“In every recruit’s mind, when you hear of a coaching change the first thing that comes to mind is de-commitment,” said Rancho Cucamonga High School tight end Randall Telfer, who has been verbally committed to USC since April 2. “But I committed to USC, not Pete Carroll.”
In other words, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior will honor his verbal commitment to the Trojans despite the departure of coach Pete Carroll to Seattle and arrival of Lane Kiffin from a brief stay at Tennessee. In fact, around this time last year, Kiffin was trying to lure Telfer to Tennessee.
During that 48-hour period after Carroll left for the NFL, Telfer admittedly didn’t feel terribly comfortable.
“We talked about some other options if they hired someone he wasn’t comfortable with,” Rancho Cucamonga head coach Nick Baiz said. “But it really never had time to progress.”
Kiffin’s hire plus the new coach’s decision to retain the coach that recruited Telfer, tight ends coach Brennen Carroll (Pete’s son), erased most of the doubt. A few conversations with fellow USC committed players who intended to honor their pledges erased the rest.
“It would be difficult to just up and leave right now,” Telfer said. “I’ve been with USC a long time and no matter what’s happening with the football program, it’s always going to be a good school.”
