20d ago football Edit

USC quickly addresses need at C with commitment from 2025 OL Willi Wascher

Ryan Young • TrojanSports

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As news broke Thursday that four-star freshman center Jason Zandamela was entering the transfer portal after just a few months on campus, USC coach Lincoln Riley said the Trojans would replace that spot on the depth chart.

It figured in the moment that he meant through the post-spring transfer window -- and maybe that is still true -- but the Trojans also received a commitment Friday from three-star 2025 center prospect Willi Wascher, out of Bellevue, Washington.

The timing of Wascher's commitment seemed no coincidence in the wake of Zandamela's departure, but Wascher said it was unrelated for him.

"Honestly, no. I felt like it was just about time," he told TrojanSports.com. "I've seen all the colleges that I really wanted to go to, and USC is the place for me. Just how the coaches treat their players, how everything works around there with respect -- you have to give respect to earn respect. It's a really loving family, very welcoming and everybody's friends with everybody and everybody loves everybody like a brother."

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Wascher, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 291 pounds, also had offers from Miami and Nevada and visited Miami, Washington and Oregon. He took a visit to USC two weekends ago, so the Trojans' interest was already clear before the events of this week, though it's possible the coaching staff knew they may have a need to address long-term at center.

Offensive line coach Josh Henson had offered Wascher back in late January and made him feel like a priority during his unofficial visit two weekends ago.

"When we were in position meetings, during the break, coach just told the whole O-line room, 'Hey, that's Willi in the back corner.' To me, that was really cool," Wascher said. "It kind of honestly solidified it for me this is the place I want to be -- it's very welcoming, like I said, and felt like home almost."

In Wascher, USC adds a natural center and an intriguing prospect who played a key role for an 11-2 Washington 3A state championship Bellevue High School team last season that rushed for 3,107 yards and averaged 8.2 yards per carry (per MaxPreps).

"As a sophomore I played left tackle for Bellevue before [another teammate] knew any of the plays, and so developing him in the offseason, they're like 'Willi, you're going to move to center.' Next thing you know, that's just kind of where I stuck and where my body pretty much [fit] and everything that you need," he said. "I feel like I really bring pretty good vocal leadership and finishing blocks and being able to get to the second level and ID'ing everything."

USC may still need to bring in a veteran option at the position for next year as well, with new starter Jonah Monheim (sliding over from tackle) in his final season and with only walk-on Kilian O'Connor as a natural backup at the moment.

Zandamela was supposed to be the long-term answer at center, using this year to prepare to take over. It would be asking too much to expect Wascher to come in as a true freshman and man the position, so more reinforcement will be needed, but Wascher looks like a nice prospect for the long-term for USC.

Wascher is USC's 12th commit in this class -- but first offensive lineman -- and moves the Trojans up a spot to No. 4 in the Rivals recruiting rankings.

Watch his highlights here:

"Honestly, no. I felt like it was just about time. I've seen all the colleges that I really wanted to go to, and USC is the place for me. Just how the coaches treat their players, how everything works around there with respect -- you have to give respect to earn respect. It's a really loving family, very welcoming and everybody's friends with everybody and everybody loves everybody like a brother."

Jan 21 offer

"When we were in position meetings, during the break, coach just told the whole O-line room, 'Hey, that's Willi in the back corner.' To me, that was really cool. It kind of honestly solidified it for me this is the place I want to be -- it's very welcoming, like I said, and felt like home almost."

visited miami, UW and Oregon's junior days

"As a sophomore I played left tackle for Bellevue before [another teammate] knew any of the plays, and so developing him in the offseason, they're like 'Willi, you're going to move to center.' Next thing you know, that's just kind of where I stuck and where my body pretty much fills the gap and everything that you need. I feel like I really bring pretty good vocal leadership and finishing blocks and being able to get to the second level and ID'ing everything.