USC Recruiting Roundup with Scott Schrader & Dylan Brashier

Each week me and our impressive intern from USC’s Anneneberg School of Communications hop on Zoom to record our USC Recruiting Roundup. At that time we recap some of the interesting USC storylines of the week for our YouTube audience. 

Our primary focus is on recruiting, but we’ll also touch on other topics each week.

In this USC Recruiting Roundup, WeAreSC’s Scott Schrader and Dylan Brashier discuss:

4-Star CB Isaiah Rubin commits to USC

New USC commit Isaiah Rubin is the second fifth defensive back in USC’s 2024 class. 

Rubin is the No. 495 overall prospect and No. 50 cornerback in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 38 player in California. 

Here is a breakdown of his game.

Thoughts from Marshall

I will be honest, I had not watched much of Isaiah Rubin prior to preparing for his commitment. I have not seen him in person and there is limited film from recent history, but I watched what I could to try and get a good understanding of him as a prospect. Scott Schrader has said before on WeAreSC that coaches around the state of California feel Rubin is vastly underrated and from what I have seen, I will say I agree.

Some of the flashes Rubin shows tells me he is better than being the No. 50 cornerback the country. And for some reason, On3 has Rubin ranked as the No. 170 cornerback (??), which is just insanely crazy to me. But it is what it is. 

As far on the field, I liked what I saw from Rubin. He has good size at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds. He can play both press coverage and off which will help give him some scheme versatility. He is sticky in coverage and doesn’t leave the hip of his man. He also does a good job of staying in coverage while keeping his eyes to the backfield or the quarterback. I was also really impressed with Rubin’s ability to flip his hips and change his body position to make a play on the ball. 

He has good instincts when the ball is in the air and even if he’s not bringing down an interception, he is getting his hand on the ball to knock it down or affect a receivers ability to catch it. I also saw some nice moments in run defense, where Rubin crashes down on the edges to make a tackle or close a lane. 

Rubin has a fiery attitude in his game on the field, which you like to see from cornerbacks. He appears to have some physicality in coverage and in tackling and I think he will get even more so when adds some extra muscle when he gets in the weight room in Los Angeles next year.

4-Star WR Dre’lon Miller Decommits from Texas A&M

WeAreSC submitted a USC prediction for 4-Star WR Dre’lon Miller in May, when it appeared the Trojans would get the final visit before his Summer commitment announcement. We learned about plans for his late Texas A&M unofficial visit in late June. That visit came a week after his USC official visit. 

Prior to his USC official visit sources told us it had been a USC vs LSU battle for quite some time, but Miami also got a June official visit.

The Texas A&M visit led to him and great friend LB Tyanthony Smith verbally committing to the Aggies at the end of June. But Miller announced his decommitment on Monday (10/17) via social media. 

“First, I want to thank my family and friends for being my support, especially my mom. She is my heart. My dad has pushed me my entire life. I love where I am from and hopefully everyone respects who I am and what I am doing but I just feel it is in my best interest to reopen my recruitment. I love Texas A&M but I need time to process what my next move is. This is a life decision. 

“This is a family decision not just my decision. Please respect this decision and I ask that no one reach out as my family and I are spending time with each other to make sure
we move in the right direction for my future.”

USC v Utah Recap

The Utah Utes hit a field goal on the final play of the game to come away with a 34-32 win against the USC Trojans this past weekend. Here’s a look at some other numbers of note as the Trojans lost their second game in a row and fell to No. 24 in the AP Poll.

0 – Passing touchdowns for Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams broke a 24-game streak with at least one passing touchdown in this one, dating back to Nov. 13 against Baylor. It’s also the first time in his career he attempted at least 20 passes and didn’t throw for a score. He’s now thrown for just two touchdowns in his past three games (though he’s added four rushing touchdowns). This also marks the first three-game streak for Williams at USC in which he hasn’t thrown for at least 300 yards.

1 – Sack by Romello Height

The sack by rush end Romello Height was USC’s only sack of the game. After ranking among the national leaders in getting to the quarterback, the Trojans have just one sack over their past two games. 

3 – Touchdown passes for Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes

Utah, as a team, had thrown for four touchdown passes this season heading into the USC game. Barnes had thrown for one in 66 passing attempts this season. He’s also never thrown for more than one touchdown in a game in his career. He threw for three in 23 attempts against USC. 

4 – Ways in which Zachariah Branch has scored a touchdown this season

True freshman wide receiver Zachariah Branch had a short rushing touchdown against Utah and now he has touchdowns rushing, receiving, on a kick return and punt return this year.

5 – Defensive backs on the field for USC on 4th and 1

With 25 seconds remaining in the game and USC up by one point, Utah faced a 4th-and-1 at the USC 42-yard line. USC sent out its typical nickel defense with five defensive backs and just three down linemen (plus a rush end). Utah went with a direct snap to Jackson who picked up the one yard. USC’s defensive line did well and Mason Cobb met Jackson in the hole, but the Utah offensive line was able to create just enough push to pick up the first. That would have been a game-winning stop for the USC defense.