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Making a push this year to reclaim the number one recruiting class in the nation, the USC Trojans are in great shape and way ahead of last year’s number eight ranking...

USC Trojans Racking Up the Recruits

by Paul Peszko (Senior Writer)

4

3,489 reads

Opinion

July 06, 2008


Making a push this year to reclaim the number one recruiting class in the nation, the USC Trojans are in great shape and way ahead of last year’s number eight ranking.

Despite the new spring no-contact rule for head coaches, Pete Carroll and his staff have wasted no time in singling out the best high school players in the nation.  They already had several commitments from the start of the year.

Five-stars Morrell Presley, a 6'3", 4.52 tight end from Carson (CA) High School, and Kevin Graf, a 6'6", 300-pound offensive tackle from Agoura (CA) High School; plus four-stars Marquis Simmons, a 6'0", 220-pound, 4.62 linebacker from Dominguez High School, Compton, CA; Randall Carroll, a speedy 5'10" wide receiver from Cathedral High School, Los Angeles; and T.J. McDonald, a 6'1", 4.63 safety from Edison High School, Fresno, CA, all committed in 2007.

Then in January, the Gatorade Player of the Year, five-star quarterback Matt Barkley, 6'3", 227 pounds, from Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana, CA, committed to become a Trojan.

Barkley’s commitment drew the attention of more recruits.  Four more top high school players committed in February.

Vontaze Burfict, a five-star, 6'2", 235-pound linebacker from Centennial High School in Corona, CA; Devon Flournoy, a four-star, 6'2", 4.40 wide receiver from Birmingham High School, Van Nuys, CA; Patrick Hall, a four-star, 6'1", 181-pound safety from St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura, CA; and Chris Metcalf, a three-star, 6'1", 190-pound safety from Compton (CA) High School gave their commitments to the Trojans.

In May the Trojans got a commitment from a five-star JC defensive tackle, Hebron Fangupo, 6'2", 230 pounds from Mount San Antonio Junior College in Walnut, CA.

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4 comments Last one added 12 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. ...

    Pete's on a roll. Let's hope the NCAA clears up all of the rumors so that recruits can feel more at ease with their decisions. I'm ready for the dark cloud to go away!

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    what dark cloud.... ?

    a winner never lingers under the dark clouds, there is no time for that non-sense.

    carroll simply does what every coach out there does, thats nothing to worry about.
    he simply does it better, period.

    Go Trojans!

    Go Pac Ten, this is now the strongest overall conference in the nation. We are smarter, faster, and more advanced in strategies than all the others - its our time and it was a matter of time.

    Recruits - look to better your life, better your future, and bring the passion to Southern Cal - you will have the time of your life....

    SC is the best choice, research it, visit the campus....we welcome the kids...

    Ill be watching you from the alumni section, cheering you on.

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    HA!!!! they (ncaa) can't sanction us! we bring in too much money to college football for them to do that. they'd be shooting themselves in the foot.

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    HA!!!! they (ncaa) can't sanction us! we bring in too much money to college football for them to do that. they'd be shooting themselves in the foot.

    Well, they've done it before! The sanctions of the early 80's after JohnnyR's first stint as head coach nearly destroyed us! It was a huge factor in nearly two decades of mediocrity.

    As for Pete? I don't think were in trouble because we haven't done anything wrong! The only thing really hanging out there is the Reggie mess and most believe it was his stepfathers doing........

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  • About the Author Paul Peszko (senior writer)

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