Graf commits to Trojans

For Kevin Graf, his relationship with the University of Southern California has gone from lust, to love, and finally to a commitment. Pete Carroll and the Trojan coaching staff offered Graf, a life-long Trojan fan and highly regarded offensive lineman from Agoura (Calif.), an official scholarship offer on October 4th, 2007.

Less than a minute later, Graf was a Trojan.

"Coach (Carroll) called me up and told me, 'We watched film on you and you looked good, we're very impressed with you and would like to offer you a scholarship'," Graf said Thursday afternoon. "I said, 'Oh my yes, I would love to be a Trojan, coach'.

"And that was that."

The emotional high could be felt in Graf's voice when he talked about what it means to be a part of the same football family as his brother and father.

"It's awesome," he said of the offer. "I've been waiting my whole life for this, I watched my brother go through it and I just absolutely love it.

"It's nice to finally be a Trojan, and to finally follow my dad and my brother."

The euphoria wasn't limited to the junior either; the whole Graf family was excited about the opportunity.

"We were all thrilled," he said about the moment when the offer came in. "We were all jacked up. My brother and dad were so happy.

"My mom was crying; it was a great moment."

Graf now has the often-heavy stress of choosing where to go to school lifted from his shoulders. With their player secured, the coaching staff had only a small request of Graf:

"Just for me to stay focused, keep doing what I'm doing and just represent the family."

Whether Carroll meant the Graf or Trojan family remains to be seen, but either way it's a task the young lineman is up for.