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USC lands another quarterback

What kind of quarterback is USC getting in Sam Darnold?
According to San Clemente, Calif., coach Jaime Ortiz, the Trojans are getting someone who's not afraid to compete, someone who welcomes the challenge and is ready for his senior season and then to get started at the Pac-12 power.
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"They're getting a guy who wants to compete and who is an ultimate competitor," Ortiz said. "Whether it's dominos or checkers or FIFA soccer or on the basketball court or the football field, he's a competitor.
"Coach (Pete) Carroll when he got to USC he instilled the Always Compete philosophy and that's something coach (Steve Sarkisian) has continued to do and Sam fits right in that mode."
Darnold, who only played in a few games in his junior season because of injury but has excelled at numerous events this summer, committed to USC over many other programs on Friday.
Colorado State, Duke, Nevada, Northwestern, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State, Tennessee, Utah and Wake Forest had also offered Darnold but he picked the Trojans and is not looking back.
Others were definitely considered but Ortiz said Darnold and his family did a terrific job looking at all factors and then picking the best situation for him.
"With Sam, he and his parents did a great job and they did their due diligence," Ortiz said. "A lot of schools took the time and offered Sam and Sam was interested in a lot of those schools.
"Sam really hasn't been outside of California a lot. They wanted to make sure to check out those schools and make sure they're making the right decision and then come back and see how everything filters out.
"The offer from Oregon and the offer from Utah in the very beginning and Duke and Northwestern, there are a lot of great schools that Sam had the opportunity to explore. At the end of the day USC was his home and that's where he wanted to be."
Darnold is the second quarterback in USC's 2015 recruiting class joining Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure four-star Ricky Town.
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