USC Trojans

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The verdict is in for Max Redfield. We’ll learn his decision on Friday on ESPN's 5 p.m. ET telecast of the Under Armour All-America Game.

Redfield, a four-star safety from Mission Viejo, Calif., said Sunday he’s comfortable with his choice. The finalists include USC, to which he was a longtime commitment before reneging in October, Notre Dame and a dark horse -- Ohio State.

Rated 36th in the ESPN 150 and No. 4 at his position, Redfield said it was “crucial” to reconsider his initial choice.

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PALO ALTO, Calif. -- When Keller Chryst first arrived at Palo Alto (Calif.) High School, he thought of himself as “just a guy from North Carolina.”

His father, Geep, had been hired by the San Francisco 49ers as a quarterbacks coach after working for the Carolina Panthers. Chryst was a freshman. He enrolled in time to go through spring football with the Vikings. By the time his sophomore season started, he was Palo Alto’s starting quarterback.

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TACOMA, Wash. -- As the final few notes of the national anthem echoed through the Tacoma Dome, Max Browne smiled.

The 6-foot-5, 214-pound quarterback (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline) was preparing to play his final high school game. He looked like he knew exactly how it would play out.

When the anthem ended, Browne slipped his helmet over his curly blonde hair and a few minutes later led a quick touchdown drive that sparked a 49-24 victory over Tacoma (Wash.) Bellarmine Prep in the Class 4A state championship game.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The high school career of ESPN 150 safety Leon McQuay III (Seffner, Fla./Armwood) came to an end on Friday, as Armwood fell in the playoffs to nationally ranked Gainesville (Fla.) High School.

Though his season is over, things are starting to heat up with McQuay's recruitment. He continues to have a top five of Florida State, Oregon, Vanderbilt, Michigan and USC. Michigan defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery was on hand to watch McQuay on Friday.

McQuay has taken official visits to all of his favorite schools except for Southern Cal but is planning to visit USC next weekend. Florida State and USC have made a big push for McQuay over the last several months. But with FSU defensive coordinator Mark Stoops taking the head coaching job at Kentucky and USC defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin stepping down this past week, McQuay said he is waiting to see who will replace them before he making any changes with his recruitment.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Despite Florida's impressive 11-1 record this season and likely BCS bowl berth, there are a few committed recruits who are still looking at other options.

Florida linebacker commit Quinton Powell (Daytona Beach, Fla./Mainland) has been committed to the Gators since Feb. 18, but is now considering Miami and Southern Cal.

"I haven't set any dates or talked to any coaches yet," Powell said, "but I plan on going to USC and Miami."

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SAMMAMISH, Wash. -- Max Browne didn’t care that he was surrounded by die-hard Washington supporters.

The 6-foot-5, 214-pound quarterback (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline) wasn’t going to let a few fans keep him from supporting the program he plans to play for next season.

So, even though his section in the CenturyLink Field stands was full of purple and gold, the senior proudly sported his USC gear. He wore a Trojans hat and a black USC sweatshirt. He even brought a little “Fight On” sign.

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Chris Hawkins called Washington’s 17-13 win over Stanford, “probably the best college football game I’ve ever been to so far in my life.”

However, while the 5-foot-11, 159-pound cornerback (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) enjoyed his official visit, he remains “100 percent” committed to USC.

“It was a great environment,” Hawkins said. “It was a great trip. I’m glad I went. I met a couple of the players. The coaches were fun. I liked it. The whole environment of Washington football, they’re just a great team.

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SAMMAMISH, Wash. -- Max Browne's approach to his senior season is simple. If the quarterback takes care of the things he can control, the yards and touchdowns will follow.

So, instead of worrying about statistics, the 6-foot-5, 214-pound USC commit (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline) is focused on managing his turnovers.

“One thing I carried from my sophomore to junior year, and I’m trying to carry from my junior to senior year is I’ve been keeping my turnover ratio down,” Browne said. “I threw 13 picks my sophomore year, to seven my junior year. I’m at two right now. I’m trying to keep it there.”

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One of the more highly recruited uncommitted players in California won't be making a decision anytime soon, as senior tight end Thomas Duarte (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei) said after Friday's 51-0 whipping of Santa Monica (Calif.) that he will spent the next several months concentrating on his senior season.

“I sat down with my parents and we talked it over,” Duarte said. “Being here at Mater Dei for three years -- seeing the support system they have and all the help they’ve given me -- my parents told me I kind of owe them this season. I’m focusing on Mater Dei football first. After the season we have time set aside when I’ll be taking all of my officials.”

A mismatch for high school opposition at tight end and defensive end, Duarte has been a big part of the Monarchs' 3-0 start this season. He has nine receptions for 171 yards and four touchdowns, and has added two sacks and an interception on the defensive side of the ball.

Though he won't make a decision anytime soon, Duarte said a handful of schools stand out. That group includes Notre Dame, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.

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While putting together a tremendous 2013 recruiting class, the USC Trojans have also started work on the 2014 class, hitting the offensive line hard with commitments from tackle Jordan Poland (La Jolla, Calif./Country Day) and guard Toa Lobendahn (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood). And while it appears that Lane Kiffin and staff could stop at two offensive linemen in this class, they'll likely race by that number next year, as an additional offer was extended over the weekend to offensive tackle Casey Tucker (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton).

Tucker is the latest in a string of Arizona big men that have been sought after by the Trojans, which includes Christian Westerman, Cyrus Hobbi and Andrus Peat. USC is scholarship offer No. 9 for Tucker, and the Trojans join programs such as Boise State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Washington in the race for the 6-foot-6, 270-pound tackle. And it's a race in which USC finds itself out front.

During an unofficial visit this weekend, Tucker had an opportunity to meet with head coach Lane Kiffin and offensive line back James Cregg.

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There was no stopping the USC Trojans on Wednesday. After receiving commitment from offensive linemen Khaliel Rodgers (Elkton, Md./Eastern Christian Academy) and Nico Falah (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco), the Trojans capped off the night with a commitment from the nation's No. 57 player, defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes (Auburn, Calif./Placer).

"I really weighed the plusses and minuses of every school and USC had the most plusses," Vanderdoes said. "The academics, the power of the degree, getting a great job in the business industry, the football program is second-to-none, Southern California is a place I love, they're in dire need of depth at the position and that was a huge factor because I want to come in and compete right away. The defensive scheme is a dream for me and I like their attacking style. That separated them from every other school."

The 6-foot-3, 302-pound defensive tackle is a significant addition for USC. Vanderdoes received offers from programs across the country, including Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and Tennessee, and some eyebrows were raised when it seemed as if the Trojans took their time in offering a scholarship. But Vanderdoes said there were no such issues.

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Priest Willis (Tempe, Ariz./Marcos De Niza) planned to release a list of his top 15 schools shortly after the opening, but settled on a final 16 when it became too difficult to cut an additional program.

The schools that made the cut for Willis are Arizona, Arizona State, California, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

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Last week's Rising Stars Camp at USC allowed the Trojans coaches a good look at many top 2013 prospects, but a handful of underclassmen made an impression as well.

Class of 2014 linebacker Dwight Williams (Gardena, Calif./Serra) is well known by USC coaches, as he attends the same high school that produced Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. He already holds offers from Colorado, Oregon State and UCLA, but last week was his first opportunity to hit the USC practice field under the guidance of the Trojans coaches.

"It was great," he said. "I liked the way the coaches reacted to everything and how tight they stayed throughout the whole event. I've been to events where coaches haven't kept that high tempo."

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Two days before heading to the Nike World Headquarters in Oregon, Max Browne (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline) was face down on the field with his teammates.

At the sound of a whistle, the 6-foot-5, 214-pound quarterback was on his feet, sprinting over a series of obstacles during a conditioning drill.

During a water break, he talked about his upcoming trip to The Opening, where he will be one of six quarterbacks competing among the nation’s top prospects.

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