Cruz said he's ready for the USC spotlight. (Creative Commons)

The 2011 season has been the first under Cruz, with the Trojans sporting a 20-28 record (10-11 in Pac-10 play), already having knocked themselves out of postseason contention.

Some have criticized the hiring of Cruz on a full-time basis based on this season's record. ESPN The Magazine writer and USC alum Jorge Arangue asked on Twitter, "Has Frank Cruz really done enough to keep the USC job full time?"

USC athletic director Pat Haden thinks that he has. "Frank has a vision on how to return USC to national prominence and to do so by winning in the right way," said Haden. "He knows he has his work cut out for him next year because we lose the nucleus of this team, but I have been impressed with his ability as a coach, teacher, leader and recruiter."

The USC players seem to agree. Cruz told Baseball America's Aaron Fitt that the "team gave him a touching standing ovation when (Haden) told them Cruz was hired full-time."

And the player element is important, says Fitt, who wrote that the Trojans have played hard under Cruz, and that continuity at the head coaching position will be a good thing. USC has improved from last season, at least in conference play. The 2010 Trojans finished 28-32, with a 7-20 record in Pac-10 games, under former head coach Chad Kreuter.