USC football signed 12 student-athletes today with 5 more entering the program a semester early, so 17 new players will don the cardinal and gold this fall.
Click here to enter the Signing Day Central page!
"I'm very excited to welcome this class to USC," said head coach Lane Kiffin. "Our coaching staff, headed by recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron, did a great job of signing such quality student-athletes under the circumstances with which we are faced. We are working with a limited number of scholarships due to the sanctions, so it was extremely critical for us to concentrate on the quality of players that we signed rather than the quantity."
Click here to watch Lane Kiffin's press conference.
Tying a bow on the day's events...
Click here to enter the Signing Day Central page!
"I'm very excited to welcome this class to USC," said head coach Lane Kiffin. "Our coaching staff, headed by recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron, did a great job of signing such quality student-athletes under the circumstances with which we are faced. We are working with a limited number of scholarships due to the sanctions, so it was extremely critical for us to concentrate on the quality of players that we signed rather than the quantity."Click here to watch Lane Kiffin's press conference.
Tying a bow on the day's events...
- The USC coaching staff used the quality over quantity strategy to combat the scholarship limits. With 12 players comprising this fall class (17 total counting the spring entrants), the Trojans will be able to sign as many as 18 players next year, which helps balance out the scholarship reductions. "We didn't reach," Kiffin explained. "We had a specific plan which was targeting quality players. As you missed [out on some of them], [it] gives us some room for next year."
- The primary focus of the class was improving the depth and long term prospects of the offensive line. "The size is what sticks out," Kiffin said about Jordan Simmons (335 lbs.), Zach Banner (335 lbs.) and Max Tuerk (6'6"). "We made sure we got guys for down the road, not so much for next year."
Kiffin, who recruited Florida as an assistant under Pete Carroll, dipped into the Sunshine State for two more talented players today in WR Nelson Agholor (top photo by Tampa Tribune) and DE Leonard Williams (photo right by Orlando Sentinel). Monte Kiffin and Orgeron were credited with closing two standout players in SEC country.
- The rich got richer at LB, DB and TE. The Trojans return the entire starting back seven defensively and four young tight ends, yet elite prospects at all three positions were happy to jump into the competition. "One common attribute of these signees is their ability to compete," Kiffin said. "None of them were worried about depth charts or playing time. They were excited to be Trojans."
- Who will backup Curtis McNeal at running back? The line is short with only D.J. Morgan banking any playing time and George Farmer moving back to wide receiver. "We really don't have a great answer for that," Kiffin cited Jahleel Pinner as a possible power back and Agholor as a versatile offensive piece. The head coach would like to sign two running backs next year.
- No Signing Day is perfect, but Kiffin did not want to dwell on the ones that got away. "Our starting pitcher pitched six great innings today, but our bullpen got rocked," said Kiffin, who used the metaphor to describe a day that started out well, but closed disappointingly.
- Some current roster notes: Patrick Hall is no longer with the program due to academics as well as transfers Brice Butler, Kyle Prater, T.J. Bryant and Amir Carlisle. Kiffin is not worried about getting under the 75 total scholarship cap.
Hi Jordan,
One question - wasn't Nelsen a RB in HS? He had four times the rushing than receiving yards averaging almost 10 yards per carry! Is he interested in being a running back at SC? He only caught 14 passes in his senior year. It seems really strange especially since we have so many talented receivers and he can be assured playing time as a freshman at the RB position with the likelihood of being a future star.