"Today my parents and I started the process of evaluating both sides of the decision whether or not to return to USC next year," Barkley said after the meeting. "We met this afternoon with Coach Kiffin and Pat Haden. By no means did I come to any conclusions today. It was just the start of us gathering the facts. There is a long way to go in this process and no timetable. When I make my decision, I will let everyone know."
While Barkley did not make the Heisman five, the Trojans moved up to No. 5 in the latest AP Poll.
"Congratulations to all the Heisman finalists," Barkley said. "They are all great players, and I wish them the best this Saturday and with the rest of their football careers. I thought we gave it a good run this year to get an invitation to New York for the ceremony, but more importantly I am really excited that our team's accomplishments are being recognized and we have now moved up to fifth in the rankings."
