Top recruits coming and going

The reality of big-time college football, where hype and roster depth ultimately collide, was palpable at USC on Wednesday.

Practice was abuzz with news that another five-star prep recruit had committed to the Trojans, but the excitement was tempered somewhat by Coach Pete Carroll’s confirmation that a member of the heralded 2006 class was transferring.

Everson Griffen of Arizona, regarded as one of the nation’s top high school defensive linemen, announced he was coming to a program that appears on its way to landing another premier recruiting class. Meanwhile, Carroll is filling out paperwork that will allow safety Antwine Perez to leave for another school.

Last December, Perez graduated from high school in New Jersey a semester early so he could enroll at USC and participate in spring practice. He played sparingly this season and would have been listed behind junior Josh Pinkard, sophomore Kevin Ellison and freshman All-American Taylor Mays next season.

“He thinks he might have a better chance to play somewhere else,” Carroll said.

Perez was not the only freshman to languish at the bottom of the depth chart.

Stafon Johnson, who starred at Dorsey High and was regarded as one of the nation’s best running backs, is on the service team again this week.

Coaches burned a possible redshirt year for Johnson by inserting him for a few plays against Washington State in the Trojans’ fourth game. He played in two other games and has only three carries for 17 yards.

Asked if he had entertained thoughts of transferring, Johnson said, “I haven’t really thought about nothing like that. I just want to wait out the season.”

Asked if he would evaluate his situation after the Rose Bowl, he said, “I’ll evaluate myself first and foremost and see what’s going on from there. ... Right now, I’m here. That’s what you have to work on -- what’s going on right now. And I’m here.”

*

A day after Carolina Panthers receiver Keyshawn Johnson told The Times that receiver Dwayne Jarrett was not ready for the NFL, Jarrett said he appreciated the three-time All-Pro’s advice but reiterated that he would wait until after the Rose Bowl to decide whether to return for a final season or make himself available for the draft.

“I definitely respect him,” Jarrett said of Johnson, “but everybody’s situation is different. I definitely hear his advice, but at the end of the day it’s my choice.”

*

After a string of incidents and alleged incidents involving football players over the last few years at the Cardinal Gardens apartment complex near campus, Carroll said freshmen would be housed in dorms starting next fall.

“We’ve been working on it for a year,” Carroll said. “I think it’s time to change.”

Carroll assigned a member of the support staff to live at Cardinal Gardens to help monitor players this season. He said players would not be assigned to a single dorm next year.

*

Mays practiced with a cast on his right wrist and was scheduled to have X-rays. “My hand has been swollen and I didn’t want to keep taping it,” he said. “Nothing’s wrong with it.” ... Cornerback Terrell Thomas, who dislocated his left shoulder Tuesday, had his arm in a sling and will not practice until next week, Carroll said.

gary.klein@latimes.com