Future Unclear For Max Wittek

One of the first announcements made by head coach Steve Sarkisian was that he would open up the competition for the starting quarterback position going into the 2014 season. Though he initially expressed interest in competing for the spot, quarterback Max Wittek announced that he was planning on transferring from USC before the start of spring ball.

Wittek had lost the battle for the starting quarterback spot earlier that year to Cody Kessler, and Wittek wanted a chance to start next year knowing that Kessler was likely to keep the starting job–which Sarkisian confirmed later in the spring.

Wittek's plan was to earn his degree this spring then transfer to another school with two years of eligibility. He would not have to sit out a year, as the NCAA makes an exception to its one-year sit out rule for transfers if they have already graduated.

The only problem for Wittek is that he was unable to graduate this semester. He will now have to take classes next fall in order to graduate this December.

If he remains at the university for the remainder of the calendar year then transfers to another school, he will have wasted one of his two remaining years of eligibility. But if he transfers now, he would then have to sit out a year at that university under the standard transfer sit out rule and complete his degree somewhere else.

Wittek, the highly-touted product of the same Mater Dei High School that Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley graduated from, enrolled early at USC in the spring of 2011. He redshirted the 2011 season and amassed a total of 600 yards over the next two season on 95 attempts with 50 completions. He also had six interceptions to three touchdowns.

In an interview with USC's student newspaper the Daily Trojan, Wittek expressed a lot of confidence in his ability to graduate with a bachelors degree in only three and a half years rather than the usual four. However, he did not complete enough credits this semester necessary to meet a degree requirement.

Texas and Hawaii expressed interest in the quarterback this spring, but he has not spoken publicly since graduation about what his next step will be.