USC's Lead Evaporating With Top Prospects

Just one month ago it appeared that USC was going to have a stellar start to the 2007 recruiting class. At that time, USC held commanding leads for DE Cliff Matthews, DE Travian Robertson, WR Jason Barnes, QB Stephen Garcia, and CB Gary Gray was firmly committed. Thirty days later, The Gamecocks are now in real danger of losing Matthews to Georgia, Robertson to Clemson, Barnes to North Carolina, and Gray to Notre Dame. What has caused USC's lead to erode with so many top prospects?

1) Negative Recruiting. When a prospect is getting ready to commit to a certain school, the other schools go on a negative assault against the school the prospect favors. It is a last ditch effort to turn the prospect. If it works, then the other school(s) are back in the game, if not, then they really haven't lost anything. I don't think USC has done a good job in combating the negative recruiting. Many schools have used Head Football Coach Steve Spurrier's comments from his summer press conference against USC on the recruiting trail saying that Spurrier won't stay at USC because his players aren't dedicated. Portraying Spurrier as a coach that doesn't care about his players and only cares about winning, and the one that is always used is that USC will never win. USC's coaches need to get back on the offensive and talk about beating Tennessee and Florida in the same season for the first time. Five straight SEC wins for the first time, a bowl game in Spurrier's first season, etc...

2) Some staff members have taken the summer off. Besides the obvious that has been stated on Gamecock message boards and on this Blog, I think USC relaxed when it appeared that several of the names mentioned were thought to be"in the bag" for USC. Almost half of the USC staff just does not get how intense summertime recruiting is. David Reaves and Brad Lawing are trying to change the culture of USC's staff when it comes to recruiting, but I think the events of the past week will be enough that Steve Spurrier himself is going to have to address the way his staff has handled some of these situations.

3) Facilities, Championships and Domination. USC is fighting an uphill battle gone up against Georgia, North Carolina, and Clemson when it comes to facilities. The West Zone Project at Clemson has given Clemson an even bigger edge when it comes to recruiting head to head against USC. Add in that Tommy Bowden is 6-1 against his in-state rival and 1-0 versus Steve Spurrier, and Clemson has a lot of ammunition. Georgia has won 3 of the past 4 SEC Eastern division titles. They have won 2 SEC Championships under Mark Richt. Their facilities are as impressive as anyone's in the country. The University of North Carolina may have the best football facilities in the country, not to mention the most attractive campus. What North Carolina does not have is big-time football. They are and always will be a basketball school. Georgia has beaten USC four straight and dominates the overall series. USC has played UGA tough in recent history, but until they get over the hump and actually finish off Georgia and Clemson with some victories, those schools are going to be difficult to beat in recruiting, even by Steve Spurrier.

USC will still get it's share of top notch recruits in 2007. This class will be Spurrier's best at USC to date. It just may not look like we thought it would a month ago. Robertson will decide sometime next week. Right now, with no plan to make a return visit to USC, I think Clemson should feel very confident. Both Gray and Matthews will visit USC this week and sit dowwn with Steve Spurrier and staff. USC will have to do a great job to make things right with both of thses prospects. Cockfather Illustrated still projects Gray to USC. we also like USC's chances with Stephen Garcia. Jason Barnes is anyone's guess right now. His parents want USC, but Jason favors UNC. As of today, we would, for the first time, project Travian Robertson to Clemson, and Cliff Matthews to Georgia.