USC’s Class to Have Impact

With the departure of five underclassmen to the NFL, including running backs Reggie Bush and LenDale White, USC offered opportunity instead of a logjam to recruits.

The change mostly paid off Wednesday as 21 high school players signed national letters of intent with the Trojans. The class, the largest in Coach Pete Carroll’s tenure, also includes two freshmen and a junior college transfer who are already attending classes and will participate in spring practice.

“We’ve really hit it big,” Carroll said. “This is the kind of class you’re going to feel the impact immediately.”

Among the 24 players are six defensive backs, four running backs, four defensive linemen, three receivers, two linebackers, two all-purpose athletes, a tight end, a quarterback and an offensive lineman. Carroll said as many as a dozen new players could play significant roles next season.

“They have great confidence and the kind of character and mentality that I think they can handle the pressure of playing early,” Carroll said. “This is a class that we really need to show up, obviously, because of the running back spot in particular.”

Though USC signed only one offensive lineman, Zack Heberer of San Pedro High, several recruiting services rated the Trojans’ haul as the best in the nation, edging Florida.

“Overall, it’s a better athletic class than any team out there,” said Allen Wallace, national recruiting editor for Scout.com. “USC had an amazing finish. They didn’t get the offensive linemen they wanted but they did so well everywhere else.”

Greg Biggins of StudentSports.com said the late signings of quarterback Garrett Green of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, receiver Jamere Holland of Woodland Hills Taft and running back Kenny Ashley of Venice helped put the Trojans’ recruiting class over the top.

“They have so many guys that can play multiple positions, it’s like they signed 30 players,” Biggins said of a class that included seven out-of-state players and still could grow.

Receiver Vidal Hazelton of Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia made a commitment to USC but had not faxed a letter of intent as of early Wednesday evening. Running back Keiland Williams, also of Hargrave Military Academy, had committed to Louisiana State but also had not signed a letter of intent as of early Wednesday night.

Ashley, who had made a commitment to Mississippi State, instead joined running backs Stafon Johnson of Dorsey High, Emmanuel Moody of Coppell, Texas, and Stanley Havili of Salt Lake City in signing with USC.

C.J. Gable of Sylmar also could play running back for the Trojans, who welcomed the influx after Bush and White departed as expected, further depleting an already thinned backfield.

Senior Hershel Dennis, who sat out last season while recovering from knee surgery, will be the only experienced tailback participating in spring practice. Junior Chauncey Washington, who was academically ineligible the last two seasons, still must improve his grades, sophomore Michael Coleman is recovering from hip surgery and junior Desmond Reed (knee) is thought to be questionable for next season.

Carroll likened this year’s recruiting effort to that of 2003 when the Trojans needed to replace running backs Justin Fargas, Sultan McCullough and Malaefou MacKenzie.

“That’s been a major theme in our recruiting,” Carroll said. “We need the depth now. There’s just no depth at the position.”

USC, however, failed to address a depth issue along the offensive line, a problem that resulted when junior tackle Winston Justice and junior guard Fred Matua opted for the NFL draft.

USC signed Heberer, but lost out in its pursuit of three top out-of-state prospects: Andre Smith, who signed with Alabama, Steve Schilling (Michigan) and Sam Young (Notre Dame).

“We took a shot at a couple guys ... and we didn’t hit,” Carroll said. “It will force our issues next year somewhat. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”

The Trojans fared better in the defensive backfield where they must replace safeties Scott Ware and Darnell Bing.

Antwine Perez of Camden, N.J., is attending classes and will participate in spring drills. Taylor Mays of Seattle, Allen Bradford and Shareece Wright of Colton and Vincent Joseph and Alfred Rowe of Long Beach Poly also will compete for playing time, Carroll said.