Lane Kiffin really is getting a jump on recruiting.

No sooner had the Trojans new coach put the finishing touches on the Class of 2010 recruits, that he turned his attention to the Class of 2015.

Thats right, 2015.

Thursday evening Kiffin received a verbal commitment from 13-year old wunderkind quarterback David Sills of Bear, Del.

Too young?

Not according to his personal coach Steve Clarkson, who has mentored some of the games best quarterbacks including current USC starter Matt Barkley.

His skill set is off the chart, Clarkson said. Ive never seen anyone at his age do what hes been able to do.

The commitment, which was first reported by ESPNs Shelley Smith, has happened in college basketball previously, but is unprecedented for college football where its harder to project how a player as young as Sills will develop physically. Clarkson says that wont be a problem.

Hes already six feet as a 13-year old, Clarkson said. And hes breaking down NFL footage.

Clarkson said the scholarship offer emerged after he called Kiffin to discuss a quarterback recruit for next years class.

Clarkson said Kiffin asked him his opinion of the recruit and Clarkson said, You might call me crazy, but youve known me a long time, right? And when I said if there was going to be a LeBron James of football itd be Jimmy Clausen that turned out to be a pretty good prediction.

And when I said Matt Barkley had the potential to be as good as Jimmy, he ended up winning Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior and starting at USC as a freshman, right?

Well, Ive got a kid now who is better than all of them and hes in Delaware. You gotta take a look at him.

Clarkson then directed Kiffin to a video of Sills that is making the rounds on YouTube.

Kiffin watched it and called him back immediately.

He was like, This kid is incredible. How old is he again?

I was like, Thats the problem, hes 13.

A couple of hours later, the Sills family called Kiffin and they spoke for the first time. USC had always been Sills dream school, according to his father, David Sills IV.

Im as shocked as anybody, Sills father said. I was just talking with friends yesterday about what itll be like four years from now when David goes through the recruiting process. I never expected this to happen so soon.

But Davids always wanted to go to USC. I mean, is there a better place to play football in the country? How can you pass up the best offer youre ever going to get?

The younger Sills, who is an seventh-grader at Red Lion Christian Academy in Bear, Del., has been training with Clarkson for three years. They meet about once every six weeks at various locations around the country. Sometimes in California, where Clarkson is based. Sometimes in Delaware. And sometimes somewhere in the middle, if Clarkson is conducting a clinic.

Steve and David hit it off immediately, David Sills IV said. If theres ever anything David is doing wrong, Steve can fix it in like 10 minutes.

Still, 2015 is a long time from now. A lot can change.

Well, were going to be out to California in a few weeks and well meet Lane then, Sills father said. Were excited to meet him. And were excited to verbally commit. Hopefully it all works out in the future.

Posted on February 5th, 2010 by admin
Filed under: College football news, NCAA college football