USC coaches continue to recruit despite uncertainty in program

Recruiting without a head coach is a familiar scenario for USC interim football Coach Clay Helton and assistant Tee Martin.

Helton and Martin were on staff in 2013 when Lane Kiffin was fired as coach after five games and assistants pieced together a top-20 recruiting class, according to several recruiting sites.

With three and a half months until signing day, USC again has no head coach and there is no indication who might be hired, but assistants must continue to recruit.

“That’s our job,” Helton said Tuesday. “It’s not a hard place to sell, but you work at it and we work at it everyday.”

USC lost two committed recruits, linebackers Daelin Hayes and Mique Juarez, in the immediate aftermath of Steve Sarkisian’s leave of absence and eventual termination last week.

But 14 recruits remain committed, including three players who have signed financial-aid agreements with the intent to enroll in January.

“Guys that want to come to USC will come to USC,” Martin said. “It’s based on if you want to be here or not and we want the guys that want to be here and that’s all we can do.”

Helton and Martin said USC’s football tradition and education were part of the recruting pitch.

The team’s record could be, too.

“Winning solves a lot of things and winning will help,” Helton said. “So our main concern is to continue to recruit the guys that we know will help our football team.”

USC is 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Pac-12 Conference.

The Trojans host third-ranked and undefeated Utah on Saturday.

Here is a list of who is committed to USC’s 2016 class:

Player, position, high school

Matt Fink, QB, Glendora

Velus Jones, WR, Saraland (Ala.)

Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR, Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett

Michael Pittman, WR/DB, Westlake Village Oaks Christian

Trevon Sidney, WR, La Puente Bishop Amat

Tyler Vaughns, WR, La Puente Bishop Amat

Cary Angeline, TE, Exton (Penn.) Downingtown East

Frank Martin, OL, Santa Ana Mater Dei

Nathan Smith, OL, Mesa

Keanu Saleapaga, DL, La Mirada

Liam Jimmons, DL, Huntington Beach

Keyshon Camp, DL, Lakeland (Fla.) Lake Gibson Senior

Jordan Iosefa, LB, Honolulu (Hawaii) St. Louis School

C.J. Pollard, DB, Gardena Serra

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