UCLA, USC Hitting the Trail for Prep Talent

Terry Donahue sounded like a man on a mission. Bags packed, ready to rumble.

“Well, it’s duck huntin’ season again,” the UCLA coach said with a laugh.

Last Thursday was the first day that college football coaches could visit prospects at home or school, and Donahue was primed for the recruiting chase.

Welcome to college football’s second season. Between now and Feb. 1, the first day that high school seniors can sign letters of intent (community college players can sign beginning Dec. 21), the recruiting process intensifies as coaches go during the week to meet players and make evaluations, then return home to play host to weekend campus visits.

Coming off a disappointing 5-6 season, Donahue turned serious quickly.

“I’d like to get some guys who are what I call ‘difference-makers,’ guys who can help us win a national championship,” he said. “It’s the one thing I haven’t been able to do at UCLA, and that’s our goal.”

So how does Donahue define a difference-maker?

“I’m talking about a pass rusher like Jamir Miller and receivers like J.J. Stokes and Kevin Jordan,” he said. “Big-play guys. We are so obviously a different team with guys like that.”

Donahue said the Bruins probably will sign between 15 to 20 players. Of that group, he hoped “two or three” would be from community colleges.

“We need a pass rusher in the worst way,” said Donahue, “and we need to get more physical. Of course, you always need offensive linemen.”

The problem for Donahue is that dominant pass rushers usually are in short supply, and competition for them is fierce.

At USC, which had an outstanding recruiting class last year with wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, running back Leonard Green, defensive lineman Darrell Russell and defensive backs Brian Kelly and Mario Bradley, assistant coach Mike Sanford said the Trojans need to keep upgrading their talent.

“I think we have to have another top-five recruiting class,” said Sanford, who coaches wide receivers and coordinates USC’s recruiting, along with new defensive coordinator Keith Burns and offensive line coach Mike Barry.

Like UCLA, Sanford said USC probably will sign a class of 16 players, including two or three from community colleges--down from the 10 of last year. The Trojans have made quarterback, linebacker and wide receiver a priority this year, “because we lose a lot of seniors at those positions.”

“The offensive line is always an important position, and I think it’s a good year in California for offensive linemen,” he said.

The Trojans’ top offensive line recruits include Mark Manskar (6-7, 245) of Canyon Country Canyon, Brett Samperi (6-5, 275) of San Clemente, James Sherman (6-4, 250) of Whittier and Kris Farris (6-8, 275) of Santa Margarita. Farris took a weekend recruiting trip to USC, along with tight end/linebacker Brody Heffner (6-5, 220) of Del Mar Torrey Pines and defensive lineman Eboni Wilson (6-3, 250) of Los Angeles Jefferson.

Hoping to find its quarterback of the future in this class, USC is making a strong pitch (and is considered the co-leader, along with UCLA) for John Fox (6-3, 185) of Corona Centennial. Coach John Robinson visited only one home last Thursday night, and it was Fox’s.

Other quarterbacks on USC’s short list are Tom Brady (6-4, 200) of San Mateo Serra, Quincy Woods (6-1, 180) of Park Forest, Ill., and strong-armed Brock Huard (6-5, 215) of Puyallup, Wash., considered by most talent evaluators as the top quarterback prospect on the West Coast.

The left-handed Huard is the brother of Washington quarterback Damon Huard. However, he is not considered a lock to follow in his brother’s footsteps. The Huard family was upset when Damon was benched during Washington’s final game of the season, against Washington State. And earlier this season, although the Huskies were playing at home against Arizona State, the younger Huard traveled to Pullman to see Washington State (another school he is considering) play Arizona.

Sanford believes that playing in the Cotton Bowl (Jan. 2 against Texas Tech) will be a boost to USC’s recruiting in Texas. The Trojans have done well in the state in recent years, having signed players such as Brian Williams, John Herpin, Shawn Walters and Delon Washington.

Notes

UCLA received its first football commitment from highly regarded offensive tackle Gene Waters (6-7, 295) of Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College. Waters, a second-team All-American selection by the Santa Ana-based J.C. Grid-Wire, also visited Arizona State.

The leader of Mater Dei’s outstanding offensive line, tackle Matt Motherway (6-4, 255), has recruiting trips planned to California (Dec. 16-18), Stanford (Jan. 13-15), UCLA (Jan. 20-22) and Colorado (Jan. 27-29). He might also visit Oregon. Motherway, whose brother Ryan played football for two years at UCLA before a back injury ended his career (he’ll graduate next quarter), projects as a guard or center in college.

Orange Coast running back Jeff Clayton (6-0, 205), an honorable mention All-American selection after rushing for 1,067 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns on a 2-8 team with a young offensive line, has a trip scheduled to Texas this weekend. His other visits will probably include Oregon, Colorado State and Pittsburgh. Michigan also requested film recently on Clayton, who played at Trabuco Hills High.

Another running back who put up good numbers this season despite playing for a losing team was Santa Ana Valley’s Dwayne Cherrington (5-11, 180). Though the Falcons finished 3-7, Cherrington rushed for 1,115 yards (6.2 per carry) and 14 touchdowns. Coaches from Oregon and Colorado State were in his home over the weekend. He probably will take trips to those schools, along with Colorado and Arizona State. Other schools still recruiting him include USC, Washington and Washington State.

Hoop report: An interested observer at Saturday’s John R. Wooden Classic at The Pond was Inglewood High standout Paul Pierce, a 6-7 guard-forward considered the top senior prospect in California. Pierce was there to see two of his top five college choices play: Kansas and UCLA. He took his first official recruiting trip to Kansas Nov. 25-27, where his host was point guard Jacque Vaughn, who played at Pasadena Muir. Pierce is still awaiting results of his Scholastic Aptitude Test. Basketball players who have not been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse are allowed to take paid recruiting trips after the one-week November signing period has ended. Pierce watched the Jayhawks beat San Diego, and said he was surprised when the student section began chanting his name during a timeout. Other finalists for Pierce are Cal, Arizona and Oregon.

Though it’s considered a very long shot, UCLA is still recruiting the top guard in the country, 6-1 Stephon Marbury of Brooklyn. Marbury will probably visit UCLA during the basketball season, then sign with either Syracuse (the favorite) or Georgia Tech.