Sign In Using Facebook  |  Sign In  |  Sign Up

USC Recruiting Strategies

Nolan Thomas Written by Nolan Thomas, Thursday May 21 2009
Text Size - A +

University of Southern California head coach Pete Carroll has come up with a different recruiting tactic in order to counter moves made by other large college programs such as UCLA and Notre Dame. Previously, these other schools have targeted USC recruits that had announced early commitments to the Trojans.

 

Carroll is supposedly telling many of his top-notch recruits to "remain silent for awhile," in order for the Trojans' recruiting efforts to continue without the annoyance from other schools programs. This year, for example, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana State, and Michigan try for national recognition in appropriating a large amount of verbal commitments.

 

The silent treatment is not exactly a new gambit as there were some well-known schools in the 1990’s that adapted a similar concept.  There were schools that landed top-notch players at the last minute on National Signing day, so that they would produce a "top of the rankings" recruiting class.

 

However, national recruiting tactics have changed sensationally in the past last ten years, with powerhouses such as Texas, Florida, and even USC hanging onto an opinion strong enough to entice top-notch players that had already given verbal commitments to other schools into reconsidering where they might play college football.

 

Carroll and USC have learned straight from the horse's mouth just how noticeable these tactics have become. This year alone USC has lost three early signees to UCLA and Arizona State. They also lost highly presumed Trojan player Menti Te'o, who officially committed to Notre Dame.

 

Te'o, from Honolulu's Punahou, and Hawaii’s state's player of the year, ended up choosing Notre Dame over both UCLA and USC.

 

Earlier, USC lost receiver Alshon Jeffrey who signed with the “other” USC, the University of South Carolina, had earlier committed to the Trojans. In addition, linebacker Vontaze Burfict rejected the Trojans in favor of Arizona State.

 

Therefore, to no ones surprise, Carroll and his coaching staff are determined to keep it hush-hush on the status of the players they have the most interest in signing to play football for the Trojans. Some of them will obviously go public, but other players will be keeping it quiet because USC does not want 10-12 of them to be publicly committed just because of a rapid announcement of public commitments by players.

 

All-City defensive back Byron Moore Jr., committed to UCLA last summer, changed his mind, switched to USC, and then changed his mind again two weeks ago because he was concerned about how much playing time he might have at USC. He was also considering Notre Dame.

 

Moore kept everyone at his high school guessing, wearing a USC jersey on Monday and a Notre Dame jersey on Tuesday.

 

Moore made his announcement on choosing the Trojans over Notre Dame during a live national cable broadcast. "I made my decision last night with my family," Moore said.

 

However, for the most part, Coach Carroll and the Trojans game plan is to keep it quiet until they have a John Hancock on paper.

 

Shhhhh, be very quiet, it’s Trojan season! 


Tags:  





Leave a comment

Name *
Email *
Website

Create date
— :

Article

Sport

City

Team

Photo

X

Not So Fast! To publish your comment, you have to login

Not Registered? Register now as it only take 20 seconds!



Click here to browse




0 comments