Trojans add another for 2009
T.J. McDonald, the Rivals.com four-star defensive back from Fresno (Calif.) Edison, sat on his official scholarship offer from the University of Southern California for one week, but couldn't wait any longer to make his life-long dream a reality.
On Friday, December 07, 2007, McDonald officially became a Trojan.
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"I just know that USC is the place for me," he said. "I've wanted to come here my whole life so I couldn't really pass it up."
This time of the year is one of the busiest for the USC coaching staff, so McDonald is going to have to wait to celebrate with the staff.
"I just sent in a text message with my commitment earlier today," McDonald said. "I called (Coach Pete Carroll) but he wasn't able to answer the phone.
"I'll call him later on today, but I guess he's a little busy right now with other recruiting stuff."
TJ McDonald is the son of former Trojan, and Superbowl winning safety, Tim McDonald, who was compassionate to whatever decision his son would come to.
"They said that no matter what I wanted to do they would support me either way," McDonald said about his parents. "We're going to have a (celebratory) dinner at my house tomorrow night."
McDonald received his official scholarship offer last Friday and was on campus for the UCLA game the next day.
"When I went down there on Saturday I fell in love with it," McDonald said about USC. "I could see myself living there; I could see myself playing there, so I knew that it was the place for me."
With his commitment sent in, McDonald said he would have time for other, more pressing matters.
"I can put the recruiting process on hold for a little while and focus on my academics and senior football season," he said.
And just like his father recruiting him, McDonald plans on lobbying for equally talented players to come to USC.
"That's what I'm doing now," McDonald, who plays with a number of Division-I caliber recruits, said. "I can talk to people as much as I want, but it comes down to them making a decision for themselves.
"But I'm going to do whatever I can to help USC. I brought Rolando Jefferson and Cliff Harris down to the game with me, and I know they liked it a lot, so I'm working on them right now."
USCFootball.com will bring you more on T.J. McDonald's commitment later this week.