Sills become first recruit from class of 2015

By David Dulberg · Daily Trojan

Posted February 8, 2010 at 1:49 pm in Blogs, Trojan Fix

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (Votes: 1; Avg: 1.00)
Loading ... Loading ...

After signing one of the nation’s top recruiting classes, it appears coach Lane Kiffin is already working on securing another highly touted prospect, David Sills.

Sills, however isn’t a high school state champion or Gatorade Player of the Year, he is a gangly, 5-foot-11 13-year-old hailing from Bear, Del.

That’s right. For the prognosticators and analysts like ESPN’s Tom Lugenbill, whose day-to-day professional obligations hinge on signing day, start preparing for the Class of 2015, because the Trojans’ have already found what they believe is their first five-star recruit.

This recruit, it seems, is unlike any to come before him — his rare ability may overshadow the fact he is still in middle school. Just ask his trainer Steve Clarkson.

Clarkson, who is known around the football community for his bold statements and well-recognized quarterback clients, believe at his age, Sills is the best he is ever worked with.

For a coach whose tutored mentees like Matt Leinart, Jimmy Clausen and Matt Barkley, that statement caught the eye of Kiffin and USC.

“His skill set is off the chart; I’ve never seen anyone at his age do what he’s been able to do,” Clarkson told ESPN.com.

One look at his YouTube highlights and call from Clarkson later, and the USC head coach was convinced Sills, even at age 13, was the real deal.

On Thursday night the scholarship offer became official, as Sills, who has yet to meet with the Trojans’ staff, verbally agreed to attend USC in 2015. While the young man has yet to experience the bright lights of a Friday night or his senior prom, choosing the cardinal and gold was the only logical choice.

While the Delaware-native considers USC a dream school, his unprecedented verbal agreement is not set in stone until he officially signs his letter of intent in Feb. 2015.

Although the decision has set off a rash criticism in the direction of Kiffin and his staff, the unorthodox decision is just another move in a long line that proves the USC coach never takes a day off.

For Kiffin’s sake, let’s hope by the time Sills is eligible to put on a USC jersey in five years, the coach is still around to witness it. Only time will tell.

Comments are closed.

More News

Current Weather

FairLA Downtown, CA
84°F (feels like 84°F)
Weather data provided by weather.com®

Daily Trojan Poll

What do you think about DPS' ramped up efforts to enforce on-campus bike bans?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Archives

February 2010
S M T W T F S
« Jan   Mar »
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28  

Browse Archives

News

New grant for Keck research

New grant for Keck research

The Keck School of Medicine’s epidemiological cancer surveillance research program has been awarded $23.5 million of federal funding to advance its research. [caption id="attachment_16372" align="alignright" width="300" ...

Graduate Senate hopes to foster sense of community

USC’s Graduate and Professional Student Senate officials say they hope to create a greater sense of community among graduate and professional students on both the ...

Greek rush numbers on the rise

A record-breaking number of USC students registered for this year’s sorority and fraternity fall recruitment, according to the Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils. [caption id="attachment_16360" align="alignright" width="200" ...

Professor Saks creates mental health institute

USC Gould School of Law Professor Elyn Saks saw her expansive legal work in the mental health industry pay off — literally. The MacArthur Foundation ...

Donation funds new disability center

USC received a $10-million donation from two university parents to develop a disabilities center designed to help those with learning difficulties. [caption id="attachment_16257" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Helping ...

Blood center hopes to involve students

Nearly a year after its opening, the USC Blood Donor Center is continuing its efforts to reach out to students for more donors. [caption id="attachment_16250" align="alignright" ...

Opinion

Campus involvement: Get it while it’s fresh.

Campus involvement: Get it while it’s fresh.

Think back to the memories from freshman year. The good ones, the bad ones and the ones I can only laugh about now — everything ...

New Traddies policy serves student body

At first glance, the presence of an 18-plus on-campus bar at a school that has a zero-tolerance underage drinking policy seems contradictory. Yet Traditions Bar ...

Virtual games take on new life of their own

“World of Warcraft kills 15,000 people every year,” said James Ellias, president of the USC Objectivist Club, with a laugh. I asked him how he ...

Neighborhood outreach is two-way street

Imagine if USC’s campus was happily situated in Malibu or Orange County. If  USC had the option to move to one of these communities — ...

D.C. preaching is never ‘nonpolitical’

A lot has been said about Glenn Beck’s rally in Washington, D.C.  on Saturday. Beck’s opponents have loudly objected to his decision to speak at the ...

Roommate assignments should be Facebook-free

The second week of class is upon us. Freshmen, this means you’re about to get acquainted with your roommates. Really acquainted. Step past the polite ...

Sports

All eyes on Trojans tonight in Hawaii

All eyes on Trojans tonight in Hawaii

After spending the offseason answering question after question into a microphone or tape recorder, the Trojans finally get to answer them on the only place ...

Young secondary needs to grow up fast

It sets up like a scene from a Road Runner cartoon. Wile E. Coyote, the ever-so-cunning and physically superior beast constructs an apparently flawless contraption on ...

USC golf named top team

Although finishing one stroke shy of a national championship last season was a disappointing ending for the USC women’s golf team, the upcoming season is ...

Robey finds strength in challenges

Scandal, sanctions and uncertainty. These are the labels Thursday night’s ESPN broadcasters will use to try to convince you that No. 14 USC’s season will not ...

After final preparations, Trojans set out for Hawaii

Eight months and five days since its last game, the USC football team flew to Hawaii Tuesday night to prepare for its season opener Thursday. ...

Stability in ticket sales shows promise for Trojans

A lot of words have been thrown around on this campus in response to the NCAA sanctions on the USC football program. Devastating, disheartening and ...

Lifestyle

Film succeeds in pure simplicity

Film succeeds in pure simplicity

It is a rare feeling to be surprised by films these days. In the age of the Internet, instant information-sharing is taking over the world ...

Wacky characters and plot infuse life into movie

Whoever said the Germans don’t have a sense of humor is wrong. But there just might be a truth to the beer-nuzzling and kinky German ...

Creative lemonade flavors make for artistic foods

For students whose culinary choices peak at the Burrito Ultimo or the Six Dollar Burger, the Ronald Tutor Campus Center’s brand-new Lemonade might seem daunting ...

IN THEATERS TODAY – Week of Sept. 3

Machete  [rated R] Remember those gloriously tacky fake trailers that preceded Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s ambitious 2007 tribute to exploitation cinema Grindhouse? Fans responded so ...

Album displays persona of rising punks

The quintet’s name perhaps does not ring a bell in the minds of music fans fixated on popular Video Music Award-nominated stars, but Far From ...

Green Day creates unforgettable show for loyal fans

The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, Calif. should be dubbed the “Green Day Amphitheater.” On Tuesday, the band executed a full-scale invasion of the venue ...