USC football will begin the 2015 season free from NCAA sanctions, free from limited scholarships but not free from controversy. Former El Camino quarterback and current USC coach, Steve Sarkisian, landed in hot water after appearing intoxicated at the annual “Salute to Troy” pep rally.

Sarkisian slurred his words, insulted opposing teams and made an inebriated speech. The video of Sarkisian’s speech went viral. USC athletic director Pat Haden reportedly had to pull Sarkisian off the stage.

USC is a top-tier program with a rich history. They are the preseason favorite to win the Pac-12 south and this incident is an embarrassing black eye to begin the season. The pep rally had players parents, students and boosters in attendance. Sarkisian issued an apology and received a scolding from Haden.

Is this incident a big deal? The buzz on social media was fans felt Sarkisian received a slap on the wrist. Some fans are calling for a suspension or termination.

I don’t see this being an incident which will get Sarkisian fired but he did get off pretty easy. USC can send a message by suspending him for the first two games of the season.

The Trojans face two lower ranked opponents in Arkansas State and Idaho. They are heavy favorites in both games and will have no problem beating them without Sarkisian. USC can begin the season 2-0 and then turn their focus towards a conference showdown with Stanford.

Sarkisian played quarterback at El Camino in 1994 and was named a junior college All-American after setting a national junior college record by completing 72.4 percent of his passes, according to the El Camino website.

After a few wins, fans will forget the incident and turn their attention towards the promising season the eighth ranked Trojans will have.