USC connects with Peach State football coach
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USC's Neil Callaway recruits all across the country and it seems like he's constantly on the road. Recently, he was recognized on Twitter by Brookwood HS Head Coach Philip Jones for that hard work. Callaway made the long trip from Los Angeles to Snellville, Ga. during this spring evaluation period to visit with Jones and evaluate some of Brookwood HS's impressive talent.
But there's much more to this story than a spring visit. These two have known each for years and have developed quite a friendship. And it seems like this connection to this Peach State football power could eventually pay off for USC.
"There's a few connections beyond just our prospects," Jones told TrojanSports.com when asked about Neil Callaway. "Coach Callaway is a Southern boy himself and I've known him for a number of years from him being down the road recruiting for other schools. A little more from his days of recruiting at Georgia. He coached a couple of my best friends at Georgia when he was the line coach at the University of Georgia so I know him that way. There's a guy on my staff who worked for him when he was the head coach at UAB. His son (Russ Callaway) and my safeties coach are just about best friends. His son is the offensive coordinator at Samford University in Birmingham (Ala.). So his son and my safeties coach are the same age, they went to Valdosta State together. So they're basically just about best friends. And so, there's that connection. And he came by a year ago with his son because they were on the road recruiting together. He evaluated our prospects then. We have a national recruit, one of our offensive linemen was being recruited nationally and USC had offered, a kid named Casey Holman. Casey has since committed to Duke but he got offered by USC, he got offered by Miami (Fla.), he got offered by Florida, he got offered by schools all over the country. He's since committed to Duke but (Callaway) wanted to come by and check on him. We have another recruit, a national kid named Matthew Hill who USC has also offered. And he was checking on him as well. And I came by and saw him a month ago and we spent some time together and he was in the area so he wanted to come by and see me too. Because we've kind of developed a friendship to. So it's for all those reasons."
It isn't uncommon to hear horror stories about schools trying to develop connections and recruit outside of their regions. Some coaches play favorites for the local schools and try to influence as much as possible. But it's very clear that Jones is a supporter of Callaway and USC.
"I definitely feel like he's a class act all the way, a good man and a good offensive line coach," Jones said. "And I don't know Coach (Clay) Helton personally but I know enough about him from people I trust that he's also a really good guy and take care of his players and make then feel at home there. Also know that I competed against Tee Martin. I was an offensive lineman at South Carolina when he was at Tennessee. We're about the same age. They got after us pretty good when I was at South Carolina. He and I have met maybe once or twice, he wouldn't remember me, I don't think. But I also know really good things about him as well. So I kind of have a connection with a few guys over there outside of Coach Callaway."
Jones was even recently in Los Angeles on a family trip. During that time he stopped by USC's campus, said hello to the coaches and then got some souvenirs to take home to Georgia.
"I took some pictures and put it on social media," Jones said of his trip to USC. "And then I grabbed a few things from the bookstore. I wore some USC swag around here. I've had a few (players) ask me about what it was like. It just seems so far away for many of these Georgia boys but it kind of holds a bit of intrigue to be all the way out there in Hollywood with the tradition and stuff. In fact, I got interviewed a day a two after I got back from USC, by Chad Simmons of Rivals.com. He came by, he was doing a story on Casey Holman, our big national recruit on the offensive line and he had just committed to Duke. He wanted to do a little interview on him and Duke. And I was actually wearing a USC pullover in my interview."
It seems obvious that USC has Brookwood's coach impressed. But what about Jones' top football talent? The Trojans only recently offered a scholarship to Casey Holman in March. Can the staff get him away from Duke? What about Rivals250 athlete Matthew Hill? Does he have any real interest in USC? What about the Brookwood underclassmen? Callaway was introduced to several players. What's the latest there? We have answers to all these questions on our premium message board.
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