Highly recruited quarterback chooses USC


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Max Wittek, a standout quarterback from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., has chosen to attend to USC upon graduation in 2011, joining the group of other Mater Dei quarterbacks such as Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley who decided to become Trojans.

Wittek, who was a backup for Barkley at Mater Dei before taking on the starting job as a junior, received offers from numerous schools including UCLA, Notre Dame, Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Nebraska.

The 6-foot-3, 200 pound quarterback credited USC’s legacy of great quarterbacks as well as his relationship with USC coach Lane Kiffen, recruiting coordinator Ed Oregeron and quarterbacks coach Clay Helton with helping make his decision.

“I had a checklist of things I wanted in a program and everywhere else had a few of them but every time I thought about it, it came back to USC and it ended up being the school I was always thinking about,” Wittek told ESPN.

Wittek completed 136 of 230 passes for 2,126 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season in his first year starting at the varsity level.

Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson believes Wittek’s speed sets him apart from the rest of the recruits at his position. He ran for 189 yards and two touchdowns last season.

“Max is, foot-speed wise, faster than the others,” Rollinson said. “His straight-ahead speed is worth noting. I’m not a big 40-yard dash guy but I would imagine if I was he’d run a 4.6.”

Wittek says that he has a great relationship with Barkley and feels comfortable playing under him while he adjusts to football at the college level.

“We spent so much time together at Mater Dei, watching film, at practices and games. I see him a lot when I go to USC and I work out with him every once in a while,” he said. “We call and text all the time and it’s going to be great to play together again.”