I'm so sick and tired of the excuses for Helton and this new one being used is really bothering me so I'm going to show this fact as an argument against this fallacy.
The following OL and DL players were named to the NFL Pro Bowl recently and went to HS in the west.
OL
-Taylor Lewan, OT (CA)
-David DeCastro, OG (CA)
-Richie Incognito, OG (AZ)
-Tyron Smith, OT (CA)
-Alex Mack, C (CA)
-Donald Penn, OT (CA)
DL
-Everson Griffen, DE (AZ)
-Cameron Jordan, DE (AZ)
-Jurrell Casey, DT (CA)
-Malik Jackson, DT (CA)
-Calais Campbell, DE (CO)
That's not counting Terrell Suggs from AZ, who really was a DE and played DE in college before being moved to LB in the NFL.
That's 11/28 (39%) of the Pro Bowl STARTERS on OL/DL ... not backups, not alternates, but STARTERS!
So 40% of the best OL/DL players in the world went to HS in states that are either CA or border California.
Many of these people went to USC themselves. The crazy part is how unheralded some of them were coming out of HS. Several of these players you won't find on the Rivals 100 lists.
That's the crazy thing about talent though... it takes good coaching to see it, develop it, and mold it.
Clay Helton and co are not good coaches.
California is at worst the 2nd best state in all of the country to recruit bar none. That includes OL and DL. Being USC in California without any major historical programs is the best recruiting situation bar none.
Stop complaining about the lack of talent in CA, or the lack of scholarships. A good coach can take good talent and turn them into great players.
The following OL and DL players were named to the NFL Pro Bowl recently and went to HS in the west.
OL
-Taylor Lewan, OT (CA)
-David DeCastro, OG (CA)
-Richie Incognito, OG (AZ)
-Tyron Smith, OT (CA)
-Alex Mack, C (CA)
-Donald Penn, OT (CA)
DL
-Everson Griffen, DE (AZ)
-Cameron Jordan, DE (AZ)
-Jurrell Casey, DT (CA)
-Malik Jackson, DT (CA)
-Calais Campbell, DE (CO)
That's not counting Terrell Suggs from AZ, who really was a DE and played DE in college before being moved to LB in the NFL.
That's 11/28 (39%) of the Pro Bowl STARTERS on OL/DL ... not backups, not alternates, but STARTERS!
So 40% of the best OL/DL players in the world went to HS in states that are either CA or border California.
Many of these people went to USC themselves. The crazy part is how unheralded some of them were coming out of HS. Several of these players you won't find on the Rivals 100 lists.
That's the crazy thing about talent though... it takes good coaching to see it, develop it, and mold it.
Clay Helton and co are not good coaches.
California is at worst the 2nd best state in all of the country to recruit bar none. That includes OL and DL. Being USC in California without any major historical programs is the best recruiting situation bar none.
Stop complaining about the lack of talent in CA, or the lack of scholarships. A good coach can take good talent and turn them into great players.
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