Many Top Football Prospects Undecided : But 2 of the Best Linemen Will Be Trojans; Huskers Get Daryl Green

With the red-letter day of Feb. 8 approaching--that is, the first day prep football players can sign a national letter of intent to attend a four-year NCAA college--many top prospects have yet to decide.

But that is not the case with three players considered by scouts as the top prospects in the San Gabriel Valley.

Offensive linemen Terry McDaniels of Pasadena and Len Gorecki of Damien and defensive back Daryl Green of Nogales have made verbal commitments, two of them to the same school. McDaniels, 6-6 and 250 pounds, and Gorecki, 6-6 and 271, have opted for USC while Green, 5-11 and 180, has chosen Nebraska.

All admit relief that letters and phone calls from recruiters are behind them.

“I’m happy now,” Green said. “I’m glad it’s all over and I just can’t wait to put my name on (the letter of intent). I’ll be happy after that.”

“A lot of people said take all of your trips before you commit,” Gorecki added. “But I’m glad I didn’t. I’ve been getting back to my studies. I let my grades slip, and now I’m studying again.”

For McDaniels, the recruiting process is not entirely over.

Although he has already announced intention to attend USC, Pacific 10 Conference rival Arizona still wants McDaniels to take a recruiting trip to the Tucson school. McDaniels, an excellent student, will take his final exams at Pasadena this week and leave for Arizona on Friday.

“They were recruiting me all along and told me to come down anyway,” McDaniels said. “With my finals ending Thursday, it won’t take up my studying time to go there Friday.”

Although he is looking forward to visiting Arizona, he added that it will probably not change his mind.

“They would have to blow my mind to make me change because I’m happy with USC,” McDaniels said. “It’s close to home and I like their history department. I’m very curious about Arizona, though.”

McDaniels, who visited UCLA and Washington and canceled a recruiting trip to UC Berkeley, said that at every school “I went there was a nice family atmosphere. I feel that I could have fit in anywhere.”

But he settled on USC because of its football tradition and the fact that it is close to home.

McDaniels, who combines with 4.7-second speed in the 40-yard dash, said USC coaches gave him the option of playing offense or defense.

“They said my skills were so good on both sides that I could play anywhere,” he said. “I’m leaning toward defense because I like that a little better.”

He said the coaches didn’t make him promises but, after looking at the Trojan depth chart, he thinks he could see playing time next season. “It’s all academic, anyway,” McDaniels said. “I still have to earn my position.”

Gorecki said that since USC started recruiting him, he wanted to play for the Trojans.

“It’s something I wanted to do because they have the best offensive line tradition, no question,” Gorecki said.”

Gorecki’s biggest concern was that he wouldn’t be offered a scholarship by the Trojans.

While he was on his recruiting trip to USC two weeks ago, Gorecki was the victim of a practical joke by another recruit who told him that he had accepted the Trojans’ last available scholarship on the offensive line.

“When he told me that I almost had tears in my eyes,” Gorecki recalled. “I didn’t know he was only joking.”

He felt a lot better a little later after a discussion with Coach Larry Smith revealed that there was another scholarship.

Before his visit to USC, Gorecki also took recruiting trips to Washington State and Colorado and canceled a visit to UC Berkeley.

He said his trip to Washington State may have been a case of bad timing: “I liked Washington State, but I happened to be there when they had their worst weather conditions. It was 10 below zero.”

It wasn’t the weather that turned him off of Colorado: “I liked Colorado, but I didn’t like the wishbone. I’m not a wishbone blocker.”

He said his biggest concern about USC centered around how soon he would play.

“I was worried about SC’s depth, but found out they weren’t as deep as I thought,” Gorecki said. “At first, I didn’t know whether I could cut it depthwise. But after talking with the coaches after I committed, they showed me the depth chart. I feel I can compete for a starting position in another two seasons.”

Unlike McDaniels and Gorecki, Green wasn’t persuaded to attend Nebraska after his recruiting trip.

In fact, Green committed with the Cornhuskers before he had visited the campus in Lincoln. “After a while of being recruited, that’s where I knew I wanted to go,” he said. “I didn’t think I needed to visit.”

Green wondered whether he was making the right decision, but after visiting Nebraska he was satisfied.

“It pretty much sewed it up for me,” he said. “Nebraska is football country. Everywhere you go there are football fans. Everyone seemed to know about me. Even when I was on the plane (to Lincoln), people were telling me to go to Nebraska.”

He said the clincher was being greeted at the airport by Cornhusker quarterback Steve Taylor, lineman Broderick Thomas and running back Terry Rodgers. “They gave me the feeling that they really wanted me,” Green said.

Green, an All-CIF running back who rushed for 1,414 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior and 3,436 yards in three years at Nogales, had also visited Syracuse and Washington. But he says he will switch to defensive back at Nebraska.

“They told me I can play anywhere, but I told them I want to play defensive back,” he said. “They lost a lot of defensive backs and I may get more of a chance to play (as a freshman).”

The only stumbling block for Green may be his Scholastic Aptitude Test. Green scored a 660--40 points less than the minimum NCAA standard for eligibility--on his first try but is confident that he will make it when he takes it again Saturday or at a later testing date.

He said Nebraska will hold a scholarship for him until June. He even has a roommate in Servite running back Derek Brown, who has committed with the Cornhuskers.

Green, McDaniels and Gorecki are among 18 valley high school seniors who have attracted considerable interest from major colleges, and most have yet to decide.

Where other prospects are leaning:

-Jason Martin (Los Altos, tight end-defensive back)--There is little question about the ability of Martin in the eyes of recruiters. The only question is where he will play and what position. In earning co-Player of the Year honors in Division IV, the 6-4 and 205 Martin starred at tight end and safety. He has visited Syracuse, Arizona State and Utah. Syracuse is recruiting him as a tight end, Utah at U-back and Arizona State as a strong safety or all-around athlete. Arizona State may have the edge.

-Wolfe Payne Barber (Rosemead, defensive back-running back)--Can play offense or defense. He has been recruited mostly as a defensive back, but the 6-0 and 183 speedster piled up 2,300 all-purpose yards on offense as a senior. The all-CIF performer has visited Oregon and Hawaii and will make a trip to USC before deciding. Syracuse is also among the leading contenders. But USC may be the leader, especially since brother Kurt Barber is a linebacker for the Trojans. He is awaiting the results of his SAT.

-Darick Holmes (Muir, wide receiver)--One of the better all-around athletes in the valley, Holmes played quarterback and defensive back as a senior after starting at wide receiver as a junior. The 6-1, 185-pound runner rushed for 1,315 yards and 23 touchdowns and passed for 881 yards as a senior, but recruiters appear to prefer his talents as a wide receiver. He is being recruited by Colorado, Brigham Young and Miami--all as a wide receiver. Talent aside, the biggest question appears to be his SAT score.

-Mumbie Mushonga (Muir, linebacker)--As a senior with the Mustangs, Mushonga did not receive as much attention from opponents as Holmes, but scouts have noticed. At 6-3 and 215, he was Muir’s leading tackler last season and is penciled in as either an inside or outside linebacker in college. Mushonga has visited New Mexico and UC Berkeley and has also been recruited strongly by Brigham Young. New Mexico appears to be the front-runner.

-J.J. McGwire (Claremont, defensive tackle)--The youngest of the McGwire brothers, J. J. has followed in the family’s strong athletic tradition. His brother Mark stars as a first baseman for the Oakland A’s and Dan will be a junior quarterback at San Diego State next season. Scouts see 6-3 and 235 J. J. as a defensive lineman--either at tackle or nose guard. He has visited San Diego State, Oregon and Oregon State, but it would be a surprise if he didn’t join Dan with the Aztecs.

-Kenny Hall (Garey, offensive tackle)--A star on both sides of the interior line, Hall appears to be ticketed to be an offensive tackle in college. At 6-5 and 270, he certainly has the size recruiters like and is a good blocker for running and passing. He has taken his only visit to Fresno State, but Oregon State and Arizona are interested.

CREAM OF THE CROP

Player School Pos. Ht. Wt. Leading Contenders Len Gorecki Damien OT 6-6 271 USC* Daryl Green Nogales DB 5-11 180 Nebraska* Terry McDaniels Pasadena DL 6-6 250 USC* Jason Martin Los Altos TE-SS 6-4 205 Ariz. St, Syracuse, Utah Wolf Barber Payne Rosemead DB-RB 6-0 183 USC, Oregon, Hawaii, Syracuse Darick Holmes Muir WR 6-1 185 Colorado, BYU, Miami Mumbie Mushonga Muir LB 6-3 215 N. Mexico, Cal, BYU J.J. McGwire Claremont DT 6-3 235 S. Diego St, Ore., Oregon St. Kenny Hall Garey OT 6-5 270 Fresno St, Ore. St, Arizona

OTHER TOP RECRUITS

Player School Pos. Ht. Wt. Leading Contenders Carnell Carter Walnut OT 6-4 290 San Diego St., Utah Craig Palos Claremont WR 6-0 170 Ore. St, Colo. St, New Mexico Eric Dives Los Altos OL 6-4 235 Army, Air Force, Cal Dwayne Sparks Claremont DL 6-3 230 Oregon St., Kansas Chris Hunter Covina RB 5-11 175 S.D. St., Colorado., Colorado St. Loren Cannon Bishop Amat DB 6-0 175 Weber St., Wash. Phil Hammitt Damien TE 6-3 215 Oregon State Ron Poloni Pasadena OL 6-4 234 S. Diego St, N. Mex. John McCoy Pasadena WR 5-10 170 Army, Colgate

* Verbal commitment