USC Trojans

Long overdue for positive news, the USC Trojans finally got some Friday in the form of a commitment from highly coveted safety Leon McQuay III (Seffner, Fla./Armwood), live during the Under Armour All-America Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Quite frankly, USC needed this one.

Following a recent rough stretch -- both in recruiting and on the field -- the addition of McQuay to a dwindling class is both significant and encouraging. If the Trojans plan to regain the momentum they built in the summer, securing a pledge from the nation's No. 3 safety is a good start.

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If Notre Dame lands the No. 1 class in 2013, the Fighting Irish might be thanking Max Redfield. It’s not only because of the immense talent Redfield brings -- though it helps -- but because he might have started a slew of decommitments that will end up in the Irish’s favor.

Redfield officially visited Notre Dame the weekend of Oct. 12 and decommitted from USC shortly thereafter. He was then a major Irish lean for quite some time. California is a major recruiting ground for the Irish, and like Redfield, several ESPN 150 prospects from the state were still hearing from the Irish despite being committed to USC.

Two of those prospects were Sebastian LaRue and Eddie Vanderdoes, and both recently decommitted from the Trojans. Each will take an official visit to Notre Dame now, and the Irish are in a strong position to land both. Redfield can be looked at as the prospect who started it all.

Athletically, Redfield brings two-way talent and can play either receiver or defensive back when he gets to South Bend. The defensive backfield is an area the Irish needed to address in the 2013 class, and he can play safety in South Bend.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Despite the decommitment from USC by Sebastian LaRue, four-star USC running back commitment Ty Isaac (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic) said he is still committed to the Trojans.

The 6-foot-3, 217-pound athlete declined to put a percentage on just how solid his pledge is.

"I don't think there is strength in a commitment," Isaac said, "you are either committed or you're not, and obviously I am."

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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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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- ESPN 150 safety Leon McQuay III (Seffner, Fla./Armwood) will be making his college decision at the Under Armour All-America Game on Friday.

The four-star athlete has a top five of USC, Michigan, Oregon, Vanderbilt and FSU, but McQuay said he won't have all five hats for his selection on Friday.

"Yeah ... I don't know [if Michigan still in consideration]. I don't know how many hats I'll have up there," he said. "My dad said he wasn't paying for five hats. I'll probably only have three hats up there.

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Four-star defensive end Quinton Powell (Daytona Beach, Fla./Mainland) has set his official visit to USC for Jan. 18. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete said he will also visit South Carolina, Oregon and possibly Miami.

"I set up Jan. 18 for USC," Powell said today at Under Armour All-America Game registration at Disney's Yacht Club Resort. "South Carolina, I'm taking that around the 20th of January. Oregon, I'll have to set up something with them too. Miami, I really haven't talked to them but I'm going to, I'm going to after this game."

Powell said he talks to former high school teammate Leonard Williams, a freshman defensive tackle at USC, about his experience at USC.

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