Until they're in full pads, it'll be hard to really get a grasp on which freshman are picking things up quickly. However, some of them were still worth noticing on day one of camp
5 Freshman Standouts from Day 1

Offensive coordinator Tee Martin, wide receiver Michael Pittman, center Toa Lobendahn and running back Aca'Cedric Ware discuss where USC is at after the first day of training camp.

Video Interviews

I've just confirmed with multiple sources that Mt. SAC OT Bernard Schirmer will enroll at USC and added to the roster for this season.

Schirmer is an offensive lineman from Mt. SAC college who is eligible to play right away (I wouldn’t expect him too.)

USC currently has 81 scholarship players and is allowed 85. Schirmer will be USC’s 82nd scholarship player and 15th scholarship offensive lineman.

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Clay commissioned a series of videos highlighting some of USC's upperclassmen. Very cool and fun to watch. I'm getting really pumped for this season.
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Eric Ziskin, Recruiting and Player Personnel Director For USC Football tweeted this out:

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Now he does this occasionally highlighting how many are committed. I count 19... which means we either have several silent commits or several guys close to announcing... LETS GOOOOO!

Is expected to commit to USC today according to everyone I’ve spoken too.

We’ll get Murf on an evaluation right away.

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Which true and redshirt freshmen are currently best positioned to earn significant playing time?

Freshmen to Watch

https://www.seattletimes.com/sports...r-linebacker-will-have-delayed-arrival-at-uw/

Kid is having a ton of personal issues.. sad to see.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...all-tyrone-wheatley-kekoa-crawford/895031002/

Wasn't SC in it for him before he pick UM?

USC, Cal, and Colorado all offered 2020 big man Boubacar Coulibaly over the weekend. Login to view embedded media

Nothing groundbreaking here but I wanted to pass along this week's Twitter Tuesday column, which features JT Daniels as one of five true freshman quarterbacks poised to have an instant impact in 2018.

You can read the story here.

As you probably noticed, I haven't been as present this summer. Definitely not as much as I would like. I want to apologize and assure you that it's not you, it's me. I'm having a baby. Well, my wife is. We almost thought she was having it today. (Technically, there's still time.) The due date isn't for another couple weeks, but you guys know how that goes. I guess Baby Maya Watch can officially begin. In the meantime, I'll crank out as much as I can leading up to and during training camp. There'll be others spotting me on the site, including newcomer Tajwar Khandaker, a USC student reporter with an exciting future. You'll like him. Be nice. I'll let you guys know when it's showtime. Until then...

P.S. Thanks for sticking around. Truly means a lot.

Porter Gustin workout...lol

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https://usc.rivals.com/news/rivals250-ot-says-usc-could-be-a-top-school-for-him

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I like the new red shirt rule where a player can participate in up to 4 games and still get a fifth year of eligibility. Hopefully, it is a step towards everyone getting 5 years of eligibility.

That said, of all the comments I have heard, no one has pointed out that this will mean that schools will have fewer new scholarships to give out because schools will have more carryover players. This impact will actually start next year, as you can red shirt someone any time but obviously the total impact will grow over the next four years.

One solution is to increase the number of scholarships beyond the current 85. There probably are others.

Fight On!

Please confirm that Helton is in talks to take over at OSU. I know that it is unlikely but I can dream, right?

Who had major character issues and was thrown out of school is part of a Netflix series called Last Chance U. He is now at Independence Community College in Kansas with a lot of other characters who either didn't make the grades or got into trouble and now find themselves in the middle of nowhere trying to make a comeback... It is well worth watching if you have Netflix.

Tajwar Khandaker's latest offering is on five Trojans who can swing the 2018 season.

It is an accredited distance learning college. It seems like it is legitimate.

I am going to Montreal in The fall, staying at the Ritz Carlton, need a suggestion for real nice place for dinner near there. Anybody have any suggestions?

My grandfather passed away this morning at 8:32 am.

He was 88 years old and very much ready to go. We’re all very sad but we knew it was time.

I will not be around the rest of the day. I will be back to cover recruiting tomorrow. The USC staff is obviously back from summer break so quiet times are over. I expect news to start breaking soon.

I also expect there to be some moments in the near future where I won’t be around. I’ll keep everyone posted on my schedule so you’re all aware in case something happens and it seems like I’m a ghost.

Again, thanks in advance for the understanding and kindness. You all have been great to me through multiple family tragedies. I’m sure that at this point, Rivals.com thinks there was a chartered plane full of Swansons that went down in 2015 and I’ve been milking it for vacation ever since. I promise that’s not the case.

Thanks to all of you and know that I love and care about each and every one of you (even if we fight about USC sometimes.)

I have seen multiple recruits tweet out that they have received official offers from usc. Jason Rodriguez and max Williams to name a couple. Interesting new strategy that there is in recruiting. Offer everyone to gage interest, make the recruits feel wanted, and buy the staff time to feel things out. Then at the start of August give out official offers to top recruits.

Former USC TE Scott Huber will be giving his takes on USC football for us in the near future.

I’m ironing out details with Scott later this week and we’ll be adding him to our staff soon.

(I like to announce things before they’re ready because I get excited.)

In case you’re wondering, Huber played tight end at USC from 1998-2002.