USC Recruiting Washington Football QB Commit Jacob Sirmon

Not Surprisingly, USC is shopping PAC-12 teams for a new quarterback to play behind Sam Darnold. Their latest target is Washington Football QB Jacob Sirmon

Washington Football coaches had to see this coming. I warned them. From the moment USC quarterback commit Matt Corral did not see much of a future carrying Sam Darnold’s shoulderpads, the Trojans began recruiting for a new quarterback.  Corral decommitted. Now USC is attempting to poach a PAC-12 quarterback.

But not from uncommitted QBs. They have taken their recruiting efforts to the commitments of other PAC-12 teams.   They first targeted UCLA.

Then Utah

And now the Washington Huskies quarterback Jacob Sirmon.

It would be tough to listen to a sell of “we really like your potential in a USC uniform” knowing you are simply just the next one on the list, wouldn’t it?

USC Emphasizing UW QB Competition

USC is already working the “you’ll be competing for a starting role” with Sirmon, who is entering the 2018 recruiting class alongside Colson Yankoff.  But opening up that door is a poorly conceived strategy.  Both Sirmon and Yankoff will be competing for a starting role when they arrive.  Right now, USC is committed to Sam Darnold as the starting quarterback for the next three years.

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On one hand, one of the challenges to the USC strategy is the lack of attention to fit.  Like a child who sees a toy in a store window which is an exact copy of one still played with at home, USC seems to target the highest ranked prospects regardless to how they fit their team or scheme.

Class Over Show

On the other hand, Washington football recruiting is deliberate. The school will recruit a player with almost complete disregard to the national ranking.  Washington coaches trust their assessments, and frequently are one of the first to contact a new prospect.

You can’t argue with success.  UW has outperformed USC on the field recently, despite USC continuing to out-recruit the Huskies in terms of ranking the recruiting classes.

Right now, Jacob Sirmon fits with the Huskies plans for the future. In fact, the entire two quarterback threat is a deliberate plan of Coach Petersen to challenge for the national title.

Family Ties

USC has some family leverage on Jacob Sirmon. Per Rivals.com Nick Lucero , Sirmon is the nephew of former USC linebacker coach Peter Sirmon. At the time his uncle was coaching at USC, the younger Sirmon was a regular around USC’s program and campus.

While that may seem like a “blood is thicker than water”, it does not trump his father David’s current position as associate professor at the University of Washington Foster’s School of Business.  And it’s that close tie to the Washington Huskies which has tied Jacob Sirmon to the coaching staff on a regular basis.

USC Flattery Gets Them Nowhere

Would Jacob Sirmon enjoy a scholarship offer from the USC Trojans? Yes, he would be honored to receive one.  Would that scholarship make a difference? Highly unlikely.  For anyone who points to no guarantees Sirmon wins the quarterback job on the Washington Football team, there is a certain guarantee Sirmon sits at USC for two years.

Jacob  Sirmon is very much integrated into the Washington Huskies program as a young man can be.

"“If a USC offer did come through, that would be a great honor,” Sirmon said. “I would really appreciate that. As of right now, that hasn’t happened so far and I’m just focusing on my high school football team and staying committed so far. The only planned visit I have so far is the University of Washington,” Sirmon said when asked if he would visit USC. “I have their camp in the summer and then a lot of different camps with my high school team.” – Per Rivals.com interview with Nick Lucero"

We know things can change. So there is nobody preaching to take Sirmons arrival in 2018 for granted. But I don’t see USC winning this one. We posed the question of when can UW resist USC efforts to steal recruits.

Next: Washington Football recruiting efforts and offers continue

I think we have our answer.  Jacob Sirmon will remain true. And that is not only good for Jacob Sirmon, and for the Washington Football team. It’s good for the PAC-12.  USC tends to get the shiniest recruits.   But the best coaching staff gives them a better chance in the NFL.

Right now, that’s Washington. Hands down.