The only thing playing true to form in this frustrating USC football season is coach Steve Sarkisian’s record.

He was mediocre in his five years as head coach at the University of Washington, and after a depressing 3-2 start in 2014, the best way to describe his Trojans at the moment is with that same dreaded “m” word.

You are mediocre if you somehow get outrushed 452 yards to 20 by an undistinguished Boston College team that proceeds to go out the very next week and get beat by Colorado State.

You are mediocre if you cough up a staggering 510 yards passing to the Arizona State quarterback. The backup quarterback.

Steve Sarkisian is left wondering what happened after the Trojans gave up two long TD throws to ASU in the final couple of minutes. Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

You are mediocre if you allow a long touchdown pass not once, but twice in the final 2 minutes and 57 seconds of a game you seemingly had locked up.

The sad part about that 38-34 stunner at the Coliseum on Saturday night is that much of what was accomplished early was wiped out by that jaw-dropping Hail Mary catch made by the Sun Devils’ all-world receiver Jaelen Strong.

Su'a Cravens was again a dominant defensive presence in the first half. Nelson Agholor busted a 53-yard first-quarter punt return for a touchdown and was his usual productive self at wide receiver. And Javorius Allen continues to give a great imitation of an old-time, 1,200-yard-a-season USC tailback.

But none of it seemed to matter after that disturbing flurry of botched plays and curious coaching decisions in the final three minutes against a team that had given up 62 points to UCLA the previous week.

It began with 2:57 left and the Trojans leading 34-25. Arizona State has a first-and-10 at its own 27, and Mike Bercovici, the Sun Devils’ plucky backup quarterback, throws a relatively short pass to Cameron Smith. No big deal, right? If you’re a USC defender, you allow the completion, make the tackle and watch the clock methodically tick down.

Only cornerback Kevon Seymour did none of that. He tried to undercut the pass and go for the interception. When he missed, and somehow no Trojans’ safety was anywhere in sight, Smith cruised 73 yards for a touchdown to make it 34-32. Sure, it was Seymour’s mistake, but doesn’t a player have to be coached better than that?

When USC recovers the obvious onside kick at 2:43, the lead still seems safe, especially with ASU out of timeouts. Except the Trojans’ three rushing attempts net no yardage, and Sarkisian is forced to punt.

Only Sark doesn’t punt with his punter. He asks Cody Kessler to punt, and the result is a puny 18-yard kick to the Sun Devils’ 28. Sarkisian later explains his regular long-snapper was out with an apparent concussion. But that still doesn’t explain why he had Kessler kicking, instead of regular punter Kris Albarado. Couldn’t Albarado have punted from the same spot as Kessler did?

Earlier in the game, Sark had Kessler pooch punting on fourth down to try to fool Arizona State. But he really didn’t think the Sun Devils would believe the Trojans wouldn’t punt with a fourth-and-10 from the ASU 46-yard line with only 2:20 to play, did he?

Finally, with seven seconds left, Bercovici dropped back and threw up that prayer of a final pass. A week earlier, USC pulled off a Hail Mary at the end of the first half and it turned the game around against Oregon State.

You live by the Hail Mary, and you die by the Hail Mary. Maybe, but that still doesn’t explain why Sarkisian didn’t double-cover Strong, easily the most dangerous man on the field all night long.

He said part of the reason for the 73-yard TD to Smith is that he was double-covering Strong on that play. So why wouldn’t he double-cover him in an even more obvious situation, knowing the best receiver in the Pac-12 was the likely target?

Some questions simply have no plausible answers. Like Sarkisian’s refusal to allow Kessler, who has yet to suffer an interception this season, to throw the ball downfield. Enough with all the bubble screens and horizontal passing. USC has the most athletic group of wide receivers in the conference. Why not utilize them for more than just a boring series of short passes?

Not surprisingly, the radio talk shows and blogs are full of angry USC fans and boosters now. Some of the same people who wanted to overlook Sarkisian’s mediocre record at Washington are now screaming for a coaching change.

All of which explains why AD Pat Haden could be seen walking slowly out of the Coliseum late Saturday night, his head down, his shoulders sagging.

This is not a good time to be the Trojans’ athletic director.