Quarterback Bryce Young commits to Alabama
Former USC football commit quarterback Bryce Young flipped his commitment to the University of Alabama Sunday afternoon. Only a day later, USC rebounded with a verbal commitment from quarterback Jake Garcia, a five-star prospect in the 2021 class.
Young, a five-star recruit, the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback and the No. 32 overall player in the class of 2020 according to 247Sports, previously committed to USC in July 2018. Garcia announced his commitment after releasing his top 10 schools only two months ago.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to [USC head] coach [Clay] Helton, [offensive coordinator] [Graham] Harrell, [wide receiver] coach [Keary] Colbert, [and] the rest of the USC staff for the opportunity that they have given me,” Young said on Twitter. “I would also like to thank the USC fans and community for all the support. I will always have love for the University of Southern California and wish for nothing but the best for its players, coaching staff and fans.”
Young’s decision comes as the future outlook of the USC quarterback situation has grown increasingly murky. After sophomore JT Daniels’ season-ending knee injury in USC’s season opener, Kedon Slovis has impressed as a true freshman. If he keeps performing well, there figures to be another competition for the starting quarterback role next year. Slovis, however, missed most of USC’s 30-23 victory over Utah Friday after taking a hard hit on the second play from scrimmage.
With the two current Trojans each making a case to be USC’s starting signal-caller next year, there figured to be at least one odd man out with Young’s impending arrival. Now, that seems to be Young.
With Alabama junior quarterback and Heisman candidate Tua Tagovailoa likely departing for the NFL after the season, the door is open for Young to compete for the starting role as a freshman with the Crimson Tide.
“There were no promises given, and I know I have to compete, but I’m coming in with the mindset of competing for playing time right away,” Young said. “I’m going to work my hardest and give myself every opportunity when I get there.”
Young was set to continue establishing Mater Dei as a quarterback pipeline to USC, as Daniels, Matt Barkley and Matt Leinart all came out of the elite Santa Ana program to play quarterback for the Trojans.
That legacy — and USC’s promising 2020 recruiting class — took a hit with the news of Young’s flip.
“This was definitely one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Young said. “USC didn’t do anything wrong, and I love the staff there … This was never about USC not meeting my expectations or anything, it was more about me feeling Alabama was too good of an opportunity to pass up … I have total peace about it right now and I’m really excited about the incredible opportunity. I’m grateful for it and I’m going to be ready to go.”
USC will face off against Alabama in Dallas, Texas, to begin the 2020 regular season.
Fortunately for the Trojans, the sting of Young’s decommitment did not last long.
According to 247Sports, Garcia ranks as the No. 4 pro-style quarterback in the 2021 class and the No. 14 prospect overall.
During his sophomore season last year, the 6-foot-1, 188-pound pocket-passer threw for 2,130 yards and 15 touchdowns over nine games after transferring from Long Beach Poly to Narbonne High School — a perennial powerhouse in Los Angeles. Through five games this season, the junior has already thrown for 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Garcia leads an offense at Narbonne similar to that of Harrell’s Air Raid at USC. Before USC’s season began, Garcia admitted he was apprehensive about the Trojans’ offense. However, after seeing both Slovis and redshirt junior Matt Fink enjoy immediate success upon stepping in, Garcia ultimately decided that the opportunity to play in Harrell’s Air Raid was one he could not pass up.
“I was excited when they hired Harrell, and I knew they were going to put up numbers,” Garcia said. “I just didn’t know how well it was going to fit me. But after seeing what they have done so far, and I ended up going to the game at Stanford, it’s pretty much similar to the offense we run at Narbonne. I feel like I’ll be a really good fit.”
Garcia committed to USC over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and LSU, among others.
Many USC fans were dismayed after Young’s decommitment dropped USC’s 2020 recruiting class from an already underwhelming No. 42 to No. 62 nationally. Historically, the Trojans’ recruiting classes have regularly been ranked among the nation’s elite, and USC’s recent downward trend in recruiting has given many fans cause for concern.
After Garcia’s commitment, USC’s 2021 recruiting class ranks No. 6 nationally. Trojan fans uncertain about the program’s future may finally find a moment to exhale — but Garcia says the work is far from done.
“I’m about to start recruiting,” Garcia said. “We are going to get a lot of guys. A lot of good guys, a lot of top-tier guys to Southern California.”