Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.
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THE STORYLINE
As of Saturday morning, five-star linebacker Justin Flowe looked destined for Clemson.
The Upland, Calif., standout had worked through his recruitment, he’d visited Clemson numerous times - including with his family - the people close to him signed off on the Tigers and it looked inevitable that the national champs were going to get another five-star linebacker.
Clemson got a five-star linebacker, but it wasn’t Flowe. Instead, Charlotte (N.C.) Mallard Creek’s Trenton Simpson visited, got offered and quickly committed to the Tigers.
By Saturday night, there was reporting that Clemson was then done at linebacker and Flowe, on his official visit to USC, might not be part of the class even though he’s ranked as the best linebacker in the 2020 class.
That leads us to present time, where USC could be surging in Flowe’s recruitment, especially after a valuable visit over the weekend where he spent a lot of time with familiar faces already on the team.
Oregon is also sitting out there in Flowe’s recruitment and the Ducks are definitely still majorly in the running. Ohio State, Miami, Georgia and others were in the mix but look to be on the outside looking in.
On Wednesday, Flowe is expected to make his announcement. Can USC, which was considered out just a few weeks ago, land the five-star linebacker, can Oregon hold on or will there be more to this story?
FIRST TAKE: RYAN YOUNG, TROJANSPORTS.COM
“After six months of steady indications that USC was out of the mix for Flowe, the Trojans suddenly have real momentum in his recruitment. His official visit over the weekend was considered a huge success as he stayed until late in the evening Sunday, with USC getting the final pitch to the five-star linebacker.
“It now looks to be a battle between USC and Oregon. Both sides seem optimistic. What once was considered unlikely now seems very possible for the Trojans, but it could still go either way. This will be the most anticipated decision on signing day Wednesday.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“I get the feeling he’s going to end up at USC. Oregon seems more likely after Clemson moved on. The Tigers tried to get him to commit before they offered Simpson, they didn’t feel comfortable enough and they decided to take a local five-star as opposed to one across the country. That’s the way Clemson is recruiting these days. They can pick and choose so it doesn’t surprise me.
“If he goes to Oregon, that would be interesting, two massive linebackers on the same field in Oregon’s defense. It would be a change of style. They’re used to those slasher types like Troy Dye who grow from safety to linebacker but these guys are just ready immediately, they’re physical and they’re as fast as could be. That would be an amazing combination of Noah Sewell and Flowe at Oregon, but I still feel it will be USC in the end.”
