USC lands commitment from TCU DT transfer Earl Barquet
The first commitment has come from USC's big weekend of official visitors.
Earl Barquet, a defensive tackle from TCU who entered the transfer portal after the season, announced Monday on Twitter that he has committed to the Trojans.
Barquet, who is originally from Marrero, La., redshirted in 2019 and played two seasons at TCU, leaving him with three years of eligibility remaining, thanks to the free year all players were given during the pandemic last season.
Barquet, listed at 6-foot-3, 277 pounds, fills a major need for the Trojans, whose depth was decimated along the interior of the defensive line this year.
Projected starting nose tackle Brandon Pili sustained a torn Achilles in the spring, likely replacement Jay Toia transferred to UCLA after spring practice, Alabama transfer Ishmael Sopsher played just a handful of snaps in one game all season due to injury and redshirt freshman Kobe Pepe was injured and a non-factor, leaving previously untested redshirt sophomore Stanley Ta'ufo'ou and redshirt freshman Jamar Sekona to fill that spot primarily. And then DT Jake Lichtenstein, who emerged as a productive cog in the rotation up front, entered the transfer portal last week.
Barquet was a three-star prospect in the 2019 class. He has 21 tackles and 2.5 sacks over two seasons at TCU. According to PFF, he played 162 defensive snaps this season while notching 8 overall pressures -- 5 QB hurries and 3 QB hits.
TCU underwent a staff overhaul this offseason with the departure of longtime head coach Gary Patterson.
TCU is expected to shift from a 4-2-5 defense to a 3-3-5 defense under new defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie, which could have also factored into Barquet's decision.
Barquet is the second TCU transfer to land at USC in the last year, as running back Darwin Barlow transferred from the Horned Frogs to the Trojans in June.
Barquet was one of three transfer targets the Trojans hosted on visits last weekend, along with Virginia offensive lineman Bobby Haskins and Nevada linebacker Daiyan Henley, as new coach Lincoln Riley looks to address some pressing needs with veteran help.