LOS ANGELES -- It was an up and down weekend for the USC Trojans on the recruiting front, as the Under Armour All-America Game and U.S. Army All-American Bowl came and went with a flurry of commitments.
Thursday's commitments had no effect on the Trojans, as none of the players announcing had USC among their top group of schools. But Saturday was a different story.
Two of the top players in Southern California made verbal commitments during the Army game. The one that hit Trojans fans the hardest was defensive tackle Ellis McCarthy (Monrovia, Calif./Monrovia) announcing for the California Golden Bears. McCarthy was a must-get for the Trojans, as there is no experienced depth along the interior of the USC defensive line. Watching him head north to Cal is a big blow to the USC recruiting class if McCarthy sticks with his commitment.