After losing quarterback competition, what's next for USC's Sam Darnold?

USC quarterback Sam Darnold (14) pitches the ball to tailback Justin Davis (22) during USC's spring game at the Coliseum on April 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) San Clemente High Coach Jaime Ortiz entered the 2012 season thinking he had a plan.

A senior named Sean Donnelly would start at quarterback, Ortiz figured. The veteran had waited his turn and learned under Travis Wilson, the quarterback who went on to set the school record for career starts at Utah.

When training camp began, though, one kid was threatening to wreck Ortiz’s careful planning. His name was Sam Darnold. A sophomore, he was the youngest player on the team, and his dynamism on the ground and tidy proficiency in the…