Five-star DE Mykel Williams decommits from USC, flips to Georgia

Back in June, USC surprised many across college football when it landed a commitment from five-star defensive end Mykel Williams, out of Columbus, Ga.

It was much less a surprise Wednesday when Williams announced he was decommitting from the Trojans and flipping to Georgia.

The move had been expected in recent weeks with Williams coming away highly impressed from his time in Athens, Ga., and seeing the Bulldogs produce the best defense in the country while everything is in flux at USC.

A large part of what sold Williams on the Trojans, with his commitment coming just days after he took his official visit to USC, was his connection with defensive line coach Vic So'oto and how So'oto's message about how he would coach and develop him resonated differently than others.

With head coach Clay Helton being fired after Week 2 of the season, the future of the rest of the Trojans staff is up in the air. Meanwhile, the defense has been the biggest disappointment of the season -- a stark contrast to what Williams has watched with Georgia.

So, no, this isn't a surprise, but it is a disappointment for the Trojans as fans can now wonder what might have been.

At one point, USC was in line to land not only Williams but his close friend Christen Miller, a four-star Rivals100 defensive tackle from Ellenwood, Ga.

Miller's interest in USC fizzled earlier this fall, while Williams' decision was perhaps a little tougher as his half brother is USC freshman tight end Michael Trigg, who is off to a strong start in his Trojans career. The two are close and were looking forward to playing together ideally.

But the Trojans' situation isn't ideal right now until a new head coach is hired, a staff is set and a future direction is clear.

Williams is now the second major USC decommitment since the coaching change, following four-star RB De'Anthony Gatson, from Newton, Texas.