How do you explain the speed from a program that couldn’t even get a varsity crew together last spring?

If you are one of the beaming, boisterous USC Trojans who in December earned two upset victories against Orange Coast College despite four of its crew being first time novice rowers, you resort to cliches. “Always working hard no matter what happens, that’s what it’s all about,” gushed the Trojan Navy’s 6’8” starboard Blair Jones, whose long, smooth rowing style helps to hold his Trojan Crew together under fire.

Sleeping giants have a reputation for waking up all loud and aggresive when disturbed and that certainly appears to be the case with this year’s men’s heavyweight crew.

Virtually dormant on the national collegiate circuit since being stripped of varsity status in 1994 by the Athletic Department, this year’s crew has taken off the gloves and seeks to return the program to the standard that brought rowing glory to Troy in the 1950s and 1960s.

In December, the crew proved just how serious they are when they slapped around Orange Coast’s varsity crew on its home water in Newport Harbor. In doing so, USC (26-5) proved itself the fastest crew in Southern California.

Plenty has happened this year to USC’s men’s rowing program. After welcoming a new head coach the squad then watched as its new home at LMU Boathouse began filling up with new shells and oars, thanks to a groundswell of alumni support. These Trojan oarsmen are oarsome and say the winning tradition now returned to Troy is here to stay.