In a vacuum, if I told you a 13 year old boy told a 34 year old man a verbal commitment that in five years, the boy will move across the country to be mentored by the adult, that would naturally raise some red flags.
However, in college football, it’s becoming the norm.
David Sills, of Bear, Delaware, apparently is the Lebron James of junior high football, and he has verbally committed to USC’s class of 2015.
Seriously.
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."
Ok, it’s not that out of the ordinary for a 13 year old to be six foot tall, so let’s not act like they’ve found some buried treasure.
You know what? Every 13 year old kid is breaking down NFL defenses. It’s called Madden 10. Madden has become so advanced that every defensive scheme ever is featured in the game. So again, this is not uncommon. Wired even did a story on it.
I can see how the kid would say he wants to play for USC. When I was 13, I was dead-set on going to OSU, and was probably going to be a two sport star in basketball and football.
I don’t have a problem with this “phenom” coming out and saying this, where it gets creepy is his coach talking to Lane Kiffin.
Clarkson said the scholarship offer emerged after he called Kiffin to discuss a quarterback recruit for next year’s class.
Clarkson said 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.
This coach is a creep, and who knows if this scholarship offer was ever granted. How pissed do you think Kiffin was? He goes to Clarkson to ask about a recruit for the 2010 class, and he won’t stop talking about some 13 year old?
One more thing, Mr. Clarkson. NEWSFLASH! Who in the hell has ever called Jimmy Clausen the “Lebron James” of football? Brady Quinn was a better Notre Dame QB than Jimmy Clausen, so you might want to stop tootin’ your own horn there.
But if this kid wants to go to Ohio State that’s fine.
Dan
February 5th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I can honestly say I want to fight Lane Kiffin! I saw some video of this kid he looks really good for only being thirteen, but it happens all the time he is way ahead of kids his age they will catch up. I hope it works out for the kid, but I can’t stress enough how much I HATE THAT SELLOUT LANE KIFFIN!
Bill
February 5th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
I don’t think he’d be so bad if he wasn’t so pompous and arrogant. You have to admit some of the things he says are pretty funny
Dan
February 5th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
The only thing i like about this D-bag is he has a hot wife