Football: QB Blake Barnett commits to Alabama

Blake Barnett, the standout quarterback from Corona Santiago who two weeks ago announced he was no longer committed to Notre Dame, said Wednesday he has committed to Alabama and is shutting down the recruiting process.

“I’m relieved and excited to be part of Alabama and what they have to offer,” he said.

Barnett had been committed to Notre Dame since last November, but he said, “As time went on, it confirmed in my mind I made the wrong decision. I realized that when I wanted to take visits to other schools.”

Oregon was the other school Barnett said he considered, but a visit to Alabama last week with his family left him convinced that Alabama would be the best school in helping develop him after he graduates from Santiago in December.

“The biggest thing I looked for going into recruiting process was not based on right now but my benefits four years from now or in my life,” he said.

The recruiting process has been particularly unpredictable this year in Southern California at the quarterback position. Ricky Town, a senior at Ventura St. Bonaventure, was once committed to Alabama. Now he’s committed to USC, whose former coach, Lane Kiffin, helped recruit Barnett to Alabama.

Oregon, which tried to recruit Barnett, immediately made an offer on Wednesday to San Clemente quarterback Sam Darnold. Alabama was also recruiting Anaheim Servite quarterback Travis Waller, who could end up at Notre Dame, the school that wanted Barnett.

It’s a little confusing, to say the least.

“It’s kind of a crazy business seeing these colleges change their minds and kids, too,” Barnett said. “It’s hard to stay with the same mindset through all this. It’s the hardest thing. A lot of my friends are going through the same thing. It could be stressful, but we’re all getting used to it.”

Twitter:@LATSondheimer