USC Morning Buzz: Are There Too Many 3-Stars In Recruiting Class?

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USC has 15 commitments, which means it can dramatically alter its class depending on the final 10 recruits. But it does seem a little high that six of the current 15 players are three-star recruits according to Rivals.com. And one is a two-star! That’s half of the current class.

Remember USC plays in the Rose Bowl and is currently on an eight-game winning streak. Last year, USC did well on Signing Day. Who can forget offensive tackle E.J. Price choosing USC over Georgia last year. Never mind that Price is transferring.

But today . . . today! USC should really have less three stars in its current list of 15 commits.

92 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Are There Too Many 3-Stars In Recruiting Class?”

  1. I think it’s time to raise the standards for recruiting. SC isn’t sanction stricken or coached by a drunkard anymore. We deserve more than a bunch of mediocre recruits, and it doesn’t just mean getting rid of all of those 3-stars because there are always a few underrated surprises. Hopefully, the coaching staff knows what they’re doing.

      • Win the Rose Bowl and you will definitely be even more in the minority – in fact Helton is now considered for the coach of the year award – that will ride pretty good with parents of recruits

        Lot of monentum to build from and these guys can see straight – gotta be a good thing

        • He’s a great guy and totally sincere ‘but’ in any truly tough game there is a moment when all rides on the mindset of the head coach….

        • Helton rode the Darnold train all year. It should tell you a lot about Helton that he started a stiff instead of Darnold. When Darnold leaves, maybe after next year, you’l see what Helton is made of and it may not be much

  2. I agree with Wolf on this, big time. BUT, the coaching staff still has to develop the players, regardless of their star rankings. THAT, to me, is the most important thing. But Wolf brings up a good point, and RegalTrojan who posted below me, also. SC’s standards should be raised and brought back to the same standards for recruiting like it was during the Carroll era. FIGHT ON!

  3. USC doesn’t offer scholarships based on the number of stars next to their name, they recruit based on how the player measures up during evaluations on the field. Using the Blogger’s logic USC would never have recruited Sam Darnold, but on-the-field evaluations lead them to see his potential.

    #LeaveRecruitingToTheExperts

    • Amazing to think SW would have turned down Darnold. Imagine where we’d be without him. Not in the Rose Bowl, that’s for sure.

      • It’s safe to say Helton would be updating his resume over the holidays if not for Darnold. I don’t think Browne could have lead USC to the promised land.

        • The infamous Browne decision almost sunk CH and will go down in history as one of the dumbest coaching moves ever. Thank God Swann stepped in and helped right the ship. CH still faces an uphill battle and faces many recruiting and asst coach challenges before he proves he’s off his trainer wheels. But for now, he’s sitting in the catbird seat with a great chance to win a Rose Bowl and give himself a real shot at a future as a big-time coach,

      • Scottie would have told Clay Matthews Jr. to get off the field….and stay off! Not enough stars!

    • Well lets also get facts straight for everyone.We have a total of 23 spots due to Blue shirts.We also are “Looking” at another grad transfer DL.We also will likely have Blue shirts this class
      Two of the early commits are likely to sign else where due to our lack of “spots”.The same service WW quotes here,believes USC ends with a 4-8 ranked class.With 3,possibly 4 5**.
      As usual TMZ Monday has begun….For other news in One week USC plays in the ROSE BOWL!!!

        • Basically reading what those who get “paid” to follow and report recruits.As for Rose BOWL” experts” predict we Play there Jan 2. How about that for predicting?

          • I know of few experts.What I do know Jan 2 is the ROSE BOWL.Its been a while.Loving we are in.
            As for recruiting, at this moment i trust the process.I believe we end up with a top 5-10 class.We go from there.If we land the Dl’s we need? No experts know at this time.

  4. How many stories has Blogger written about the unreliability of recruiting services ratings, citing 5-star flame outs and below-the radar 3-stars (Darnold) for his argument?

    Now, all of a sudden he’s concerned we don’t have enough 4 and 5 star players? Gimme a break. Does he read his own writing?

  5. What’s the difference between a 3 and 5 star recruit other then, statistics? Probably nothing!

    • When Miami was rolling back in the day, they really never had top recruiting classes, but then again, how do you rate guys in jail ?

  6. High-Star players like Osa Masina and Noah Jefferson were both absolutely worthless signees. The difference between most 3 and 4 -stars is zilch and the recruiting services have proven time and time again they’re all fluff and filled with a bunch of couch potatoes who otherwise can’t get a job.

    The key is evaluation and development, not stars. If you don’t trust the coaches, you’re out of luck and may as well follow ucla and all their over-rated big stars who are all sitting around wondering which bowl game to watch.

  7. To many 3 stars are now playing in the NFL to not consider them after the coaches have assessed them. Wolf having a case of snob today. USC will do great recruiting, and those 3 star players are the ones that will win them a NC.

  8. 3 star 5 star, eh, what matters is not losing kids that you really want to inferior programs, like the Fresno kid who chose mighty Utah over USC.

    And I’ll say this again, USC had better start recruiting the midwest and south for it’s lineman, Cali just doesn’t produce very many good one’s anymore, just look at the demographics of the state and you’ll understand why.

  9. Vidal Hazelton, Jeff Schweiger, and Whitney Lewis were 5 stars. Sam Baker and Ryan Kahlil were 3-4 stars. Who would have wolf taken?

      • In all fairness to Galippo, he suffered a back/neck injury his freshmen year and was never the same. Injuries – especially in football- are a big part of the sport. Injuries have taken out the best players.
        Back to Galippo, he was a man amongst boys at the Army Game; never seen a defensive player dominate like he did in that game.

  10. This is vintage blogger. Truly, blogger at his finest. Posts again and again about overhyped recruits not living up to their billing. And here, criticizing the lack of overhyped recruits currently signed.

    I’m not a typical blogger basher, but a spade is a spade.

  11. I have a question for the blogger. Why do you BLOCK THE VICTIMS and NOT THE PERPS when a issue arises between them.. It truly shows how tolerant YOU are to bullying.. And as a DAILY NEWS EMPLOYEE you should be more concerned about brand image (ie) Daily News, rather than clicks to your site.. Case in point of blogger “Sammy” Sam Bam, who has been nothing but great with many of us. Then you have DRAIN THE IE SWAMP who has changed his blogger name several times and has harrassed everyone on this site while being flagged numerous times and has not been banned, yet you banned the victim who by all accounts was right in protecting himself from what I call racist comments.. Get with it, if you are going remove one, remove the other, or do the right thing and reinstate Sam Bam which would be the logical thing to do..

    Make it right SW-Blogger

    DMH63✌

  12. Some of those 3’s are 4 elsewhere….and we have had success with 3’s lots of times…and hoping some are JUCO ready to step up BAMA has 4 of the top 10 rated ones this year and every year….

    • Bama can get JC kids into school a lot easier than USC can, USC actually likes the kid to take real classes at the JC not nonsense.

      • Pac12 take JUCO all the time ,are you stating people who go to a JC are dumb? SC has entrance standards that are above all other schools?

  14. Sure, it would be great for the program to attract more 5 and 4 star athletes, but the fact USC has its full share of recruiting slots, they can afford to pick up 3 star recruits with tremendous upside. For example, Terrance Lang is a really big guy who is athletic (excelled at basketball). In 2 years, he could be leading the Trojans in sacks.

  15. Stars? Are we talking about stars? Stanford looks for a certain type of player, now too, Washington wants a certain type of player regardless of stars. I think the recruiting sites are little more than MotorTrend’s ‘Car of the Year’ award, self serving, and one service, needs the other service for promotion. Neither are terribly accurate when looked back on after 5-10 years

  17. Yes. When I am elected Head Coach of USC, I will make a mandatory 5 star litmus test to any and all athletes I offer scholarships to.

  18. it’s a rating service we are talking about. Won’t know how the recruits perform until they perform. Chris Petersen has done well recruiting 2-3 stars at both Boise St and so far at UW.

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