USC Trojans

SAN ANTONIO -- Wednesday was a day off for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl teams. Instead of working out and participating in drills, the players took in visits around the city -- including a stop at the Alamodome for photo opportunities and to see their game apparel -- and used the day to recover from two days of practice.

The teams will return to the fields on Thursday in arguably the most important practice of the week. Here are five things to keep an eye on for Thursday’s practice:

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LOS ANGELES -- With all 16 verbal commitments selected to compete in the upcoming all-star games, the USC Trojans will have great representation under the national spotlight. There will also be particular interest in a handful of in-game announcements, namely that of recent official visitor Leon McQuay III (Seffner, Fla./Armwood), a top safety target who intends to enroll early. Here’s a guide to all USC recruits in next week’s All-American games:

Under Armour All-American Game

When: Jan. 4, 2 p.m. PT

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Four-star defensive end Joe Mathis (Upland, Calif./Upland) is one of the more sought-after uncommitted defensive prospects in the West, and the 6-foot-4, 255-pound standout will give two schools a chance to make a big impression in the coming weekends.

Mathis originally committed to Washington during his junior season, but pulled back on his commitment shortly afterward. Now, with the Huskies still in pursuit, he plans to take an official visit this weekend when they host the USC Trojans. It will be the first official visit for Mathis.

"I want to see if I like it there and if it feels like family, if I can relate with the players and have a good time," Mathis said. "I want to see if it feels like I can stay there for four years."

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Here are this week’s top high school football games featuring USC recruits:

Upland (Calif.) vs. Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) at Los Osos High School: USC cornerback commit Chris Hawkins might finally get tested this week. Upland (5-0) has three players with double-digit receptions, and quarterback Nate Romine has averaged more than 20 pass attempts per game. Rancho Cucamonga (4-1) has one of the region’s better defenses, making this an intriguing matchup. Upland, of course, is led by four-star defensive end Joe Mathis. The winner of this one gets the upper hand in the Baseline League standings.

Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Notre Dame at Mission Hills (Calif.) Alemany: An argument can be made for Steven Mitchell of Alemany (5-1) as the most productive of the USC commits midway through this season. The four-star prospect already has 11 touchdowns, despite sitting out a lot during blowouts. This meeting might demand a higher involvement. Notre Dame (4-2) has averaged nearly 40 points per game and features four-star running back Khalfani Muhammad.

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Scholarship limitations didn't prevent USC from filling its recruiting class more than six months before national signing day, and it likely won't hinder its pursuit of elite talent.

The Trojans' class sits at 18 players -- eight of whom intend to enroll next spring -- with three counting toward the 2012 group. That would leave only 10 available spots when the first Wednesday of February rolls by, but a lot can happen between now and then.

Here are five top athletes who are still in contact with USC and could end up wearing the cardinal and gold.

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“If defensive end Jason Hatcher commits to USC tomorrow, the Trojans will only have one scholarship left for the class of 2013. List three players you would consider for that final spot and why.”

Garry Paskwietz

DL Torrodney Prevot (Houston/Taylor): It appears as if LSU is the leading school for Prevot right now but he could get a full court press from the SC coaches to gauge his interest in the Trojans.

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Who will fill the remaining four scholarship spots in USC’s recruiting class?

Erik McKinney

S Max Redfield (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo): Reminds some of Marqise Lee in his athletic ability in several sports and at several positions.

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Which five USC recruits, committed or uncommitted, are you most looking forward to following at The Opening?

Garry Paskwietz
CB Jalen Ramsey (Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood Academy): There is a lot of buzz right now about the possibility of Ramsey becoming a Trojan. He made two visits to the USC campus in the last month and also took part in the recent Rising Stars Camp. This event will offer a real opportunity to see how he performs on the same field as some of the top West Coast corners such as Chris Hawkins (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga).

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There will be 150 of the top high school prospects in the nation in attendance this week at The Opening, with plenty of USC recruits on hand.

In fact, USC will have eight verbal commits taking part in the event which starts on Thursday at the Nike headquarters in Oregon, the most from any school.

The list starts with quarterback Max Browne (Sammamish, Wash./Sammamish) who will make the short trip for the event. Browne is currently the No. 2 pocket passer in the ESPN rankings and this event will be a terrific opportunity for him to compete on the same field with the No. 1 pocket passer on the list, Penn State commit Christian Hackenberg (Fort Union, Va./Fork Union Military Academy).

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Here’s a position-by-position look at the top performers from the 2012 USC Rising Stars Camp:

Quarterback: Johnny Stanton (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif./Santa Margarita) led the way for the class of 2013 group as the leader of the state champion Eagles team took his shot at performing in front of the USC coaches. The Trojans already have one quarterback commit in this class but a guy like Stanton could either be a multi-position option or could also be a second QB for the class if the coaches decide to go that route after the recent departure of Jesse Scroggins.

The underclass group had several talented players. The best of the bunch was Kyle Allen from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Desert Mountain, a 2014 prospect who already holds offers from schools such as Oklahoma State, UCLA and in-state programs Arizona and Arizona State. Another 2014 recruit in attendance was Keller Chryst from Palo Alto (Calif.) Palo Alto. The class of 2015 was represented well by Brady White from Newhall (Calif.) Hart.

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Day 2 of the USC Rising Stars Camp is in the books, with another impressive group of talented players in action.

USC verbal commit Chris Hawkins (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga) led the way for the defense with a dominating performance from the cornerback position. Hawkins had three interceptions during the camp and only allowed two completions against him all day. Hawkins also said it was a good chance to be coached by USC defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders.

One of the surprises of the camp was the player who caught both passes against Hawkins, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei tight end Thomas Duarte. The Monarchs have certainly sent their share of talent to USC through the years -- including stars Matt Barkley and Khaled Holmes -- and Duarte is an athletic player who could see time at either wide receiver or tight end.

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The 2012 B2G Elite Camp will kick off on June 29 and the roster of attendees makes it a must-see event for any recruiting fan.

Held at Cal Lutheran University, the camp features three days of training, meetings and film study for 85 top athletes. Camp attendees are also given a glimpse into the academic requirements at the next level.

B2G has produced plenty of big time defensive backs over the years, and that pedigree combined with how loaded the 2013 West region recruiting class is with safeties and cornerbacks makes it no surprise that the roster is stacked at those two positions.

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"USC has nine commits for the class of 2013. Give your thoughts on how the remaining nine scholarships will be divided up and who you think will take those spots."

Garry Paskwietz

Tyree Robinson (WR/DB) – This is a unique athlete who can contribute at multiple spots. He will be a package deal with his twin brother.

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