his career was over. The fact of the matter is, the education makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE...alright Matt..my rant is over and you know where I stand.

Yes I DO, think that next year could be VERY special football wise. We have 22 of 24 starters returning including Woods, Lee, anc company..that is reason enough for any athlete to want to go play Oregon/Stanford for the 2013 PAC12 title outright and go bowling against the SEC but for the moment there is a life decision to be made and my hope is that you DO stay for the education and everything else comes as a bonus...including the chance at a NCAA Title! But none of that matters if you decide to go because while it will be the best thing for you financially..and for your family...USC will have to regroup with a New QB...I would normally NOT care about what QBs stay or go...but this next year could be very special for you and you could end up making MORE money when YOU are the No.1 draft pick in the first round like Andrew Luck will be for the Colts.

Take Care Matt and good luck with your decision,

Fight ON always!