Have the NCAA's Sanctions Already Affected USC's Recruiting Plans?

With the unwelcome news of the NCAA's sanctions against the USC Trojans, including the loss of 30 scholarships over three years, it appears that only a few days later, the Trojans recruiting strategy has been deeply affected.

Of course, this is to be expected from a program that now has only 15 scholarships to offer for the 2011 season, instead of what normally would be 25.

However, despite the assurances of Trojan head coach, Lane Kiffin, and recruiting coordinator, Ed Orgeron, who insist that nothing has changed in terms of recruiting strategy, the facts don't quite mesh with the bravado.

Prior to news of the sanctions, the Trojans had been their normally active self, averaging scholarship offers to prep players somewhere in the neighborhood of four to eight players per week.

In the roughly nine or so days since the sanctions were announced against the Trojans, only one player, cornerback Dondi Kirby from Pennsylvania, has received a scholarship offer from USC.

To be fair, this may be a case of there simply not being many attractive players for the Trojans to offer at this particular time of year.

And while this may be true, it should be noted that many players the Trojans had previously offered have come off the table as they have verbally pledged their services to other programs.

In fact, just this week, linebacker James Vaughters, defensive end Jabrian Niles, wide receiver Charone Peake, and running back Mike Bellamy, players the Trojans have offered, all have committed to someone else.

Couple this with other recepients of USC scholarship offers such as defensive tackles Michael Bennett, Kris Harley and DJ Pettway, offensive tackles Matt Hegarty and Jordan Prestwood, tight end Ben Koyack, and running back Herschel Sims all having recently committed elsewhere and the question is, are the Trojans running out of players to offer or are they holding back offers simply because they don't have any to give?

Perhaps it's a combination of the two.

Whatever the case, it is fairly obvious that the Trojans' strategy has changed since the penalties were imposed.

Regardless of comments made by the coaching staff to the contrary, the facts suggest that USC will shift tactics as they go forward with the reduced scholarships they have to work with.

Logically, the Trojans must now scrutinize the prospects they offer much more closely, offering only those they are sure will have an impact on the program.

And hopefully those players will have an immediate impact for the Trojans' sake, because they will need them to see the field as soon as possible.

Make no mistake about it, the recruiting brain trust will also have a fine line to walk as more and more players come off the board.

The sooner they offer players left over, the better their chances are of landing those players.

Yet these players may not be worthy of an offer.

Whether or not the players can contribute to the Trojans and help them get over the debilitating loss of scholarships over the next three years remains to be seen.

What is very apparent is that Kiffin and Orgeron will have to do a masterful job if the Trojans plan on remaining relevant in college football.

And if they can pull this off, they should be charter members in the college football recruiting hall of fame.