USC and UCLA Clash on National Signing Day

Rick Neuheisel and Norm Chow beat Lane Kiffin and his staff in Tennessee last fall.  Today, they tried to do it again in a cross-town recruiting war.

Last night, word came out that Kiffin had broken the Crenshaw jinx by taking Hayes Pullard, a highly-ranked linebacker, away from the Bruin camp, which had a monopoly on recruits from Crenshaw High School.

Then this morning, Giovanni Di Paolo, an offensive lineman, who had been a Trojan commit but was being courted by the Bruins, decided to remain a Trojan.

However, in the early afternoon, Neuheisel managed to snatch linebacker Josh Shirley and cornerback Dietrich Riley away from the Trojans.

As the announcements continued, both schools won some recruits and lost some.  Then a little after 2 p.m., the Trojans learned that they had landed the big fish:  6-7, 295-pound Seantrel Henderson, No. 1 offensive lineman, was coming to USC.

That helped push USC near the top in the recruiting rankings, even though they have fewer than 20 recruits at this point.

Rivals.com puts USC at No. 2 behind Florida and has UCLA at No. 8 while Scout.com has the Bruins at No. 6 just ahead of the Trojans at No. 7.  But it is USC that leads everyone with five, five-star commits.

Here is an alphabetical list of the commits USC has as of this evening:

• Markeith Ambles, WR from Georgia
• Dion Bailey, S from Lakewood
• Dillon Baxter, Athlete from Mission Bay
• Anthony Brown, CB from Kaiser
• Giovanni DiPaolo, OL from Saint Bonaventure
• Xavier Grimble TE from Bishop Gorman in Nevada
• Seantrel Henderson, OL from Minnesota, D.J. Morgan, RB from Taft H.S.
• Kyle Prater, WR from Illinois
• Hayes Pullard, LB from Crenshaw
• Nickell Robey, CB from Florida
• Jesse Scroggins, QB from Lakewood
• Glen Stanley, LB from Eastern Arizona J.C.
• Randall Telfer, TE from Rancho Cucamonga
• Christian Thomas, TE from Highland, Calif.
• George Uko, DT from Don Lugo
• Robert Woods, WR from Serra
• Demetrius Wright, CB from Corona.

With Prater, Woods, and Ambles, the Trojans have the best receiver group in the nation by far. 

You can also add Dillon Baxter to that list who can take reps at wide receiver as well as running back and quarterback. 

Both Prater and Baxter will be able to help immediately as they are already enrolled and will take part in spring practice.

The addition of Seantrel Henderson is huge.  He will no doubt compete in Fall Camp for an offensive tackle spot with Tyron Smith and Matt Kalil. 

Woods and Ambles will be in the mix for receiver spots along with Prater depending on how quickly they can learn the offensive sets.  Prater will have an edge having taken reps in spring practice.

All three will really push returning receivers Ronald Johnson, Brice Butler, Travon Patterson and Jordan Cameron for playing time.

The three tight ends are crucial to USC’s offensive game planning.  Tight ends and fullbacks at USC are not only important for receiving but for run blocking, pass protection and screens. 

Grimble, Telfer, and Thomas will compete with returners Rhett Ellison and Blake Ayles.  But Ayles has been plagued by nagging injuries the last two years, and having a couple of healthy tight ends on the roster cannot be underestimated.

The pressing need for the Trojans is at linebacker where the depth chart was decimated by graduation and injuries last year. 

Losing Josh Shirley to UCLA hurt, but gaining both Pullard and Stanley will help immensely.  Having played in both Division 1 and at Eastern Arizona J.C., Stanley will see immediate playing time.

At his press conference, Lane Kiffin said that he and his staff managed to keep the recruits that they wanted who had committed under Pete Carroll.  Obviously, they did not want defensive lineman Dak Smith or punter Matt Darr and did not pursue them.

As to the USC vs. UCLA rivalry, Kiffin said he could usually tell after the first five minutes whether a recruit would be a Trojan or not.  Usually the ones who are not afraid of some tough competition wind up at USC.

I think that is clear when you look at the difference between a Dillon Baxter and a Dietrich Riley. 

Kiffin stated that Baxter could play receiver, running back, and even quarterback in the wildcat formation.  But he added that he wasn’t promising anything.  Baxter would have to prove that he could do it.

But in order to get Riley, a safety who fancies himself as a two-way player, to commit, Neuheisel and Chow promised to put in some 15 offensive plays that would allow Riley to show his versatility at receiver, running back, and wildcat quarterback.

Although he is the new man at USC, Kiffin doesn’t make promises nor does he make impassioned speeches like Neuheisel upon accepting the Empire Bank Bowl trophy.

Neuheisel promised not to rest until UCLA won a PAC-10 championship, a Rose Bowl, and the National Championship. 

Now that he has his third recruiting class, it is time for Neuheisel to stop promising and start delivering.  The Karl Dorrell era is over. 

Now the responsibility fo finishing what they promised to do falls squarely on the shoulders of Neuheisel and Chow.

But for Lane Kiffin recruiting has by no means ended.  Last year at Tennessee, Kiffin picked up some key recruits well after National Signing Day.  This year will probably be no different.

With 18 commits, expect USC to add at least another three or four.  One may be coming tonight, as Eureka fullback Soma Vainuku has apparently sent in his letter of intent, but this has not been officially announced.

Also, USC picked up another 2011 commit.  Standout junior defensive tackle Antwuan Woods announced that he will be heading to USC next year.

Next up for Kiffin, getting the rest of the offensive coaching staff squared away.  Expect a surprise or two.

LATE BREAKING NEWS: In addition to Soma Vainuku, tonight Marquis Jackson, defensive end and brother of USC's Malik Jackson, committed to USC.  With those two additions, RIvals.com moved the Trojans up to the No. 1 spot.  

But not so fast my friends!  That No. 1 might not last very long as reports are that Seantrel Henderson has not sent in his LOI.  One report is that he is going to wait until the NCAA hearing later this month.  Another report is that he is attending a basketball game tonight in New York as the reason for the delay.  So, we shall see.