LOS ANGELES -- After witnessing the formation of the new Pac-12 conference, rooting down the stretch as the Trojans finished off a 10-win season, and watching Matt Barkley and Robert Woods set school and conference statistical records, this past season had the unmistakable feel of a math lesson for USC fans.
But class isn't dismissed quite yet, as the numbers game increases in intensity as signing day draws nearer. It has been anticipated for months that there would be some roster juggling by the USC coaches, as the NCAA imposed limit of 75 scholarship players goes into effect this season. In order to take a full class of 15 players, there would need to be some defections from last season's roster. It is disappointing for coaches, players and fans alike, but it is the reality of the situation.
WeAreSC provides a look at how many available spots remain in this recruiting class, and what that means for the roster.
Monday marked the first day of the spring semester, and four early enrollees hit the USC campus. With four spots remaining in the class of 2011, Scott Starr, Chad Wheeler, Morgan Breslin and DeVante Wilson took last year's group to the limit of 25 players. Gerald Bowman has until Jan. 23 to enroll at USC in order to take part in spring ball, but his scholarship -- or any of the previous four players' scholarships -- will count against the 2012 class limit. Regardless of which player is counted against the 2012 class, the USC coaches will head into signing day with 14 available scholarships.
At this point, USC has eight verbal commitments in this recruiting class, which will allow the coaches to add six additional players between now and signing day. It will be interesting -- a serious understatement -- to see the positions and players targeted by the USC coaches.
With the recent transfers of tailback Amir Carlisle and wide receiver Kyle Prater, USC's roster stands at 62 players. To that, the USC coaches could wind up adding the four early enrollees plus 15 February signees, which would push the total number to 81 players. If USC takes that route, six additional players will need to either come off the roster or off scholarship so the Trojans can hit the 75 limit.
USC could stand pat with its verbal commitments, which would position the roster exactly at 75, but it is difficult to imagine every Trojan remaining on scholarship over the coming weeks and even more difficult to believe the USC staff won't look to capitalize on two huge upcoming recruiting weekends.
As it stands now, USC will bring in three offensive linemen. Adding another pair of big men to that group wouldn't be out of the question. Offensive tackles Zach Banner (Lakewood, Wash./Lakes) and Andrus Peat (Tempe, Ariz./Corona Del Sol), along with offensive guard Isaac Seumalo (Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis) will be in town this weekend. Offensive tackle Kyle Murphy (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) remains high on the wish list and if the Trojans are able to add any two from that group, they would turn this into a phenomenal offensive line class.
Along the defensive line, Breslin and Wilson should add help on the outside -- along with Pio Vatuvei (Patterson, Calif./Patterson) -- but the interior is in desperate need of bodies. Recent California commit Ellis McCarthy (Monrovia, Calif./Monrovia) tops the list of recruiting needs, but grabbing a defensive tackle -- and possibly two -- in this class just about qualifies as a must. If McCarthy is intent on heading North, Leonard Williams (Daytona Beach, Fla./Mainland) showed enough during the Under Armour All-America Game to serve as more than an adequate replacement.
The departure of Carlisle turns the tailback spot on its head. Curtis McNeal is in his final season, D.J. Morgan has battled injuries and Buck Allen is untested heading into his redshirt freshman season. Enter D.J. Foster (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro), a do-it-all back capable of running tough inside, catching passes out of the backfield and picking up extra yards downfield. He would fit nicely into the USC offense as a replacement for Carlisle, but the Trojans will need to overcome California's lead in his recruitment as well as a stiff test from the hometown Arizona State Sun Devils.
Wide receiver is a position that will likely never be under recruited with Lane Kiffin at the helm. A former position coach with the group, Kiffin has shown USC fans in two seasons what he is capable of doing with talent at the spot. Prater's departure -- as well as the possible transfer of Brice Butler -- could leave USC with just four scholarship receivers for spring ball, pending a position move by tailback George Farmer. Two dynamic playmakers will visit USC this month in Nelson Agholor (Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep) and Stefon Diggs (Olney, Md./Good Counsel). Agholor is thought to be a serious candidate for a wide receiver spot at USC and Diggs is good enough to serve as a receiver or tailback.
If it works out where two offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, a tailback and a wide receiver are added in the coming weeks, that would top out the Trojans, which brings into focus how devastating these sanctions could be during these three classes. The Trojans won't be address the need for a second cornerback -- Tracy Howard (Miramar, Fla./Miramar) is visiting USC this weekend -- a third wide receiver -- choosing between Agholor or Diggs? -- or an additional safety.
With three weeks until signing day, dozens of recruits -- both committed and uncommitted -- remain interested in the USC Trojans. The following two weekends are likely to have double-digit official visitors in attendance. But with only six available spots remaining in the 2012 class, the USC coaches will have their work cut out for them in balancing possible commitments with possible decommitments, longshots and sure things. USC coaches and fans might not need calculators for this math, but the solution is anything but an easy one.
Erik McKinney is the recruiting editor for WeAreSC.com and has covered the Trojans since 2004. He can be reached at [email protected].