USC Recruiting: The Curious Saga of the 'Soft Verbal'

With USC's football program mired in the depths of sanctions delivered by the NCAA for perceived transgressions related to its investigation of former Trojan Reggie Bush, the entirety of its recruiting department has now had to alter its approach to luring prep athletes to the Los Angeles southland.

Operating with the shackles of minimum available scholarships to offer, USC has been forced to change its typical approach in terms of recruiting.

This new master plan for recruiting has manifested itself in many ways.

For example, Trojan scholarship offers for critical specialty players such as kickers and long snappers has seen offers extended to and accepted by players like Adam Heidari (kicker) and Peter McBride (long snapper) with the proviso that they enroll early before the sanctions that reduce scholarships are imposed by the NCAA.

Welcome news for the Trojans also recently came in the form of a verbal acceptance of a scholarship offer by Florida linebacker Kent Turene, who informed USC that he planned to also be an early enrollee.

And the Trojans' plan seems to be working well.

By securing lower-profile, yet critical positions, especially under the guise of early enrollment, USC has filled crucial spots before the imposed punishment of 10 scholarships reduced per year is in place.

As of this writing, the Trojans, despite the new plan and restrictions, are having a fine year recruiting.

Most publications have USC firmly placed in the top 10 in the country in recruiting.

However, there are still some concerns connected to those verbal commitments from prep players who have pledged to the Trojans.

Specifically, those concerns are tied to two big-time USC recruits who have accepted Trojan offers but have qualified their acceptance by saying it is a "soft verbal."

These two players, cornerback DeAnthony Thomas and defensive tackle Antuan Woods, have designated themselves as verbal commitments of the "soft" variety.

But what does this mean?

How does a "soft verbal" differ from a plain old "verbal?"

Realistically, there are two scenarios that might motivate a player to designate themselves as a soft verbal.

One, the player truly likes the program but not so much that they are willing to close all avenues open to other options in case they change their minds.

The other is that those players who have given a soft verbal are just looking for free recruiting trips to other schools and the players in question are still firmly committed to the programs they have originally accepted.

According to rumors, Thomas fits the latter scenario.

Those same rumors also have Woods also just wanting free recruiting trips but with less certainty than those involving Thomas.

Of course, in reality, all verbal commitments, soft or otherwise, don't mean a damn thing until the player in question signs his letter of intent.

Each year, the legions of players who renege on verbal commitments literally number in in the range of a hundred or more.

However, for USC, operating under the manacles of significantly reduced scholarships, anything that might jeopardize the delivery of players such as Thomas and Woods, provides much angst for the recruiting brain trust.

The necessity of being more selective in recruiting prep players also requires scrutinizing each and every position by need and late defections by Woods and Thomas would throw a mighty monkey wrench in USC's recruiting plans.

So, Lane Kiffin and USC's recruiting department waits and operates under the increased stress of the "soft verbal."

If Woods and Thomas are just looking for free trips, then good for them and not so good for those programs who are providing the freebie.

Lets just hope for Kiffin's sake that he can operate secure in the knowledge that Thomas and Woods will finally end up as Trojans.

In a year where less scholarships means more work for USC recruiting, anything less would create a significant hardship for the Trojans.

And the Trojans have had plenty enough of that already.