Rettig could be one to remember

LOS ANGELES - Hayden Rettig said he wants to play college football in California or the country.

First, he has to start his sophomore season.

Rettig is a 2013 pro-style quarterback from Los Angeles Cathedral that has impressed at numerous camps this off-season including last weekend's National Underclassmen Combine.

He's already 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds and is incredibly advanced for his age. Rettig also knows something about the recruiting process since his brother, Chase, signed with Boston College in its 2010 class.

"(Chase) said whoever offers him first he's going to go there," Rettig said. "He said that's the school that cares about me the most, that's the school I'll really like.

"It came down to these final schools and after Boston College offered him they said if you commit we'll need you right away. It's all about the first school that offered because right after he got that offer he set his mind on that.

"I'm not going to commit on the spot. I'm going to nicely, gradually take it in and think about it. It's just going to have to wait until my senior year."

Not only did Rettig learn about the recruiting process from his brother but also how to handle himself on the field, to be a leader, even though he's just going into his sophomore season.

His name is slowly starting to get out in recruiting circles so college coaches will probably keep an eye on him this fall. Rettig's name will be one to remember for years to come in California.

"My brother taught me a lot," Rettig said. "The main thing was you can't lose your composure. If someone does something, if someone drops a ball, tell them they'll get it next time.

"It has to be an equal relationship with the quarterback, too. If I throw a bad ball then the receiver will tell me get it next time. You have to have a lot of energy. It gets the sidelines pumped up and the crowd pumped up."

Rettig said he has not received any recruiting mail yet - remember, he's still finishing up his freshman year - but that he's a big fan of Southern Cal. Alabama, Ole Miss and Tennessee were the three out-of-state schools mentioned and he also likes UCLA.

There is a good chance he will attend camps at Alabama, LSU and Washington this summer and he's expected to work out at the Los Angeles Nike Camp this weekend at USC.

The Trojans will definitely get a look.

"I like USC a lot," Rettig said. "I just like the whole SC foundation. Matt Leinart came out of there, one of the best quarterbacks in college, Matt Barkley is there now, another person I look up to, and it just feels like all the players that went to SC did really well."

There seems to be intrigue to play away from home, too. Rettig said he likes the hard-nosed nature of football in the South and that's why he'd certainly consider going to some programs in the SEC. He could get a first-hand look at what those programs offer this summer at camps.

"My grandmother used to live in Texas and when I was little I was in Texas and Alabama and those are the real powerhouses," Rettig said. "That's where football is known. If you're going to play out there you have to be a good player, you're not going to be a wimp. You have to be strong and be able to take a hit. That's what I like out there."