Trojans Land Top-10 Class, Bruins Recruit For Need

On a day that can determine the futures of college football programs, coaches Paul Hackett of USC and Bob Toledo of UCLA expressed optimism Wednesday with their recruiting classes on the first day of the national signing period.

It takes months--and sometimes years--before coaches can gauge recruits, but Hackett said Wednesday he was “thrilled” with the Trojans’ 20 incoming players.

“I’m just bubbling over,” he said.

Hackett came away with a top-10 recruiting class, headed by the No. 1 prep player in Southern California, safety Matt Grootegoed of Santa Ana Mater Dei.

Grootegoed, The Times’ Glenn Davis Award winner, wavered between USC and UCLA before choosing the Trojans last week. He made 138 tackles and intercepted six passes last season and helped the Monarchs win or tie for three Southern Section Division I championships.

“He’s the ideal ballplayer,” Hackett said.

Hackett was pleased that his coaching staff won recruiting battles in recent weeks despite losing four assistants who either resigned or were fired.

“I think we have won some early [commitments] in the past, but this year we knew in order to take another step we had to go head to head with Michigan, Florida State and UCLA and come out on top,” he said. “Our coaches finished great at the end.”

USC’s training table, where players line up for buffet-style meals, will need to expand after the signing of eight offensive and defensive linemen. It fulfills a promise Hackett made when he was hired two years ago to strengthen the team’s lines.

Offensive lineman Joe McGuire, a 6-6, 280-pounder from Anaheim Servite, is a Parade magazine All-American. USC also acquired two top defensive linemen in Nathan Goodson (6-5, 270) of Temescal Canyon and Kenechi Udeze (6-3, 320) of Verbum Dei.

Tight end Alex Holmes (6-2, 295) of Harvard-Westlake improves USC’s depth at that position. “The guy has a chance to change the face of the tight end position here,” Hackett said.

One player who could start immediately is cornerback Chris Cash of Palomar College. He’s one of the Trojans’ five junior college recruits and is already enrolled at USC. “Chris Cash was the outstanding [junior college] cornerback in the the country,” Hackett said.

Toledo focused on filling specific needs. The Bruins had 18 scholarships and ended up signing 14 players.

None of the recruits is more important than free safety Ben Emanuel from Friendswood, Texas. Emanuel (6-3, 185), who has 4.5-second speed over 40 yards, gives the Bruins hope of restoring their tradition of outstanding safeties established by Eric Turner, James Washington and Kenny Easley.

Among the other prominent Bruin recruits:

* Fullback Patrick Norton of Hart was The Times’ San Fernando Valley player of the year. He’s 6-1, has grown to 280 pounds and is known for his fierce blocking.

* Punter Chris Kluwe of Los Alamitos averaged 45.5 yards per punt, made a 60-yard field goal and scored 1490 on his SAT. “I saw him punting from one end to the other and thought he was Ray Guy,” Toledo said.

* Linebacker Brandon Chillar of Carlsbad made 12 sacks and was considered the top defensive player in San Diego County.

* Offensive lineman Paul Mociler (6-5, 300) was a Parade magazine All-American.

* Receiver Tab Perry of Milipitas was ranked the No. 1 receiver in the West by one publication. He averaged 30.5 yards on kickoff returns.

* Running back Manuel White of Valencia rushed for 6,745 yards in his career, fourth-best in California history.

“We went after some top guys and felt we got 14 outstanding players,” Toledo said. “We lost some people at the end, but I’m very pleased with what we got.”

Toledo said the Bruins may hold two scholarships until next year because there will be only 12 to offer.

He also announced that defensive back Marques Anderson, suspended from the team last year, has returned to school, and linebacker Ed Stansbury will be moved to fullback.

One trend has emerged in college football recruiting--high school players are committing earlier.

All of UCLA’s 14 recruits committed before Jan. 1 and some as early as last February. UCLA has already received commitments for 2001 from two of the state’s top juniors--defensive back Matthew Ware of Loyola and offensive lineman Robert Cleary of Temescal Canyon.