Reign of Troy
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The Opening Was Just the Beginning and More USC Football News

By Alicia de Artola

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Can’t get enough USC football? We’ve got your morning dose of all the best content from around the web concerning the men of Troy.

1st & 10:

First Take…So here we are, the Final Five.

That’s how many scholarships USC has left to work with in the 2016 class after securing commitments from C.J. Pollard and Trevon Sidney at The Opening last week.

In the past 31 days, the Trojans have hauled in eight new commitments, doubling the total they had drawn in since last summer.

A lot can change in a month.

USC now boasts five new four-star commits — Cary Angeline, Pollard, Michael Pittman, Keyshon Camp and Sidney — and a top five class for 2016.

Of course, a lot can change in six months.

Even more importantly, a lot can change between January and February.

Securing Mique Juarez’ pledge in the face of a wave of pressure from UCLA is now paramount. Daelin Hayes may have a snazzy new USC-theme hair cut, but he goes back to Michigan with Jim Harbaugh on the chase.

So while it may seem like the home stretch is here for USC recruiting, don’t forget that The Opening is named as such for a reason. The race has only just begun.

And Ten Links…

  1. ESPN: USC tight end target Devin Asiasi and wide receiver commit Josh Imatorbebhe earned references in Tom VanHaaren’s Five Observations from The Opening.
  2. LA Times: There could be another USC commit coming as Lamar Jackson confirmed the Trojans are among his favorites along with UCLA, Oregon, Washington and Michigan.
  3. Bleacher Report: Who are the ten most important players for USC this season? Hard to argue with a top three of Cody Kessler, Su’a Cravens and Adoree’ Jackson, but when will Kevon Seymour get some love?
  4. USCFootball.com: Max Tuerk and Connor Spears took different paths to their place in the Trojan ranks, but both stand tall as leaders for 2015.
  5. Scout: USC’s newest commit may not be the biggest or fastest, but he never fails to impress with exceptional ball skills and competitiveness, according to Greg Biggins with the scouting report.
  6. Pacific Takes: Early betting gives USC a 20% chance of making the playoffs in 2015, according to Peter Loshak of SportsBookReview.com. Pacific Takes caught up with him to get the lowdown on betting for the coming season.
  7. Reign of Troy: We looked back on some of the best (worst?) recruiting drama USC has dealt with over the past few years. What was more stressful, Matthew Thomas or Seantrell Henderson?
  8. 247Sports: The usual suspects like Iman Marshall and Porter Gustin appear among Tyler Keckeisen’s top five future impact freshman for USC, but Marvell Tell, Jacob Daniel and Cameron Smith also make the cut.
  9. Sports Illustrated: Are cost of attendance figures the next great recruiting loophole to exploit? We explored the discrepancy in cost of attendance stipends a few months ago — USC is among the lowest in the country — but recently SI talked to a number of 2016 recruits regarding the issue, including new USC commit C.J. Pollard who admitted it could be a “big” factor for recruits.
  10. CBS Sports: Pat Haden was voted the No. 4 most influential athletic directors in the country by a 12 member panel from CBS Sports. UCLA’s Dan Guerrero was No. 9.

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