Trojans, Bruins Both Snap Up Quarterbacks : USC Gets Hawthorne’s Conway; UCLA Signs Two All-Americans From Texas

Having lost Rodney Peete and Troy Aikman, USC and UCLA went after quarterbacks this recruiting season and Wednesday, the first day prep players could sign letters of intent, each signed extraordinary high school quarterbacks.

Curtis Conway, an All-American quarterback from Hawthorne High, was the top player recruited by USC, which announced the signing of 24 players, including seven high school All-Americans.

Bert Emanuel and Tommy Maddox, All-American prep quarterbacks from Texas, signed with UCLA, which signed 17 players.

Rated by many scouts as the No. 2 quarterback in the country, Emanuel passed for 761 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushed for 657 yards and four touchdowns at Langham Creek High in Houston.

Maddox passed for 1,889 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 620 yards and six touchdowns for L. D. Bell High in Bedford, Tex.

Other prep All-Americans signed by UCLA include defensive backs Patrick Bates of Ball High in Galveston, Tex.; Robert Gamble of Rockhurst High in Overland Park, Mo., and Carlton Gray of Forest Park High in Cincinnati; wide receiver Michael Moore of Beverly Hills High, and offensive lineman Craig Novitsky of Potomac High in Woodbridge, Va.

“We signed some quality defensive players and I’m pleased because we needed some people in those areas,” Terry Donahue, UCLA coach, said in a statement.

Larry Smith, USC coach, was pleased with his recruiting.

“You always need great football players and that’s what we went after, guys who we felt could come in here and contribute to our program early in their career,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a good class. I think it’s a great class.”

Conway, who passed for 1,159 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, is also one of the state’s best sprinters. He finished second in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200 at the state high school track meet last year.

The other prep All-Americans signed by USC were Brad Banta, a tight end from University High in Baton Rouge, La.; Marcel Brown, a defensive back from Point Loma High in San Diego; Rory Brown, a fullback from Michael Hina of Pueblo, Colo.; wide receiver Johnnie Morton of South High in Torrance, and linemen Michael Hinz of Ramona High in Riverside and Terry McDaniels of Pasadena High.

The Trojans also signed two players from football families, Matt Butkus, a linebacker from L.A. Loyola High, and Craig Gibson, a linebacker from El Modeno High in Orange. Butkus is the son of Dick Butkus, former Chicago Bears star. Gibson’s older brother, Don, is USC’s starting nose guard.

Tailback Russell White of Encino Crespi bypassed USC for Cal and the Trojans failed to sign a tailback. But they are deep at that position next season, with returning lettermen Aaron Emanuel, Ricky Ervins and Scott Lockwood.

“Sure we’re disappointed because he’s a very fine player,” Smith said of White. “But from an overall standpoint, I do understand it. It was logical. I think he made an excellent choice.”

USC offered White a conditional scholarship, based on his meeting Prop. 48 academic requirements. White has not yet scored the required 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test.