Texas or USC: Which is the Better College Football Job?

Texas and USC are two of college football’s premier jobs, and by December, both programs are expected to be looking for a head coach. USC already fired coach Lane Kiffin, and Mack Brown’s future at Texas is iffy, which means there will be plenty of coaches lining up to interview at both schools.

When it comes to building a list of best jobs in college football, the list usually starts with Texas, and USC, Florida, Ohio State and Alabama aren’t far behind.

However, is USC a better job than Texas? It’s hard to complain about weather in Los Angeles, but some coaches wouldn’t want to put up with the extra media attention. Texas also has a similar situation with the Longhorn Network, but being able to have your pick of the elite recruits in Texas is never a bad thing.

Both schools have plenty of built-in advantages when it comes to recruiting and location. And oddly enough, both programs have struggled to establish consistent success.

Assuming both Texas and USC will be hiring a new coach in December, which job is more desirable?

USC or Texas: Which is a Better Job for College Football Coaches?

Steven Lassan (@AthlonSteven)
Texas and USC have stumbled in recent years, but let’s not forget these two programs won BCS championships and competed for the 2005 title in Pasadena, Calif. Even with a 5-4 combined record this season, there’s no doubt Texas and USC are two of the best jobs in college football, with Florida, Ohio State and Alabama rounding out the top five. I’d give Texas an edge over USC in this debate, as its prime location allows its pick of the elite recruits each year, and there’s no shortage of tradition and money flowing through the athletic department. With the Big 12 sticking with 10 teams for now, one could argue it’s easier to play for a national title in the Big 12 over the Pac-12. And in the current climate of the Pac-12 South, UCLA is on the upswing, and Arizona State and Arizona are improving. The Longhorn Network may scare a coach or two away from Austin, but Texas is clearly the best job in college football and will have its pick of elite coaches whenever Mack Brown decides to step aside.

Braden Gall (@BradenGall)
First, these are two of the top 5-8 jobs in the nation based on natural built-in advantages, financial power and championship upside. But Texas is the answer. The differences are subtle but extremely important aside from one being a public institution and one private. The development of high school football players in the state of Texas dwarfs all other states in the nation — including both Florida and California. The commitment and passion of the fans and administration is greater by a wide margin for the Longhorns and it's what makes Texas the most powerful athletic department in the nation. In Los Angeles, the Trojans must compete for attention with everything from Kobe Bryant to sushi restaurants to the beach in the most saturated college market in the country. The bottom line is that football is king in Texas and it's an afterthought in Hollywood. Would anyone actually CHOOSE to live in L.A. over Austin?

Mark Ross
Although everything is bigger in Texas, including expectations, I'll lean towards the Longhorns' job on this one. Both schools have won national championships during the BCS era and have seen sustained periods of substantial success. Resources and recruiting aren't really issues either, as each is one of the main national brands when it comes to the college football landscape. Texas still comes out as the winner of this two-horse race for me because while the pressure to win and win big in Austin is both prevalent and evident, the potential rewards when you do outweigh those at USC. By that I mean national championship-winning head coaches at Texas are beloved, even if they go through rough patches, and I just don't get that vibe from the Trojans' fan base. To put it another way: football is king in Austin, while there's a lot more competition for fame and notoriety in Los Angeles. Why would I want to compete with the movie stars and professional athletes when I could potentially be THE star in a state that eats, drinks and sleeps football?

David Fox (@DavidFox615)
Perhaps a few years ago, I may have said USC is the better job as the Trojans still basked in glitz of their run of Heisman winners and top-five finishes. I’m not convinced anymore. Pete Carroll remains the only USC coach to lead the Trojans to a top-five finish since 1976. The talent base is there, the tradition is there, the facilities and support are there, but for whatever reason Carroll is the only one since the 70s to fully capitalize on all those advantages. Perhaps we could say the same of Texas, with Mack Brown elevating the Longhorns out of the John Mackovic/David McWilliams era. But Texas has perhaps more talent in state and has had the better run of quarterbacks of late, not to mention all the resources that come with being the Longhorns coach. The Longhorn Network and other glad-handing obligations that come with being the UT coach may be a hassle, but it ensures constant support and interest. A wine-and-cheese crowd is still a crowd. I’d pick Texas, but is parsing between two luxury sports cars.

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