USC is simply not handicapped to the extent many fans claim. Spurrier showed what's possible at a program like USC. Three straight years of 11 wins and top ten rankings, 5 straight wins over Clemson, and countless wins over ranked teams, including a win over #1 Bama. In fact, I'll bet the 2013 team that finished #4 could have beaten Clemson's 2016 national championship team.
Granted, USC may not be the type of program that can just reload year after year, but there's really no ceiling on what the program can accomplish. This is an athletics program that haps experienced national titles in baseball and women's basketball, a Final Four in men's basketball, and a trio of top ten finishes in football, all since 2010. How many other schools can say that, including even the blueblood programs with all the built-in advantages of in-state recruiting turf, money, exposure, and the power of a brand that's been winning for 100+ years?