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USC Morning Buzz: Is The Man Of Integrity Dropping Recruits?

Defensive end Kyle Juergens of St. Margaret’s High School decommitted from USC on Sunday night.

Juergens, a three-star recruit who was expected to become an offensive guard in college, joins offensive lineman Joey Wright, who decommitted last week.

It sure looks like Clay Helton is dropping verbally committed prospects so he can sign someone else. Helton does this year every year quite regularly.

I wonder if athletic director Mike Bohn thinks this is a sign of integrity, when he cavalierly throws the word out to describe his new best friend forever.

Whatever you think of Helton, when a player commits to USC early, it means little because he might just drop them later. Three years ago, at least four players who committed were dropped by Helton.

Recruiting is a two-way street because players can change their minds too. For example, tight end Jack Yary recently decommitted from USC. But that was mainly because USC does not throw to tight ends.

Recruits cannot be trusted but Helton is the one who gets portrayed as a pious “man of intergrity.”

Remember that when you hear a pundit lazily describe him as a nice guy who does all the right things.

25 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Is The Man Of Integrity Dropping Recruits?”

  1. This guy Helton is a total fraud, he will do anything to protect his $3.8 m salary.
    Tells everyone within earshot what he thinks they want to hear, i.e. his
    comments regarding the Holiday Bowl. I have lost faith, or should I say what little I had,
    in Bohn’s ability to make rational decisions based in fact. In my opinion he has bought
    Helton’s line of b s hook line and sinker. Until Bohn wises up the program is doomed
    to the level at which Helton is able to take it. Further, in my opinion we have reached that
    level. The Peter Principle in full view.

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  2. Good ole faith, family, and football guy .. lol 😂 This is the same hypocritical, religious clown, who drops “F bombs on the sidelines . I know dropping recruits is part of the recruiting game, but it’s still unethical, especially if your a Bible thumper like Bozo Helton

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      1. Keeping up appearances, often slides into sin of its own…still, His words remain unchanged…

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  3. Like it or not, recruiting is a cut throat business. I have a friend whose son was given a verbal commitment to be a long snapper at USC by Carroll. No scholarship involved. Signed sealed and delivered. He goes to the last practice of spring ball before his freshman year while still in HS and is told by an assistant that he is no longer part of the incoming team. No call or formal announcement. Kid ended up at Oregon with Chocolate Chip. Even though I detest Helton, recruiting is a bitch.

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  4. Then all the Universitys wonder why the athletes want to get paid and should get paid for their likeness. They use them for recruiting rankings then show them the door. Look at USCs 2016 recruiting class most of them left never even to see the field. California law steps in 2023 and the NCAA and all the Universitys are freaking out because they have to pay the student athletes now. Bout damn time these greedy sobs pay up to who brings in money and entertainment to their programs.

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    1. trojanboogs, just to clarify, the new law doesn’t require schools to pay athletes. It bars the NCAA from ruling an athlete ineligible if they make money off their image or likeness.

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      1. Ok thanks for clarification on that rule. My bad for posting the wrong info. So none of this bias against West Coast schools now. Slap on the wrist for SEC schools like Auburn(Scams dads church) and Alabama DJ fluker&co. Pay offs over 150,000 the coaches just look the other way. Hopefully this evens the playing field so West Coast teams can pay the players like the SEC teams do for their so called likeness and images. Reggie Bush loans will be a thing of the past come 2023. Can’t wait to see what happens with the talent pool when this happens.

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      2. Hands down agree with you… USC, in particular, treated much more harshly for violations than UNC, Ohio State, or any SEC school.

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  5. Thanks for posting Wolfman that USC fell to 87th in recruiting! After this last decommitment. This integrity thing keeps on biting them in the ass. Way to go USC, looking like fools across the NCAA nation right now.

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    1. I understand that but almost an entire recruiting class like in 2016? Has that ever happened before to any university? That’s the point I was making.

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  7. Sounds like most of the recent “de-commits” have been amicable, or at least the young men are “tweeting” amicably. CFB recruiting and signing has always been a “cut-throat” business. ( In other sports–esp WVB, MBB, WBB–it is not unusual for a student-athlete to have their scholarship yanked.) It’s pretty rare for a CFB student-athlete to have his scholi “yanked.” The door swings both ways with CFB recruiting, and the young men who have competed in Football all their young life know it.

    Most savvy parents with sought-after offspring wisely negotiate academic “scholarships” for their teen and ultimately send “junior” to the school offering the best financial package. The bright student and talented/bright student athlete have been competing since their potty-training.

    Bring on the competition.
    (worked for our/your demigod, PC, right?)

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  9. Glad Wolfie is calling out Helton’s supposed integrity. None of us are saints, but you leave yourself particularly exposed if you are (or allowing others to) champion your integrity as your defining feature.

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    1. Saul –I think you just put fans’ problem with Helton into a few, nicely chosen words: Clay is a phony. Every once in a long while Clay prepares the team really well for a quality opponent (true, he’ll usually cancels out the memory of that success the following week —but you get my point— it’s not ALL bad). The thing that is ALL bad is his “I just love everybody and everything cuz I’m so GOOD” pose. He’d be so much better off if he dropped that goofy act and came clean with the fact that, for him, it’s always about #1: What’s good for Clay?…….
      #Hence:HuggingHaden…
      #…HuggingSwann
      #….HuggingFolt…
      #…GameBallToBohn….
      #….[NoneOfWhomHe’dGiveAShitAboutIfTheyCouldn’tHelp#1]…

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    2. Nice points, Saul.
      I like to think that Gentleman Clay is now figuring out that CFB at USC carries some weight, and it is time for him to do some “heavy lifting.”
      That is, fire coaches who don’t coach, bench players who don’t perform, recruit stellar student-athletes who can truly compete on the USC stage….

      Having only 50,000 to 60,000 in the Coli for the “greatest cross-town rivalry” in sport last month was a seminal event for Trojan athletics. Technically, USC was still in the hunt for a RB berth, right? If a HC or AD did not hear the message that day, then they will certainly suffer the consequences of their “deafness.”

      An 8-4 and even 9-3 season in 2020 won’t be tolerated by anyone.

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  10. All is fair in love, war, and recruiting. Get your story straight, Wolf, Juergens was pegged to switch over to DL. Having once received a schollie offer from SC, his profile will have gone up as will his recruitment- quid quo pro. Listen, I dislike that Helton was retained but he has recruited pretty well up until this year. Even last year, when the class was 19th, it was 19th taking in to consideration the commitments of Bru and Chris Steele. Add them two in and the class is top ten (another indictment on Helton BTW). One thing is for sure, the cupboard isn’t and won’t be bare- hopefully for another coach next year.

    Merry Christmas

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  11. I have no problem with SC dropping recruits. If the recruits can drop SC(as 2 have done just recently) then SC should be able to drop them. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

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