Tom Lemming looks at USC’s status in the recruiting world
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If you ask CBS College Sports Network recruiting expert Tom Lemming, he’ll tell you that USC’s Matt Barkley is the top high school recruit in the nation.
Of course, the Barkley hype machine has been building for a couple years, so we decided to ask him some other questions about Trojan recruiting.
Our second in a three-part interview looks at the big names, the big transfers and whether Pete Carroll hurt himself with his reaction to Mark Sanchez‘s departure.
Fabulous Forum: Is there such a thing as having too much talent at one school? For example, the recent transfers from USC?
Tom Lemming: No, because the ones that transfer are the ones who aren’t really going to play. I think it’s a great problem to have -- you have too much talent! The top couple of guys don’t transfer, it’s always the third or fourth or fifth guy. You want to get rid of him so that you can recruit well the next year. It’s a great system that filters everything out. When you only have 85 [scholarships] for four years, you’re still able to give 20 to 25 per year.
FF: Is there a threat that a team will miss out on a top prospect who decides not to sign because of the depth?
TL: Yeah, there are always kids that do that. But there are always enough to get so it doesn’t really matter. A school like USC will always get great players now that they’re winning the way they are.
FF: Pete Carroll got some backlash over his public disagreement with Mark Sanchez’s decision to turn pro. Does that ever play into the decision of a potential recruit?
TL: No. He’s still really well respected. Every coach has a blow up like that now and then. It hasn’t affected him at all this year.
FF: Who’s the cream of the crop for USC?
TL: The two linebackers (Vontaze Burfict and Marquis Simmons), Devon Kennard, Matt Barkley. There’s so many, it’s hard to keep track of them. ... They have more Top 100 guys than anyone else.
FF: A number of USC’s recruits are from out of state. How does the school’s national reach compare to other elite programs, like Florida or Notre Dame?
TL: They’re probably, right now, the premier national recruiting program. It’s always been Notre Dame, and Notre Dame is still right there, but over the past few years USC has proved to be the team. USC now is now the team that can go anywhere and have the kid visit -- more so than any other program.
You can catch Tom Lemming today at 8 a.m. (Pacific Time) when he hosts a live, five-hour broadcast on CBS College Sports. You’ll find more of his analysis on MaxPreps.com. Later this morning we’ll share Tom’s takes on UCLA.
-- Adam Rose