USC RB commit Stephen Carr hasn't closed door on Notre Dame
Stephen Carr clearly isn’t a USC Trojan quite yet.
The four-star running back recruit maintains frequent communication with the Notre Dame coaching staff while remaining verbally committed to USC.
Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford is leading the charge to keep the rival Irish in the running for the talented back. Carr said he’s in touch with Notre Dame almost weekly.
“He’s a funny coach,” Carr said of Sanford. “I like talking to him. He’s a good guy.”
While Carr’s allegiances to USC may be blurred, there’s no doubt about why Notre Dame and other major schools around the country continue to pursue him.
The 6-foot, 203-pound product of Fontana (Calif.) Summit has established himself as one of the best running back recruits in the country.
Carr’s ability was on display at The Opening Finals at Nike World Headquarters earlier this month. He performed as well as, if not better than, any other running back during the seven-on-seven tournament.
It backed up a high school résumé that includes a junior season with 1,604 rushing yards, 409 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.
“I can bring a lot to a college offense,” Carr said. “You can put me at running back. You can put me at slot. You can possibly put me a wideout. I can do a lot. I’m an all-purpose back.”
Rivals agrees and ranks him as the No. 1 all-purpose back in the 2017 class. 247Sports slates him as the No. 4 running back in the class.
The tradition of excellence at the running back position was a big factor in Carr choosing to commit to USC in the spring of his sophomore year.
“It’s RB U. I love their whole facility. It’s great,” Carr said. “The coaches are great. They’re very player-friendly. I get along with the coaches a lot. The players up there, they welcomed me in like it’s home. I love it.”
The good vibes from the Trojans haven’t stopped Carr from considering other options. With USC set to start its third season in four years with a different head coach, stability at Southern Cal hasn’t been guaranteed.
“I look at it as there’s still a long time to be committed,”Carr said. “Anything can happen in this recruiting process. Things change. Coaching staffs change. I just have to wait and play that out.”
Included in the realm of possibility, Carr said, is a visit to Notre Dame. No plans have been made, but he’s open to making his first trip to South Bend. He’s not ready to rule out any of the schools — Alabama, Michigan, LSU, Oklahoma and more — who want to get him on campus.
“Most of the schools that have offered me this year, they’re all on the list,” Carr said. “It’s too many schools to list. Every school that has offered me, they all have my interest. Anything can happen.”
Below are junior highlights of Carr via Hudl.
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