USC two weeks away from commitment No. 3

There was never much suspense in what college Fresno (Calif.) Bullard offensive lineman Nick Howell would attend. Once USC offered the talented lineman, it was easy to call this one all but over. The only suspense was in when he would announce his decision.

Howell, 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, is the son of former USC All-American offensive lineman Pat Howell, who was one of the best colleges players in the game some 20 years ago.

“It’s cool watching old game film of him,” Nick Howell said. “A lot of people say I remind them of him in how we move around and stuff. He was definitely a great player and hopefully I can have the same success he had.”

The Trojans offered Howell at their linemen camp back in the summer and since then, additional offers have come in from Washington, Cal, Washington State and Arizona. The obvious question for the USC legacy is why hasn’t he pulled the trigger yet.

“I just wanted to go through the process a little bit and see what else was out there,” Howell said. “In my head, I knew I would be going to USC but I was curious to see who else would recruit me. Once I made up my mind that it was going to be SC for me, I wanted to wait and commit in person rather than just over the phone. I was planning on coming to the Cal game this weekend and would commit then but I’m taking the SAT and won’t be able to make it.

“So now the plan is for me to commit the following week when they play Arizona State. USC is a great school and it’s where I’ve always wanted to go since I was a kid. The tradition is incredible and the team is the No. 1 program in the country right now. They have a great coaching staff, the best in the country and will be good for a long time. When they offered me at their camp, my dad and I were both so excited, it’s a dream come true for me.”

Howell has already scored an 870 on the SAT and is carrying a 3.4 GPA but wants to take the test again to try and score a 900 or higher for his own personal satisfaction.