I'll break out Clay Helton's comments on each signee (some of them he discussed collectively), and then do a full transcript of his answers to questions:
Opening comments ...
"For us, as you can tell, it was a big man's day. This is a class that we knew coming in would be a small class. We just have not had attrition and not a lot of seniors -- this is a young team. So when you look at only losing four starters -- two on offense, two on defense -- and you have seven total scholarship seniors, it's going to be a smaller class. And we really felt the need going into this class was going to have to be big men. And when you look at it, to acquire the six offensive linemen that we did on the front as well as the three defensive linemen, two interior linemen, was exactly what we were looking for. Commend these men too, this is a group that really stayed with us all the way through the season, as we finished the season strong they were right there saying, 'Coach, this is where we want to be. We want to be at USC for what you stand for, for what USC stands for.' But it is a group we welcome. Obviously, this is an early signing period. We've still got a little bit to go in February. There's some targets out there that we will be on and look forward to further announcements at another date."
Comments on prospects ...
3-star WR Josh Jackson (early enrollee), 6-1, 180, Narbonne HS
"Really excited about Josh both from a physical and mental standpoint. I think he's going to be able to come in here and immediately compete. He reminds me so much -- and I've said this a bunch to him and his family -- he reminds me so much of what Robert Woods was when I first got here. Just his toughness, what he brings to the game and his durability and his ability to make plays, I think are special. I commend him and his family -- they were with us all the way through."
2-star K Parker Lewis (early enrollee)m 6-3, 200, Saguaro HS (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
"I thought was the best placekicker in the country. Obviously being a little bit older at the position with Chase [McGrath] being up in age as well as Michael Brown, this was our investment for the future. Parker's going to get the opportunity to come and immediately compete, and he is a special talent and we look forward to having him come early."
3-star DT Kobe Pepe (early enrollee), 6-1, 295, St. John Bosco HS
And 3-star DT Jamar Sekona, 6-2, 300, Marin Catholic HS (Kentfield, Calif)
"When you look at where we are right now going into next season with a Jay Tufele, a Brandon Pili, a Marlon Tuipulotu, you're talking about some guys who are now going into their fourth year. And it was going to be very imperative for us to acquire some big, physical defensive tackles. We feel like we have done that with both Kobe as well as Jamar Sekona. It's hard to move those big 300-pounders. They have great work ethic. They have great change of direction, play extremely hard, very physical, very smart people that we think can come in and help us immediately."
3-star OL Casey Collier, 6-7, 290, Barbers Hill HS (Baytown, Texas)
And 3-star OL Courtland Ford, 6-5, 305, Cedar Hill HS (Cedar Hill, Texas)
"We were able to step outside our footprint and go down to Texas with our relationships, one with Graham (Harrell) as well Mike Jinks as well as the job that Tim Drevno did in helping six these six offensive linemen. We were able to go down and get Casey Collier and Courtland Ford, which you're talking about a 6-foot-7 and a 6-5 offensive tackle bodies that are both going to be 300-pound-plus men that bring great athleticism and great feet to the park. We're excited about having them."
3-star OL Andres Dewerk, 6-7, 295, Los Gatos HS (San Jose, Calif)
"A 6-foot-7, 295-pound offensive linemen that went all the way to the state championship this year and led his team at Los Gatos and just brings great character and a great future. I think his best football is yet to be, and his length at the tackle position I thought was unique.
3-star OL Andrew Milek, 6-5, 290, Brophy Prep HS (Chandler, Ariz.)
"We're really excited about [him]. Here's a young man who committed to us early, stayed all the way through with us, has done a tremendous job there at Brophy Prep and we're excited to have him.
4-star OL Jonah Monheim, 6-5, 290, Moorpark HS
"I'm extremely excited about [him]. I've had the opportunity to watch him live and see what he's able to do. Just a physical and mental maturity that is unique. He's one of those guys, literally he could play anywhere on the line and be successful at it. He's going to start outside at tackle and have that opportunity, but we're so excited about Jonah and what we brings from Moorpark High School."
3-star OL Caadyn Stephen, 6-5, 285, Camas HS (Camas, Wash.)
"[He's] done a tremendous job at his school. Again, a group that played for a state championship. A lot of these kids as you've seen have been with very successful programs, and he is a young man we think very highly of and are looking forward to having here."
3-star DE Tuli Tuipulotu, 6-3, 265, Lawndale HS
"A great edge rusher out of Lawndale. Very excited about him. To watch what he does and how he affects the passer and what he did for Lawndale this season, obviously a brother to Marlon, it's great to have another Tuipulotu in the Trojan Family right now."
Rest of the transcript upcoming ...
Opening comments ...
"For us, as you can tell, it was a big man's day. This is a class that we knew coming in would be a small class. We just have not had attrition and not a lot of seniors -- this is a young team. So when you look at only losing four starters -- two on offense, two on defense -- and you have seven total scholarship seniors, it's going to be a smaller class. And we really felt the need going into this class was going to have to be big men. And when you look at it, to acquire the six offensive linemen that we did on the front as well as the three defensive linemen, two interior linemen, was exactly what we were looking for. Commend these men too, this is a group that really stayed with us all the way through the season, as we finished the season strong they were right there saying, 'Coach, this is where we want to be. We want to be at USC for what you stand for, for what USC stands for.' But it is a group we welcome. Obviously, this is an early signing period. We've still got a little bit to go in February. There's some targets out there that we will be on and look forward to further announcements at another date."
Comments on prospects ...
3-star WR Josh Jackson (early enrollee), 6-1, 180, Narbonne HS
"Really excited about Josh both from a physical and mental standpoint. I think he's going to be able to come in here and immediately compete. He reminds me so much -- and I've said this a bunch to him and his family -- he reminds me so much of what Robert Woods was when I first got here. Just his toughness, what he brings to the game and his durability and his ability to make plays, I think are special. I commend him and his family -- they were with us all the way through."
2-star K Parker Lewis (early enrollee)m 6-3, 200, Saguaro HS (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
"I thought was the best placekicker in the country. Obviously being a little bit older at the position with Chase [McGrath] being up in age as well as Michael Brown, this was our investment for the future. Parker's going to get the opportunity to come and immediately compete, and he is a special talent and we look forward to having him come early."
3-star DT Kobe Pepe (early enrollee), 6-1, 295, St. John Bosco HS
And 3-star DT Jamar Sekona, 6-2, 300, Marin Catholic HS (Kentfield, Calif)
"When you look at where we are right now going into next season with a Jay Tufele, a Brandon Pili, a Marlon Tuipulotu, you're talking about some guys who are now going into their fourth year. And it was going to be very imperative for us to acquire some big, physical defensive tackles. We feel like we have done that with both Kobe as well as Jamar Sekona. It's hard to move those big 300-pounders. They have great work ethic. They have great change of direction, play extremely hard, very physical, very smart people that we think can come in and help us immediately."
3-star OL Casey Collier, 6-7, 290, Barbers Hill HS (Baytown, Texas)
And 3-star OL Courtland Ford, 6-5, 305, Cedar Hill HS (Cedar Hill, Texas)
"We were able to step outside our footprint and go down to Texas with our relationships, one with Graham (Harrell) as well Mike Jinks as well as the job that Tim Drevno did in helping six these six offensive linemen. We were able to go down and get Casey Collier and Courtland Ford, which you're talking about a 6-foot-7 and a 6-5 offensive tackle bodies that are both going to be 300-pound-plus men that bring great athleticism and great feet to the park. We're excited about having them."
3-star OL Andres Dewerk, 6-7, 295, Los Gatos HS (San Jose, Calif)
"A 6-foot-7, 295-pound offensive linemen that went all the way to the state championship this year and led his team at Los Gatos and just brings great character and a great future. I think his best football is yet to be, and his length at the tackle position I thought was unique.
3-star OL Andrew Milek, 6-5, 290, Brophy Prep HS (Chandler, Ariz.)
"We're really excited about [him]. Here's a young man who committed to us early, stayed all the way through with us, has done a tremendous job there at Brophy Prep and we're excited to have him.
4-star OL Jonah Monheim, 6-5, 290, Moorpark HS
"I'm extremely excited about [him]. I've had the opportunity to watch him live and see what he's able to do. Just a physical and mental maturity that is unique. He's one of those guys, literally he could play anywhere on the line and be successful at it. He's going to start outside at tackle and have that opportunity, but we're so excited about Jonah and what we brings from Moorpark High School."
3-star OL Caadyn Stephen, 6-5, 285, Camas HS (Camas, Wash.)
"[He's] done a tremendous job at his school. Again, a group that played for a state championship. A lot of these kids as you've seen have been with very successful programs, and he is a young man we think very highly of and are looking forward to having here."
3-star DE Tuli Tuipulotu, 6-3, 265, Lawndale HS
"A great edge rusher out of Lawndale. Very excited about him. To watch what he does and how he affects the passer and what he did for Lawndale this season, obviously a brother to Marlon, it's great to have another Tuipulotu in the Trojan Family right now."
Rest of the transcript upcoming ...
