Curious what you think - USC commits 13 year old QB

[peramoure]

Sills, 13, commits to USC
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By Ramona Shelburne
ESPNLosAngeles.com
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Lane Kiffin really is getting a jump on recruiting.

No sooner had the Trojans new coach put the finishing touches on the Class of 2010 recruits, that he turned his attention to the Class of 2014.

That's right, 2014.

Thursday evening Kiffin received a verbal commitment from 13-year old wunderkind quarterback David Sills of Bear County, Del..

Too young?

Not according to his personal coach Steve Clarkson, who has mentored some of the game's best quarterbacks including current USC starter Matt Barkley.

"His skill set is off the chart," Clarkson said. "I've never seen anyone at his age do what he's been able to do."

The commitment, which was first reported by ESPN's Shelley Smith, has happened in college basketball previously, but is unprecedented for college football where it's harder to project how a player as young as Sills will develop physically. Clarkson says that won't be a problem.

"He's already six feet as a 13-year old," Clarkson said. "And he's breaking down NFL footage."

Clarkson said the scholarship offer emerged after he called Kiffin to discuss a quarterback recruit for next year's class.

Clarkson said that Kiffin asked him his opinion of the recruit and Clarkson said, "You might call me crazy, but you've known me a long time, right? And when I said if there was going to be a LeBron James of football it'd be Jimmy Clausen that turned out to be a pretty good prediction.

"And when I said Matt Barkley had the potential to be as good as Jimmy, he ended up winning Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior and starting at USC as a freshman, right?

"Well, I've got a kid now who is better than all of them and he's in Delaware. You gotta take a look at him."

Clarkson then directed Kiffin to a video of Sills that has slowly making the rounds on YouTube.

Kiffin watched it and called him back immediately.

"He was like, 'This kid is incredible. How old is he again?'

"I was like, 'That's the problem, he's 13.' "

A couple of hours later, the Sills family called Kiffin and they spoke for the first time. USC had always been Sills' dream school, according to his father, David Sills IV.

"I'm as shocked as anybody," Sillis' father said. "I was just talking with friends yesterday about what it'll be like four years from now when David goes through the recruiting process. I never expected this to happen so soon.

"But David's always wanted to go to USC. I mean, is there a better place to play football in the country? How can you pass up the best offer you're ever going to get?"

The younger Sills, who is an eighth-grader at Red Lion Christian Academy in Bear County, has been training with Clarkson for three years. They meet about once every six weeks at various locations around the country. Sometimes in California, where Clarkson is based. Sometimes in Delaware. And sometimes somewhere in the middle, if Clarkson is conducting a clinic.

"Steve and David hit it off immediately," David Sills IV said. "If there's ever anything David is doing wrong, Steve can fix it in like 10 minutes."

Still, 2014 is a long time from now. A lot can change.

"Well, we're going to be out to California in a few weeks and we'll meet Lane then," Sills' father said. "We're excited to meet him. And we're excited to verbally commit. Hopefully it all works out in the future."

Ramona Shelburne is a reporter and columnist for ESPNLosAngeles.com.

[01d 0rd3r]

YouTube - David Sills Highlight

[Warner4prez]

Haha! Wow. I'm honestly more excited to see what Joe Montana's kid will do. I think he starts college next year.

[r8rh8rmike]

"But David's always wanted to go to USC. I mean, is there a better place to play football in the country? How can you pass up the best offer you're ever going to get?"

Hmm. The best offer you're ever going to get. They don't call it U$C for nothin'. Just ask Reggie Bush and his family.

As far as commiting a 13 year old, I think it's taking things way too far.

[Rambunctious]

This is absurd.

Someone needs to get smacked upside the head. I'm just not sure if it should be the people from USC or the parents or both.

[TheRammer]

This is absurd.

Someone needs to get smacked upside the head. I'm just not sure if it should be the people from USC or the parents or both.

lol i agree wtf is going on now a days? commiting a 13 yr old?

[jmk321]

Haha! Wow. I'm honestly more excited to see what Joe Montana's kid will do. I think he starts college next year.

I saw him playing on some of those high school all american games on ESPN. He didn't look that impressive but those are just all star games where you get only a week to practice and get to know your teamates so they don't really show too much.

And Jimmy Clauson, the Lebron James of football. That's a stretch if I've ever heard one. If this kid does end up being good then I guess Lane Kiffin looks like a genius. It's just weird that they have a kid's entire future planned when he's only 13.

[Goldenfleece]

I think it's way early. At 13, he's still got a lot of growing to do. By the time he graduates high school, they might find that they've offered a scholarship to a kid who's 5'9", 160 lbs, and couldn't throw a deep ball to save his life. Of course, if it works out, Kiffin will look like a genius.

Next question is whether we can use a late round draft pick on him.

[Trevor]

first round pick for this guy!!

[r8rh8rmike]

Since Kiffin has pretty much been a dysfunctional nomad lately, I'm not sure he really fits into the equation here. The chances he's still be at $C in 2014 are slim at best.

[01d 0rd3r]

They don't call it U$C for nothin'.

University of Spoiled Children?

[txramsfan]

Indiana did this in basketball with Damon Bailey. It backfired by putting too much pressure on Bailey. I hope it happens to USC also. Man......the teams I dislike are really piling up but these two are HEAD and SHOULDERS above the rest.

1. Tennessee
2. Ole Miss

[r8rh8rmike]

University of Spoiled Children?

That too, in addition to their questionable use of an abundance of $.

[laram0]

BIZARRE!




Leave the little pip squeak alone.

[Tom_SF]

By the time he gets to U$C, they'll be on a 20-game losing streak and he'll end-up at Notre Dame instead.