‘There’s a palpable buzz about USC again’ as Trojans land elite football recruits
Clay Helton and his staff have worked to dramatically improve the Trojans’ recruiting pitches and it’s paying off. (Orlando Ramirez / AP)Ryan Kartje (LA Times) — A helicopter soared over USC’s campus earlier this month, carrying precious cargo. The nation’s top uncommitted recruit, Washington edge rusher J.T. Tuimoloau, sat next to USC coach Clay Helton and assistant Vic So’oto as Los Angeles unfurled in all its sprawling grandeur below their feet.
It was a critical moment during USC’s most crucial month for recruiting in recent memory, a litmus test more than a year in the making. After 15 months of entirely remote recruiting, pandemic restrictions on campus visits were lifted until the next dead period begins July 1. During the shutdown, USC rebuilt its entire operation, more than doubled the size of its full-time recruiting staff (from five to 11) and launched an in-house branding and creative studio to help athletes eventually capitalize on their name, image and likeness .
Those investments at USC had already yielded a top-10 class for 2021 amid the pandemic, as well as a strong start to its 2022 group. Now, however, the floodgates were open, giving way to a frenzied month of on-campus visits across college football that has USC eager to reiterate its sudden recruiting success was no fluke.
Which is how Tuimoloau, the only uncommitted five-star prospect still left in the 2021 class who opted not to sign during the traditional periods in December and February, wound up touring Los Angeles via helicopter, less than two weeks after soaring over Seattle’s Puget Sound in a seaplane.
From the air, USC could showcase in one view all the city had to offer — and all its staff could never articulate over Zoom or FaceTime. Tuimoloau flew over the Coliseum, past beaches and the Santa Monica Pier, and near the Hollywood sign, offering up the kind of high-flying pitch that was otherwise impossible over the past 15 months.
That pitch had largely gone stale prior to the pandemic. A bare-bones recruiting staff was spread too thin. Local prospects were leaving the state in droves, and local coaches were whispering about complacency. As USC fell to 64th in the national rankings for its 2020 class, its new administration resolved that the recruiting operation was in dire need of reimagining. Landing top talent is essential if embattled coach Clay Helton hopes to contend consistently for Pac-12 titles and keep his job.
Now that those changes are in place, “there’s a palpable buzz about USC again,” says Brandon Huffman, the national recruiting editor at 247Sports.com.
“They flipped the narrative completely.”
Whether a helicopter will prove convincing enough amid a nationwide on-campus recruiting arms race remains to be seen. Last weekend, Ohio State’s entire staff welcomed Tuimoloau at the Columbus airport in No. 33 jerseys and Hawaiian shirts.
Several USC staffers told The Times they remained confident after Tuimoloau’s visit. Huffman, who is close to Tuimoloau’s family, said USC has made a “legitimate case,” though Ohio State remains the likely favorite heading into the final stretch of his recruitment.
But the five-star edge rusher is just one of the countless top recruits for whom USC has rolled out the red carpet in June. And helicopters aren’t the only recruiting tool USC has in its arsenal.
“We’ve been gearing up for this for quite some time,” said Spencer Harris, USC’s director of player personnel. “Once the NCAA said June 1, we knew it was going to be 27 days of nonstop action.”
At USC, the last month’s recruiting marathon has focused primarily on top out-of-state prospects, a strategy that once defined USC’s place among the nation’s recruiting powers.
The risk in returning to that approach has so far proven worth the reward. Five-star defensive lineman Mykel Williams was widely expected to stay home and sign with Georgia, but a recruiting visit to Los Angeles earlier this month spurred him to commit to USC. A week later, four-star New Jersey cornerback Jaeden Gould followed suit after his own visit. Their commitments have left USC feeling quite good about its approach to building the 2022 class heading into Sunday, when the window for visits will close again.
“[USC] has started to remember who they were,” Huffman said. “They should be beating elite national teams for guys.”
A beefed-up support staff has helped in that regard, earning plaudits from visiting recruits.
Finally having Los Angeles at its disposal has leveled that playing field for a staff which spent just a couple of months together before the pandemic began.
“It’s L.A. It’s limitless,” said CBs coach Donte Williams, whose recruiting success during the past year has him currently ranked as the nation’s top recruiter by 247Sports.com. “We have everything at our disposal. Some of these places they may go to might have one restaurant. We have a million!”
Sometimes even a world-class restaurant won’t do. So every Friday in June, USC has taken visiting recruits to dinner at SoFi Stadium. Then, every Sunday, they’re treated to a final brunch at a house on The Strand in Manhattan Beach.
In between, there are photo shoots and campus tours, NIL presentations and even impromptu beach trips, all with the intent of selling recruits not only on USC, but all Los Angeles has to offer.
It’s a pitch USC has been waiting more than 15 months to make.
“We’ve been able to have this success without [Los Angeles],” Harris said. “But now we get to use this city and the platform and talk about name, image and likeness, and everything this city has to offer. It’s June. It’s beautiful weather.
“It’s an exciting time.” This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
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[…] teams for a battle of knowledge and willpower. The event has been confirmed, and there is a palpable buzz surrounding it, with fans eagerly anticipating the match between these football […]
Someone sent me this recently from another fan who isn’t happy with Helton. “Helton buys fancy trimming for the house he’s building, but neglects the foundation. One hallmark of USC has always been its line on both sides of the ball. Helton would put a solid gold doorknob on a portapotty.” It’s amazing how this consistent takedown of Helton is near-unanimously held by USC fans, yet the sports media never addresses this with any specificity or impact. USC’s brutal OL failures never really get nailed to the wall. Most all writers handle this glaring weakness euphemistically and with kid gloves… Read more »
From today’s San Diego Union Tribune “With several state laws poised to take effect Thursday and Congress still bickering about what overriding federal legislation would look like, the NCAA’s Div. I Council took the unprecedented step Monday of recommending an emergency waiver “that would suspend amateurism rules related to (NIL)” until national rules are adopted. The Div. I Board is expected to approve it Wednesday. The urgency was to prevent Texas, Florida, New Mexico and other states with July laws permitting NIL monetization from having an advantage over those who don’t.” “The primary restriction involves wearing or using university logos… Read more »
The Athletic — “(My priorities are) definitely academics and the connections you’re able to make,” said four-star CB Gentry Williams, from Tulsa Washington, Oklahoma. “There’s going to come a time when ball is going to run out, so that was a big thing for my family. Coach Donte Williams, he was big with the way he was able to connect with my family and make me feel comfortable so far away from home. Just the whole entire vibe from Cali. It’s just hard to beat… “I don’t even look at Donte as a recruiter,” emphasized Gentry, who texts or talks… Read more »
Smart recruiting — The Athletic — “The coaching staff has to use its best judgment to determine whether or not the player’s interest is genuine (if he’s a high-profile out-of-state guy). USC called off some official visits from out-of-state prospects this month after gauging their interest level. Due diligence is a must…”
USC Football Quote of the Day — “It’s expanding our footprint in our evaluation,” said Spencer Harris, USC’s Director of Player Personnel, “and having the confidence in our brand and USC and Los Angeles that we are an attractive school, and that if we can build a relationship, we can go and get anybody.”
Interesting, surprising fact (at least to me) — Brian Kelly (43-8 over the past four seasons, including two trips to the College Football Playoff) will become the winningest coach in Notre Dame history, surpassing Knute Rockne, with just four more victories.
Now all Coach Helton needs to do is deliver 10 or more regular season wins with no blow out losses and there should be a top ten class come this December. Easier said than done I know but we shall see. I’m fearing another underwhelming 8-4 season with a half-assed effort in a tier three bowl game.
From Pete Carroll to Tyrone Willingham: Ranking the Pac-12’s 40 coaching hires since 2000 (The Athletic’s Antonio Morales, Doug Haller and Tyson Alger): 1. Pete Carroll, USC Year: 2000 Record: 97-19 (62-14 Pac-10) in nine seasons Best season: BCS championship (Orange) in 2004 Program record previous three seasons: 19-18 (10-14) AD who made the hire: Mike Garrett Carroll wasn’t USC’s first choice, but he turned out to be the best choice any Pac-12 program has made in the past two decades. Carroll’s vibrant personality and extreme competitiveness were exactly what the Trojans needed. That’s what made USC dominate the West Coast on the field and… Read more »
Clay Helton might be given another 5-year extension of his contract, or until 2028…. Yes, it looks as if Helton has his eyes on extracting another over-sized contract out of the Trojans. His plan apparently is to relinquish his ego and prestigious ‘coach’ title in exchange for the rise of his newly-minted assistant coaches who know what it takes to bring SC back to prominence– to get out and recruit the best talent available in all of America… Helton is no man’s fool except when it comes to being able to coach competently, so he has to realize his future… Read more »
LAT — Mater Dei’s 5-star CB Domani Jackson (committed to USC since 1/23/21) ties 100-meter record at state championships
“Upon hearing his time in the 100m dash, Domani Jackson (6-1, 185) could hardly believe his ears. Neither could anyone else in the stadium after the Santa Ana Mater Dei JR won in 10.25 seconds to equal the state record Saturday night in the California Track & Field Championships at Arcadia High.”
Between Christon and Jackson, SC will have probably the two fastest players in collegiate football.
Christon has never impressed me. I think he’s a track guy trying to play football, and not that well. Without a good OL, he’s just not much of a factor. Can’t run between the tackles. Only decent in space, and he’s never there.
Jackson is an entirely different matter. I’d say he’s a football player first.
Yahoo Sports exclusive: Dossier reveals extent of potential NCAA violations by ASU football “In totality, the breadth of the evidence and potential investigative leads provide significant building blocks for an NCAA case against Herm Edwards and ASU. The volume of recruits named will give the NCAA the ability to offer immunity to the players and their families. “Multiple former staff members have told Yahoo Sports that they are happy to cooperate with the NCAA, a rarity for an organization that often gets stonewalled by the code of silence many adopt in the sport. “ASU’s time in the crosshairs is unfolding… Read more »
Was hopi g that Hawkins wasn’t caught up in this.
He’s issued a denial, but then crossed himself up by talking about his self-described measly $100,000 yearly salary, and how it affected what he would be capable of doing. I didn’t think he came off particularly well with his statement.
This will all be massively decided by what the kids and their parents provide IMO. The coaches are all capable of lying to save their own hides if they feel they have to. It’s the numerous prep prospects themselves who can sink everyone at ASU fast.
Plus you have all of the coaches that were pushed out to tell the investors exactly where to look. Who do you think will be the first coach that is involved to turn on the others.
Great question! Has there been a rush to flip by some on the staff? I assume more than one has already sung like a canary, but I really have no idea. That might violate some serious coaches’ code. I would assume there been some brutal fractures among the staff, with careers and lives at stake. What the heck is Herm Edwards doing and what’s his approach to saving the latest stage of his career? I feel for the Sun Devil fans. I’ve been there as a USC fan, and the look ahead is always stuck between some warped sense of… Read more »
“launched an in-house branding and creative studio to help athletes eventually capitalize on their name, image and likeness” Every D-1 Athletic Department will have to have this, if SC is out in front it will pay huge dividends. How can an 18 year old recruit not have an agent to navigate potential offers that will be coming in a couple years?
Good opinion piece in the San Diego UT by Chris Reed condemning the NCAA decades of corruptness. https://enewspaper.sandiegouniontribune.com/desktop/sdut/default.aspx?pubid=ee84df93-f3c1-463c-a82f-1ab095a198ca
What Goes Up Must Come Down?
Lawsuit claims LSU HC Ed Orgeron did not report rape allegation against Derrius Guice:
“LSU head coach Ed Orgeron has been added as a defendant to a Title IX lawsuit that alleges he failed to report a rape allegation against one of his former players Derrius Guice, according to The Athletic’s Brody Miller.
“The lawsuit, filed against LSU over the school’s alleged mishandling of sexual misconduct accusations, claims Orgeron was told by a former LSU football player that Guice had raped his girlfriend Ashlyn Robertson in 2016 and did not report it…”
Yahoo Sports
I love Ed. He taught me a lot, and did a lot for others that I saw.
But I never wanted him to be USC’s HC. Now he’s won a stupendous CFB NC with maybe the best college team ever, suddenly out of a long-term marriage, and is holding off the CFB wolves/fans with unforgiving, immediate rebound expectations, while also embroiled in a messy Title IX lawsuit.
I hope Ed survives this. Good luck to you and your family partner!
Wild guess, ASU skates and Ed is toast. He had a lousy year last year, has replaced his entire staff, and has to deal with this. I do not think Ed is up to the task.
More bad news came out for ASU today as you know.
That was a big shoe that dropped re prior knowledge of alleged offenses by the Sun Devil AD, who isn’t commenting. I think it’s that “institutional control thing” he’s horribly worried about, or the lack thereof.
Any good news about SC football is warmly welcomed. But the Trojans’ resurgence as a “player” on the national scene is likely a couple years away. It will take about 4 straight Top-10 recruiting years to get back to where the Trojans feel they belong. They are halfway home.
The other half is recruiting really good offensive linemen, that is the main glaring deficiency with USC football. That and the HC of course.
I often worked closely with Brandon Huffman, now the National Recruiting Editor of 247Sports, when we were both at Scout.com and I was still publishing SuperPrep. He’s a hard-working, knowledgeable, well-connected, straight shooter. If Brandon says USC football has a “palpable buzz” going for itself again, that USC has “flipped the narrative completely and started to remember who they were”, I believe him. He’s just not the type, as some others in the recruiting biz would be, to make up glib quotes for headlines and pander to reporters for exposure. He was always a good source and it doesn’t surprise… Read more »
What is the new narrative?
The new narrative is that USC can go literally anywhere in the country and now get a publicly announced commitment from the elite 4 and 5-star players, the very best, beating all the other country’s best teams in the process, regardless of their location, coaching, or stature in the game today.
Where’s the beef?
Some definite love for Amon-Ra St. Brown
He’s #3!
I heard that an Ohio St coach called USC taking J.T. Tuimoloau for a ride in a helicopter “an act of desperation”. Then the Buckeye coaches show up at the airport to greet him in Hawaiian shirts? I guess that corny stunts are the Midwest style. Of course flying recruits around Columbus would be a waste. What are they going to see? A couple 5 story buildings, a river, corn fields, outhouses and maybe some burning tires?
I LOVE that USC is using helicopters. Everyone thinks J.T. is headed to OHIO ST, so the ride over L.A. and the Hollywood sign probably won’t matter this time for USC.
But I say Chopter Away! Step aboard young man. We have a lot to show you about the wide reach of USC and how it touches the entire L.A., as well as the surrounding area.
My gut feeling is that JT signs with Oregon. Would love to see him and Foreman play together. I think SC is still in the running but I am not going to get my hopes up.
UW flies him over his beautiful Northwest sound home in sea plane’
USC flies him over the rich NIL landscape of L. A
Ohio State has a Lu’au at the airport.
Oregon has the Olympic trials full swing in their spectacular new venue.
He returns home to a heat wave that will smash all records 110+
Where will he land? Kind of think it’s up in the air
Columbus sure is flat.
I was back there when Larry Smith was coaching USC in 1990, and the Trojans beat the John Cooper-led Buckeyes 35-26. Poor Cooper was the guy who couldn’t beat MICH, so he was eventually fired because of that.
The ’90 game was actually ended by the refs with 2:36 to go because of amazing lightning shooting across the skies. I’d never seen anything like it, but it was sure great beating the Buckeyes in The Shoe.
A helicopter ride is some places would discourage a recruit for sure. Like Columbus, your will never hear of Notre Dame flying recruits around South Bend.
I remember that game and the one in the Coliseum the year before. SC won both games with Todd Marinovich at QB. Why Larry Smith had Todd run the option will always be a mystery to me. He was knocked out of the ’89 game vs OSU, but Shane Foley came in and led a TD drive before Todd returned to the game and threw a bomb to John Jackson for another TD. I interviewed for a job in Columbus at the request of an Exec Recruiter friend of mine. The company really wanted me and gave me what seemed… Read more »
https://247sports.com/Article/College-football-transfer-portal-numbers-2021-166942564/ Interesting article about the Portal. I am in support of the kids having the transfer option. But lots of them are going to end up empty handed.