APWith a pair of former four-/five-star players at the position transferring the past few months — Amir Carlisle to Notre Dame, Dillon Baxter into oblivion — USC’s running back cupboard had been looking rather bare for 2013 and beyond.
Hell, it was even looking bare for this season, so much so that Tre Madden was moved from linebacker to RB and appeared to be leading the competition for a starting job — until he suffered a season-ending knee injury during spring practice.
Thanks to a pair of decisions this week, however, the future’s looking much better at the position. Well, on paper it is anyway.
On Tuesday, Joliet (Ill.) Catholic Academy high schooler Ty Isaac (pictured) announced via Twitter that he has given his verbal commitment to the Trojans, a decision his father subsequently confirmed. Then, Thursday, Stockton (Cal.) Lincoln High School tailback Justin Davis confirmed that he intends to become a Trojan next year.
(Standard disclaimer: verbal commitments are non-binding pledges.)
Scout.com rates both players as five-star recruits, with Isaac considered the top RB by the recruiting service and Davis No. 3. Rivals.com has given a four-star rating to each, pegging Isaac as the No. 3 RB and Davis No. 5.
Isaac chose USC over finalists that included Michigan, Notre Dame and Auburn. The player’s father said the combination of academics and athletics led to his son heading west to continue his playing career.
“We’ve been to a lot of schools and done our homework,” Isaac’s father, Tyrone Isaac, told ESPN.com. “We dwindled it down to one school. It was about what they were able to offer academically and what they offered athletically. It came down to the right fit for him. It was about the tradition, and he fit with the players and coaches.”
In making his verbal commitment, Davis opted for USC over a pair of Pac-12 schools — Cal and Washington. Citing RBs coach//offensive coordinator Kennedy Polamalu as a major influence, Davis said USC’s ability to prepare him for the next level clinched it for the Trojans.
Oh, and the academics thing, too. That played a role as well.
“My decision really comes down to how USC will get me ready for the NFL,” he said. “I feel USC just sets me up so well for later in life. It’s not just about football either. USC offers so many opportunities athletically and academically.”
Isaac and Davis become the sixth and seventh verbals to USC’s Class of 2013, with four of those currently part of the Rivals100. Included in that group is Max Browne, a five-star recruit committed to the Trojans who’s the consensus top quarterback — pro-style or dual-threat — among the three major recruiting services.
Ugghhhh, I wouldn’t worry too much about USC’s backfield. With the line they have, my Grandma could walk the ball and gain yards…she doesn’t run anymore. Really, they may have limited # of recruits available…but they are ALL 4 and 5 star student/athletes. It’s too bad Paul Dee, former AD at University of Miami, passed away. May G-d rest his soul. But as it turned out, he was a hypocrite and cheat based upon the NCAA investigation going on. They deserve to get whacked much harder than Southern Cal received! Fight On Trojans!
Good choice boys, Fight On!!!
Right now, USC’s 2013 recruiting class averages 4.57 stars. The next school’s closest class averages (I think) just below 4 stars. Thank you, Kiffin. You preserved Pete’s legacy and started your own.
Fight On!
Lot of haters disliking comments on here, but won’t say anything. Do yourselves a favor and don’t read these articles. Sorry, but Paul Dee gave his best effort to kill the king. It can’t be done. And your hopes of Lane Kiffin stinking it up are dead.
Highest rated (by stars) recruiting class of 2012.
2013 class looks to do the same, if not better.
11 NC
7 Heismans
Never scheduled an FCS opponent
477 players drafted all time to the NFL. Most of any school
Over 51 players currently in the NFL. Most of any school
Only been known as a QB school for ten years and have three starting QBs in the NFL.
Highest bowl game winning percentage of any school.
The SEC is famous for defense? How about Troy Polamalu, Clay Matthews, Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga, Terrell Thomas?
USC is done with the bowl ban and now has new facilities look out!!
Now let’s hope on June 6th USC get the verbal from Sua Cravens he is going to be a beast!
Fight On!
And in the last 5 years you have won what?
Papabush is a tool!!!! Where you at now fool? Your stats are nice and cute like Boise St……SEC dominates. Fact!
Who cares about recruiting….we in the SEC see it every year…grab a 18 year old….let me know how that works out for ya! West coast peolple make me laugh……
@birdcen
Who is your SEC team? Or did you go to the University of SEC?
Here is a video the NFL Network made. They have said they will update it, when there is a NEW Number 1.
We’ve won three consecutive Rose Bowls consecutively: 2006, 2007, 2008. More top 5 finishes in the last 10 years than any school.
Let’s get Sua Cravens, Michael Hutchings, and Vanderhoes!
Hey there pappabush88. Long time since we last had a nice chat on the boards. Thanks for posting some of USC’s stats to the young people who are just hating on USC. They’re just kids, so they don’t know how to act in a public forum.
USC’s 2012 recruiting class isn’t liste din the Top5 for one reason… the number of schollies available is limited to 15. Everyone else gets 25. but if take the average star rating per player, USC has the #1 recruiting class for 2012, and will do so again in 2013, 14, 15, 16. then we’ll see where things lie once Kiffin and Co can actually field 85 schollie players. It’ll take another year or two once the schollie reduction program has ended.
And I agree with you that these high profile and ranked kids will come to USC because they know that they’ll get playing time as freshmen. Kiffin must hit on all cyliders and these players all have to pan out and be productive members of the team, otherwise, we’ll see some kids being released, which is not the norm for USC. But sanctions as they be, thanks to the lying, cheating, scoundrel known as Paul Dee and his COI, (god rest his soul, becasue his legacy will rot in shame)… 15 kids per year will be the top notch kids. No need to stack the redshirt sideline with kids just to have them…… heck even during the Carroll yeasr, I don’t think SC ever had 85 schollie players on board.
See ya in the next article. lol
Fight On brothers and sisters.
Beat everybody, especially the NCAA.
@birdcen
Here’s another stat for you. The last four times USC played the SEC, they beat them all four times by a combined score of 170-55. That included No. 9 ranked Auburn in 2003 (ranked by Sports Illustrated as No. 1) and 2006 SEC West champion Arkansas. 3 different QBs threw TD passes vs Arkansas in 2005.
So, again, I ask: Who is your team? Or is your SEC team one of the weaker ones and you just piggy back on the successes of the SEC powerhouses?
Don’t hate on Paul Dee too much….yeah he was scum, but he knew better than anyone that if he didn’t do something to So Cal than the SEC wouldn’t win a Natl Champ..
and if the SEC doesn’t win a Natl Champ or are in the running for it often enough they go out and look for kids with iced tea and skittles and talk about their “hertiage” and their “history.”
Paul Dee knew better than anyone that hicks need football to keep them busy…….only so much NASCAR they can watch.
will USC ever accept responsibility for their NCAA sanctions? your program cheated and was very uncooperative with the NCAA. deal with reality for a change.
@mhalt99
Funny stuff. However, I do like me some NASCAR every now and then. Fontucky!!!
Easy for the SEC to win NC’s when the corrupt and biased BcS pits two SEC teams in the NCG. However, I will give credit to the SEC’s D-lines. Very dominant. Forget about Cam Newton and Tim Tebow. Those teams had great D-lines, but the BcS kept USC out of the NCG when they should have been there in ’03 and ’08 (Vegas had USC ranked No. 1 at the end of the ’08 regular season, and predicted them to beat Florida).
@auburntigers34
Actually, if you read the entire document the NCAA provided, the NCAA even says that USC cooperated. It says that while USC cooperated with the investigation, it doesn’t dismiss them from penalties. Pete Carroll initially did not cooperate, but after he did, he was never implicated by the NCAA of having to do anything wrong. Like the NCAA states, USC didn’t know that Reggie Bush was receiving improper benefits from that ex-agent in San Diego. So, USC did not cheat. Reggie did.
that’s true about the agents, but it seems like PC had a reputation for allowing agents and celebrities to attend practices a few years before the Bush stuff came out. by doing things like that, he was pretty much encouraging the semi-pro atmosphere on campus.
i agee that the sanctions were pretty harsh, but i think that it’s ridiculous for anyone to claim that this was some kind of conspiracy between the NCAA and SEC to weaken USC’s program so that the SEC could win a few NCs.
@auburntigers34
Quote take directly from the 67-page COI report on USC:
“NCAA Bylaw 32.1.4 – Cooperative Principle, also addresses institutional responsibility to fully cooperate during infractions investigations, stating, in relevant part, “The cooperative principle imposes an affirmative obligation on each institution to assist the enforcement staff in developing full information, to determine whether a possible violation of NCAA legislation has occurred and the details thereof.” The committee determined that the cooperation exhibited by the institution met its obligation under Bylaws 19.01.3.3 and 32.1.4. The cooperation the institution demonstrated in this case must be weighed against the conduct and failures of the institution and its personnel as set forth in Findings B-1-(b), B-6 and B-7. The committee concluded that in light of the serious nature of the violations and the failure of the institution to detect and/or prevent them, the institution’s cooperation did not warrant relief in the penalties imposed by the committee in this case.”
Basically, USC cooperated with the investigation. The committee didn’t feel it was enough. Reggie Bush did NOT cooperate with the NCAA, but at that time, he was no longer a member of USC. Was already in the NFL. Therefore, NO ONE at USC was implicated in the matter. Not Pete Carroll. Not Mike Garrett. They couldn’t even prove Todd McNair knew…he just should have known.
@auburntigers34
Oh, well it definitely was not a conspiracy between the NCAA and SEC. I think that is ridiculous. I do believe that the BcS has a tendancy to be biased in favor of the East coast teams over the West coast teams. Fortunately, they’re finally changing their format. Props to them.
The NCAA, however, is just a little ridiculous with their rules. Personally, I don’t see the problem with boosters and agents giving money to the players. It doesn’t give the players an advantage or an edge in a game. They’re aren’t going to play better if they have an extra $2,000 in their pocket. It’s not like its steroids. I feel that if a booster wants to give a charitable contribution, then who cares? In regards to the NCAA’s COI on USC, that was an absolute travesty. ESPN writer Ted Miller even reported that one member of the COI was so passionate when discussing the wrongdoings of USC that it was clear that he had some sort of vendetta and hatred for them. Probably was Paul Dee, but that was never confirmed. Paul Dee is an absolute hypocrite. Not only has USC “committed” (that’s in quotes because they didn’t do anything wrong, Reggie did) the weakest of violations compared to OSU, UNC, South Carolian, and Miami, but they were given the harshest penalties. If Charles Manson was the judge at your trial where you were convicted of murder, you’d be pretty pissed too.
Lastly, as my colleague in the office next to me says, “If people think that the SEC can win the last 6 NC without cheating, they’re down right stupid and naive.” And my colleague is an Alabama alum and his dad is an Auburn alum.
Hey Reggie Bush? Where u at?
Papabush? 2005? Really? Let’s talk real time fool….u are pathetic…and probabaly over 55.
Congrats on landing two great backs for 2013!
@auburntigers34
You cannot be serious to actually post about violations! Your school and I use the term loosely, is the epitome of scandal & cheating. That piece of garbage Cam Newton should never have been allowed to play at any college in the US! He was thrown out at U of Florida for stealing and cheating. While I don’t believe the conspiracy theory, it’s not beyond Pat Dye and his crew to whisper in Slives ear to throw the book at USC. You’re the pot calling the kettle black. While ‘bama is a worthy and deserving Nat’l. Champion, Auburn is a disgrace and makes the SEC look bad. Now go kiss the backside of cam the shams statue! One last thing: has Auburn ever beaten Southern Cal? Well South Carolina is 1-1 against the Teojans. Read it and weep chump!
@birdcen
2002, 2003, 2005, and 2006 were the last time USC played SEC teams. Florida and Bama dodged us back in the Pete Carroll days. The only close game was the 2002 Auburn vs USC. We even beat SEC West champion Arkansas without Reggie. Without Leinart. Without LenDale White. Without Shaun Cody.
I’m 24 years old. Graduated from USC in 2010.
Why won’t you tell us who your SEC team is? Which SEC school did you graduate from/still attending?
I live in the same town as Sua Cravens… I’ve seen him play 3 times already, and this kid is a straight beast on defense. If he chooses SC over the other 28 offers he has on the table, this might be the best class USC has ever landed.
15 Scholarships will be handed out, and with an average of 4.5 star level, no other school in the nation can match the power and brand on USC.
It quality over quantity.
@10yardslant
While USC badly needs D-linemen, Sua Cravens is the top defensive prospect I’m most excited about. Our verbal commits of Fitts and Bigelow are great, but the things I’ve seen (on tape) and other things I’ve read about Cravens are phenomenal.
Do you have any inside knowledge coming from his town? I hear USC tops his list with a few others. But do you feel he is leaning towards the Trojans?
@papabush88
I don’t have any 1st hand knowledge. His talent level is the type that would definitely fit what USC looks for, and it doesn’t hurt that Lane was at his high school Championship Game last season. He’s been recruited pretty hard by the Cardinal and Gold.
I can only hope that he chooses to stay in state and play for SC.
@ auburntigers34 says:
will USC ever accept responsibility for their NCAA sanctions? your program cheated and was very uncooperative with the NCAA. deal with reality for a change.
USC will never accept responsibility for the BS sanctions handed out by the NCAA. The program did not cheat. A player and his parents within the program, elected to cheat with no knowledge from the University, it’s coaches or other players.
As far as dealing with reality. Is there anyone involved who is not dealing with reality here. The University and every one withing the program the past 3 years has dealt with this. Other then the fan base, I have not heard anyone from the inside complain about the hand they have been dealt. I’m sure they do, they just don’t complain about it in the media.
As far as cooperating with the ncaa, is that what SC is guilty of here? They didn’t give the ncaa there full undivided cooperation? Are you kidding me, really.
When it’s all said and done, it will be 5 years of probation, 2 lost years with no bowl games plus 3 years and 30 lost schoalarships. What a cost for not cooperating to there standards. Can you see where the biterness comes from?
And let’s not forget everyone, SC signed only 13 this past February, three shy of the 15 they could have. This means they have 18 full rides to hand out between early and regular signing periods. Things are starting to look up! Fight on