The Philadelphia Eagles’ selection of former USC quarterback Matt Barkley in the NFL Draft shocked many.
But Trojans coach Lane Kiffin said he was not surprised.
Kiffin said Monday that new Eagles coach Chip Kelly spoke with him about Barkley “early on” and sent the team’s quarterbacks coach to Southern California to work out Barkley.
Kiffin said he thought at first the moves might be “a smoke screen,” but that the Eagles’ decision to select the four-year starter in the fourth round proved that Kelly was “serious all along.”
“It’s a great organization for Matt,” Kiffin said during a teleconference of Pac-12 coaches.
Kiffin reiterated that there is not a specific timetable to choose Barkley’s successor. Sophomores Max Wittek and Cody Kessler and freshman Max Browne were listed as co-starters on the end-of-spring depth chart.
The Trojans are tentatively scheduled to open training camp Aug. 3 in preparation for their Aug. 29 opener at Hawaii.
“Whenever it shows itself, it will show itself,” Kiffin said of naming a starting quarterback. “Obviously, for us, the earlier the better, but we want to make sure we’re making a fair decision.”
Kiffin said all players other than receiver George Farmer, who will redshirt after suffering a major knee injury during spring drills, are expected to be ready physically when training camp opens.
-- Gary Klein
