USC Football: Lane Kiffin Will Beat out Nick Saban on 2013 Recruiting Trail

USC vs. Alabama. Lane Kiffin against the genius of college football, Nick Saban. Pac-12 vs. the SEC. Is this a preview of the national championship?

Maybe later, but not right now.

No, this is about building the future for each program, about laying the foundation that each program's roster will be built on.

This is about recruiting.

And in this all-important area, USC is showing the way so far in 2013 after receiving verbal commitments from some of the finest prep players throughout the nation.

Of course, as expected, Alabama, fresh off of yet another national championship, is not far behind USC in the estimation of those in the know, the major recruiting services.

But how will this recruiting battle wind up? On national signing day, which of these two storied programs will wind up with the stronger class?

While it should be noted that the real story of who had the better class won't be revealed until four to five years from now, when the results of these players can truly be measured, a yardstick can be applied through those aforementioned recruiting services.

So far they like USC, and when pen is put to paper in early February and those prep studs make their formal choice, that trend will continue.

In 2013, Lane Kiffin will (gasp!) out-recruit Nick Saban.

Here is why.

So Far, in Head-to-Head Recruiting Battles, USC Is Kicking Alabama's Butt

Let's start out this slideshow with perhaps the most revealing fact about the 2013 college football recruiting season in terms of USC vs. Alabama.

When it comes to the head-to-head tug of war for prep players both programs want, USC and Lane Kiffin are simply demolishing Saban and his Tide.

According to Scout.com, USC has secured verbal commitments from five players that Alabama had offered scholarships to.

And how many players has Alabama received verbal pledges from that also held offers from Kiffin and his Trojans?

Ummm, how does zero grab you?

Yep, zero, zilch, nada—whatever you choose to call it, USC is pitching a shutout against the Crimson Tide.

Advantage: Kiffin—big time.

Prestige of Each School's Football Program

Before any assessment of which school has the most prestigious football program, let me offer a bit of personal insight.

I am not an Alabama hater—on the contrary, I truly respect the Crimson Tide, and through my years of writing, I have established a rapport with many fans of the Tide whom I have found to be thoughtful and passionate fans of college football.

That said, any objective observer of the college game would be dishonest if they didn't acknowledge that both programs reside at the very top of the sport.

Whether one ponders the impact of John McKay and his legacy of success at USC or the legendary Bear Bryant and all he did for Alabama football, the assessment is the same—both programs have much to rest their laurels on.

So which program carries the most prestige?

Neither. Let's call this one a tie.

Tuscaloosa vs. Los Angeles

For the sake of full disclosure, I must admit that I have never visited Tuscaloosa, home of the university of Alabama.

I'm sure there are plenty of great things to do there, not the least of which is to take in a Crimson Tide game on some sunny Saturday afternoon.

But it ain't LA, baby.

As a resident of Los Angeles, I can sing the praises of a location that offers great beaches, resorts for skiing less than an hour away, myriad entertainment options and beautiful women by the boatload.

Wide-eyed prospective players visit the Southland and for many, USC's program is already sold, lock-stock and barrel.

Would and should Lane Kiffin use Los Angeles as a bit of geographical temptation to sway prospective Trojans?

Hell yes.

The Academics Is Something That Kiffin Could Use to Sway Prospective Recruits

Look, the university of Alabama is a fine institution of higher learning, and anyone who possesses a diploma from there should rightfully be proud.

But it ain't USC, baby.

Recently, the university of Southern California ranked 23rd in the national rankings as supplied by U.S. News.com.

Ranked ahead of USC are the usual list of brainiac institutions such as Stanford, M.I.T. and the like, and behind them reside a multitude of well-respected universities.

So where did Alabama place on this list?

I'm not sure, because I could only gain access to the top 50. Perhaps they ranked 51st. Or maybe they were 151st.

What I know for certain is that they lag far, far behind the Trojans.

Is this a selling point for USC and a tool that Coach Kiffin can use to beat out Nick Saban on the recruiting trail in 2013?

Damn right it is.

USC Recruiting Coordinator Ed Orgeron vs. Alabama's Mike Groh

Despite the lofty reputations of Alabama head coach Nick Saban and (to a lesser extent) USC's Lane Kiffin, it is the staff they hire that produces results in recruiting for each program.

For Alabama, Saban has tapped a rising young receivers coach, Mike Groh, to head his recruiting efforts.

Groh is the son of a football coach, knows the game and will do a fine job for Saban and Alabama.

How about USC?

Well, as any Trojans fan worth his or her salt will tell you, Lane Kiffin has perhaps the finest recruiter in the nation heading the staff to lure prep talent west to USC.

Ed Orgeron has been named to so many top recruiting lists, that it is impossible to enumerate in just one slide. In 2011 alone, he was named the top recruiter in the nation by both Scout.com and ESPN.

Both programs have top-notch coaches who have a passion for recruiting.

But only one has Ed Orgeron.

USC Is Already Well on Their Way to a Top-Three Class

Though it is still early in the 2013 recruiting season, the Trojans have already enjoyed an incredible amount of success.

Ranked as the No. 1 class by both Rivals.com and ESPN (Alabama is ranked No. 4 and No. 8, respectively), USC boasts all 4- and 5-star players, depending on which service you subscribe to.

At this point, the Trojans only have two more scholarships to give (assuming all verbals sign), while Alabama can still offer up to seven more full rides.

What should be noted, however, is that in terms of  the quality of each player who has given a verbal pledge, the Trojans are clearly head-and-shoulders above the competition, as evidenced by the significant "per player star rating" assigned to each USC verbal commit.

Meanwhile, a look at Scout.com's review of the Alabama class of 2013 reveals that their pledges are rated from a low of a single "2-star" all the way to a couple of "5-stars," with a majority of 3- and 4-stars in between.

That same service has USC pledges rated from a single 3-star with the rest being 4- or 5-stars (including a ridiculous six players receiving their highest rating).

To be fair, the Tide still have more scholarships to offer than USC, and what they do with them will contribute to how the final assessment of the programs shake out.

However, if Alabama continues to sign the same sort of players they have in the fold already, USC's class will very likely continue to be rated higher than the Crimson Tide's.

Conclusion

As stated before, I respect and admire Alabama, and I'm sure I speak for all Trojans fans when I say that where the Crimson Tide are now (defending national champions) is where USC wants to be.

Boasting an incredible legacy, marvelous coaches and a stellar squad, Alabama embodies greatness year in and year out.

And this year will be no different, as the Crimson Tide once again will be "the team to beat."

But like every year, the crown rests uneasy on the head of the title-holder, and USC will be one of the favorites to remove the "champion" moniker from Nick Saban and his Tide.

As any ardent fan who follows the game knows, recruiting is where the foundation for championships is laid.

In this area, it is crucial to infuse quality players into each program, for without talented players it doesn't matter how excellent Kiffin and Saban are as coaches.

In 2013, USC will deliver a stronger recruiting class than the Crimson Tide.

In this critical aspect of college football, the young buck (Kiffin) will out-recruit the wise master (Saban).

Hey Alabama, there's nothing wrong with being No. 2...

Is there?