Laying the Foundation: USC Football Recruiting (Why The Delay Lane?)

Before going any further, it should be noted with abundant emphasis that Lane Kiffin, Ed Orgeron and the entire USC recruiting staff have done a marvelous job of swaying excellent prep talent to verbally commit to the Trojans.

USC already has six pledges from highly regarded prep players including the star of the six, cornerback/running back DeAnthony Thomas.

With this kind of head start on the 2010 prep recruiting season, the class that Kiffin is putting together stands a chance to be truly special.

So please don't construe this piece as any kind of indictment of coach Kiffin or the Trojan recruiting brain trust.

Having said that, there are still a couple of omissions to what is the beginning of a brilliant prep recruiting class for the Trojans.

For example, one player who is very highly regarded and who seems a natural fit for the Trojans is Ian Seau.

Young Seau, whose uncle is the legendary former Trojan Junior Seau, is a 6'4," 245 pound monster of a defensive end who is ranked a four-star player by Scout.com.

Seau has the body and motor that will make him a future star and he lists the Trojans, of course, as "high" on his interest list.

Yet Ian Seau still awaits a scholarship offer from the Trojans.

Why the delay, Lane?

Meanwhile, another defensive end is just begging for an offer, and like Ian Seau, he is also a four-star prep athlete.

Todd Barr, who hails from Lakewood high school in Southern California, and who was a teammate of highly regarded 2009 USC quarterback recruit Jesse Scroggins, also has the Trojans "high" on his interest list.

All Todd Barr did last year was record 32 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and forced five fumbles.

And yet, even with close to two dozen scholarship offers in his pocket, Barr pines for one from his dream school, USC.

Why the delay, Lane?

Finally, with the Trojans in desperate need of linebackers, even with the recent commitment of Tre Madden, there is a fast riser, who, like Ian Seau and Todd Barr, has much love for the Trojans and awaits an offer from USC.

Jalen Jefferson, an outside linebacker who has the body (6'3") to add more bulk to his current 205 pounds, has the kind of motor that coaches love.

Like Barr and Seau, Jefferson also lists the Trojans as "high" on his list of potential suitors.

And with the Trojans needing linebackers, the questions begs to be answered...

Why the delay, Lane?

However, this doesn't mean that the Trojans are inactive on the recruiting trail.

Four more offers have been extended to some outstanding prep players and half of them reside here in the southland.

Lets take a look at these four potential future Trojans:

Stephan Nembot

This fast rising offensive tackle/defensive end from Van Nuys, Ca. is your prototypical "diamond in the rough."

With a body (6'8") that is just begging for more than the 245 pounds that he currently bears, Nembot is opening eyes throughout the recruiting world.

Now holding scholarship offers from the majority of Pac-10 schools, Nembot lists them all as "medium" in terms of his interest.

Bobby Hart

Hart, who hails from Ft. Lauderdale, Fl., has what the Trojans covet, and that is size.

Standing 6'5" and weighing 295 lbs., Hart is a prototypical offensive lineman.

Though not fleet of foot (5.6 forty), Hart nonetheless has great drive and power and if utilized at the guard position, won't be counted on for down field blocking anyway.

Hart, who is ranked a four-star player by Scout.com, has USC, like all others, rated as "medium" on his interest list.

Devon Moreland

The next two players that are being profiled, unfortunately for Trojan fans, appear to be heading to their crosstown rivals UCLA.

Devon Moreland, a fast rising player at a position of need, linebacker, is 6'3", 215 lbs. and has a ton of potential.

Though coveted by many programs, Moreland, as suggested, lists UCLA as "high" on his interest list.

Paulay Asiata

Asiata, who hails from Hawaii, also would fit a need of the Trojans, namely offensive tackle, has great size (6'5", 295 lbs.) and the power to be a dominating "big ugly" in the trenches.

However, Asiata also appears to be headed to UCLA who he lists as "high" on his dance card.

There you have it.

Some questions, some offers, and a whole bunch of me trying not to sound like I am questioning coach Kiffin and company, whose recruiting prowess I stand in awe of.

Nonetheless, I hope that the Trojans don't wait too much longer to pull the trigger on offers to Seau, Barr, and Jefferson.

It would be a damn shame to lose any of those guys to another program who extended an offer that came with the ability to sway the player in question to their way of thinking.

Of course, there may be promises of offers that this humble reporter isn't aware of.

For the Trojans' sake, there better damn well be.