Hiva Lutui Decommits from UCLA: Why USC Needs to Snag the Top Center

The offensive line is often overlooked: They do all of the dirty work and receive little or no credit. But when the offensive line is struggling, that's when everybody likes to take notice.

Last season, the USC Trojans had a solid offensive line looking at the stats. They only allowed eight sacks all season, which was good for best in the Pac-12 and tied for first in the country. Quarterback Matt Barkley was standing strong in the pocket and almost never got his uniform dirty.

But there was a hole in the offensive line last season that was often covered by the solid play of Khaled Holmes. The junior played the guard position, but he was shifted to the center position due to the lack of depth and holes in the offensive line.

Holmes played well, but because he and Barkley went to the same high school, it may have played a part in their success. The quarterback and center have to be on the same page at all times, and since they have had a relationship already, it made the transition a lot easier.

That will not be the case for years to come, and the Trojans must address the center position.

The good news is that USC may have just received a player that could step in and fill the gap. One of the centers in this year's class, Hiva Lutui, has just hit the market once again. He was originally committed to UCLA, but is no longer considering the Bruins.

"I decommitted last night," said Lutui, according to Scout.com.

Lutui is looking at is USC and he has a visit scheduled with them this weekend. Other schools he's looking at are Utah and BYU. The Trojans haven't recruited a center since 2010, and this would be a huge pickup for their team if they're able to land one of the top centers in this year's class.

Lutui is 6'1", 270 pounds and a versatile player who can player center or guard. He plays the game with a lot of emotion and has a very aggressive style.

Although this USC recruiting class isn't quite up to par with ones in recent memory, landing Lutui would fill a huge need for this program moving forward.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]