ORANGE, Calif. -- Four-star wide receiver Kyle Ford knows some people interpreted his silence this last month in different ways, especially amidst the turbulent stretch the USC football program endured.

But after making it official on National Signing Day and inking his name on a National Letter of Intent to USC on Wednesday, Ford said he never wavered since verbally committing to the Trojans back on Jan. 5.

Not with the abrupt departure of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who left after a little more than a month on the job to become head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. And not even as his close friend Bru McCoy, a 5-star early enrollee at USC, also left the school after just a couple weeks to transfer to Texas.

"As people have been saying, I've been kind of silent on everything, just trying to stay off [the radar]. Just because I know all the commotion and everything going on, I didn't really want to get caught up in it," Ford said Wednesday after a signing ceremony at Orange Lutheran High School.

"I talked on the phone with all the USC coaches and we were fine. It's been a crazy process, but I'm glad it's over and I feel like I made the right choice. ... Obviously, I just wasn't out there on social media and everything, but I was fine."

Ford shared the stage Wednesday with fellow Orange Lutheran standout and future USC teammate Ethan Rae, a 4-star tight end who officially signed with the Trojans in December. And Rae reiterated Ford's sentiments from his own perspective.

"He never had any second guesses, to be honest," Rae said. "I remember people at school would say stuff to him. I wouldn't want to bother him about it because at the end of the day I want him to make his own decision, and he was always solid. Like he never really had any second guesses. Coaches, Oregon mainly and Washington, would try to talk to him still, but he never really had second guesses."

Ford's addition was big when he committed last month at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, but it may be even more significant now with McCoy out of the picture and fellow 4-star WR commit Puka Nacua looking unlikely to land at USC.

That means the Trojans' once large 2019 WR haul is down to three with Ford, 4-star prospect Drake London (Moorpark HS) and 3-star prospect Munir McClain (JSerra HS).

Ford and McCoy, the Mater Dei HS star, are close friends and had celebrated their dual announcements last month in San Antonio, enjoying the prospects of being teammates together at the next level. A couple weeks later, with Kingsbury having bolted to the NFL, that reality changed with McCoy transferring to Texas in a move that captured national attention.

"It's a really rough decision for him because that's my guy -- I love him and his family. Great people, always been really cool to me and I love them. Obviously I wanted to play with Bru, and I know Bru vice-versa the same way," Ford said. "But he had to do what's best for him, and I told him, 'If you feel like this isn't right for you and you feel like you've got to go, you've got to do what you feel is right because at the end of the day you've got to be happy. I want you here, but at the same time you've got to be happy with where you are too.'

"I'm really happy for him. He's going to be a great player wherever he goes. He loves Austin [Texas] and that was really cool to hear. He's happy where he is, he loves it out there. So I'm really happy for him."

The departure of Kingsbury didn't have as much of an effect on Ford. When he announced his decision, just days before the former OC's departure, it felt like there were greater reasons for his USC commitment.

And he reiterated that point Wednesday after making it official.

"I kind of went into the process knowing that Kingsbury might even get an offer. Say if he didn't even take it, I knew he was going to get an offer and it would be really hard to pass up. So I kind of committed to the school, which a lot of people say to do," Ford said. "And once he left, I was like, dang, I would like to play [for] him, but at the same time I'm happy off him. I mean, he's with the Cardinals now. What kind of opportunity is that -- it's awesome. And that time, that period just waiting, I was just waiting to see who they bring in. And Coach Graham [Harrell], I love him. Great person, obviously I know he's a good coach, but I talked to him a couple times -- he's a great person."

Harrell, who like Kingsbury is a former Texas Tech QB and disciple of the Air Raid offense, came out last week shortly after being hired to visit with Ford and Rae at Orange Lutheran.

They didn't talk much Xs and Os as there will be plenty of time for that, but both players said they liked Harrell's energy and the way he connected with them.

"I actually heard from him like the day. He came down to the school, said what's up. He was just a great person, personality-wise just outgoing -- kind of like my personality, just taking everything in. I'm really happy to work with him," Ford said.

"He just wanted to get to know me as a person. I feel like that was more important to me because obviously that off-the-field stuff is going to be important as well as on the field."

But sure, he was also happy to see USC keep a version of the Air Raid -- "a receiver's dream," he said.

So the next question is, will Ford actually get on the field as a freshman this fall. He's working his way back from a torn ACL he sustained at the end of September, but he says he's progressing quickly and remaining optimistic about his ability to contribute this season.

"I think I'm ahead of schedule a little bit so that's really good to hear. I start running a little bit here in a couple weeks and then from there it's kind of just trying to get all the swelling out and just trying to get everything stronger and make sure everything is right where I want it to be," Ford said.

"I think I'm going to play. I think I'm on the right track to get in, whether it's the first or second game, third game, I think I'll be ready to play and I'll be ready to go, honestly."

Helton was asked about Ford's outlook during his National Signing Day news conference later in the day.

"You know, he'll finish nine months at the end of August. Nowadays with ACLs and modern science, it's not really physical -- it's really mental being able to get back. And usually you're fully cleared about nine months -- that will be at the end of August," Helton said. "In Kyle, we saw a unique talent that we wanted to invest in for the entire future. If he's ready to go, he's ready to go. If not, we'll leave that up to the doctors and see where that is."