The stories have trickled out since 5-star defensive end Korey Foreman announced his USC commitment live on television on Jan. 2, that some on the Trojans staff didn't know his decision in advance even though he had officially signed back in December.
It seemed almost apocryphal to some degree that a coach like Donte Williams, who served as Foreman's lead recruiter, wouldn't have been given some sort of heads up in advance, but as Williams explained convincingly on the Trojan Talk podcast this week that was the case.
"I found out when he actually committed on national TV, with everyone else. ... I called him right away, and he picked up and he was laughing on the phone and telling me how he had me and got me and had me all fooled," said Williams, USC's cornerbacks coach/associated head coach. "From that moment it's been back to how it was, I guess, two weeks prior when we were talking every day and FaceTiming every day and continuing to grow our relationship."
RELATED: Listen to our full podcast interview with USC associate head coach and ace recruiter Donte Williams
As Williams tells it, Foreman quietly signed on Dec. 17 -- the end of the early signing period -- with head coach Clay Helton and director of player development Gavin Morris, who was also key in his recruitment, learning of his decision at that time. (CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd reported the same narrative while noting that USC director of player personnel Spencer Harris and a compliance officer also were aware of Foreman's decision at that time).
That meant Williams really went the next two-plus weeks without knowing where things stood prior to the All-American Bowl special on TV?
"I [didn't know]. I guess he signed the night before the last day you can sign, which is the 17th, so he signed that night, but I didn't know that. Only Coach Helton knew and Gavin Morris knew -- I did not. So every time I brought Korey's name up to either one of those guys, they almost acted like I was speaking a foreign language. They almost avoided the subject, because I guess Korey had told them that 'Everybody can know, but don't let Donte know,'" Williams said.
"So those two, they did a good job making sure they held the secret from me. That was a guy I talked to every day, and then he kind of went dark where I would send 10 text messages, he never replied with one word. This wasn't the person that I had grown to know over the years. So it became a little frustrating, but frustration happens in everything -- all I cared about was making sure he was here and he was staying home."
