Justin Flowe, the 5-star prospect from Upland High School and No. 1-ranked outside linebacker in the 2020 class, has had USC on his radar for as long as it's been clear he would one day be a coveted football prospect.

Now that the countdown to a decision is officially on, though, Flowe is looking for some reassurance from the Trojans this fall if they are to remain a true contender in his recruitment.

With USC coming off a 5-7 season and head coach Clay Helton's status seeming ever tenuous, Flowe will be monitoring the direction of the program while navigating through his many options as one of the most coveted players in the country.

"USC stands really high because they're a hometown school for me and since I was a kid USC has always been there for me," Flowe told TrojanSports.com on Sunday. "So yeah, it just depends on how good they do this season coming up [with] Clay Helton. ...

"'SC's always been in my heart because it's a hometown school and I've always been raised on USC so we're going to see what happens."