Barkley puts family first in deciding to stay at USC

Christmas came early for Lane Kiffin. Wednesday, Matt Barkley called the second-year coach asking him and his wife to come over that evening. Upon arriving at the Barkley's home in Newport Beach, Kiffin saw a Christmas tree adorned with ornaments made by Barkley and his siblings depicting a special memory for each year. Barkley handed one in particular to his coach. It showed the quarterback hugging his coach after breaking the single-game touchdown record against Colorado earlier this season. "Cool ornament Matt," said Kiffin. "Turn it over," responded Barkley. On opposite side read the words "One More Year." "I was very relieved," Kiffin told the press Thursday afternoon. "My plays work a lot better when he's throwing them." Relief. That was the sense you got from the quarterback who now knows his future, from the coach who gets to keep his guy for another season and from the athletic director who has someone to champion for another 365 days. "This is a great day for USC. For our family, our fans and I would say for college football as well, this is a great, great story," said athletic director Pat Haden. "We are thrilled obviously that he is coming back to lead us and be our first three-time captain." Supposedly, it was Haden's idea to have the conference in the middle of Heritage Hall with Heisman Trophies flanking either side and a cardinal and gold Christmas tree behind the man that would be giving the university its most memorable present. Even the marching showed up to entertain the crowd of fans and media members with traditional Christmas carols. "I've been blessed to be around incredible people for most of my life. Matt Barkley is an incredible human being," continued Haden. "He's not incredible because he throws spirals and he's coming back to USC, but because of the way he leads his life. He leads an incredible life and we could all take some lessons from him." Those closest to him certainly do. "It's really great to be his sister because even coming to USC he's left such a great mark here," said 18-year-old Lainy Barkley who just finished her first semester at USC. "I didn't have to come in behind a brother who was wild or rude or anything, but he was so loved here that coming in behind him was an honor." Lainy sat alongside her twin brother Sam, also a freshman at USC, as well as parents Les and Bev Barkley. "Our family gets to stay together for one more year and that's really important to us." It's important to a few people. "A big consideration was the team he's coming back to. I know the young men. T.J. is a really good friend of Matt," said his mom. "Robert Woods. Marqise. Khaled Holmes. His line. Matt's going to play quarterback, but he's playing with a great team and great coaches." Joyous sounds erupted through the digital world the minute Barkley made his decision official. "It's an early Christmas!" said center Khaled Holmes via social media. He's protected the signal caller since their days at Mater Dei together. "Thank you Matt Barkley," tweeted tight end Randall Telfer. "I know some amazing things are going to happen." "Can you say 'Natty Bound'? We are SC!" said fullback Soma Vainuku. Proverbial high fives quickly gave way to high expectations. Everyone, including Barkley, knows what this means. "Our goal for Matt is to make him the best player in all of college football and that starts today," stated Kiffin. "I know in my heart that I have not yet finished my journey as a Trojan football player," said Barkley. "But the 2012 team has some serious unfinished business to attend to and intend to play a part in it." Kiffin would rather he play the starring role in the next chapter of USC's recent saga. "Just how the story lines up it's almost perfect," said Barkley. There is no guarantee there will be a happy ending. This is football, not a fairy tale. But at least for today, the Trojans will celebrate and dream of what could be. "He's a big finisher," said his mother. That is, at least, what everyone is hoping for.