Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins
Forum Rules and Guidelines

NBCPhiladelphia:13-Year-Old Commits to USC for Football

Alabama Man

By Alabama Man
in Around the NFL

Recommended Posts

Alabama Man

Alabama Man

Posted
Posted

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/13-Year-Old-Commits-to-USC-for-Football-83645762.html

13-Year-Old Commits to USC for Football

David Sills wants to be an NFL quarterback, and at age 13 he is on his way: The boy wonder verbally accepted USC's full football scholarship offer Thursday.

“It’s been my dream since I was, like, six [to play in the NFL],” Sills told NBC Philadelphia in May 2009.

The Bear, Del. middle schooler makes history by committing to be a part of USC's class of 2015. While this has happened before in college basketball history, a university has never committed a full scholarship to a boy this young in college football history.

But professional interest in the already 6-feet-tall football phenom was piqued years before USC took notice.

When David was 10 years old, his father, David Sills IV, hired professional quarterback coach Steve Clarkson who’s trained the likes of Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Leinart. Mr. Sills paid Clarkson to do the same for his then pre-teen son.

“At that time I was actually training Matt Leinart for the draft,” Clarkson said to NBC Philadelphia. “So I really wasn’t taking anyone’s calls, let alone a father of a 10-year-old.”

But Clarkson gave the young boy a chance, going to Delaware to coach him often.

“I’ve never worked with anyone this young and I thought it was crazy to be honest with you,” Clarkson said.

It was actually Clarkson who brought his protégé to the attention of USC while discussing recruits for next year’s class, ESPN.com reported.

“Mentally he’s probably ahead of, oh my god, maybe 67 percent of high schoolers,” Clarkson said of David’s ability and understanding of football strategies in an interview with NBC Philadelphia May 2009.

“It kind of feels, like, that it’s unfair because you’re, like, beating them before the snap,” David said while watching footage of one of his games last year.

“He has the ability to go as far as he wants to go,” said Clarkson. “If he continues on the path that he’s going I wouldn’t bet against him.”

We won’t.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gibbs Hog Heaven

Gibbs Hog Heaven

Posted
Posted

Good luck to the youngster, and I both sincerely hope he makes it, and that he continues to love the game; and doesn't just end up the victim of a pushy parent either living out his failed career through his child, or seeing the big $ signs at the end of the road.

Hiring a pro coach for your child at such a tender age would certainly leave the later open to question.

I personally feel that kids should just be allowed to enjoy at that age, and play for the fun of playing; with NO added pressure to achieve either personal gain, or the all mighty W. But each to their own I guess.

Hail.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LD0506

LD0506

Posted
Posted

This kid is local, and quite honestly he is really good for his age and the level he is playing at. He is mature beyond his years, already seems to have a firm grasp on the intellectual aspects of QB play, ie. reading defenses, anticipation, reacting to coverages.

This is not some overeager dad pushing his kid for vicarious glory, he genuinely is that good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LD0506

LD0506

Posted
Posted
I don't know. He's got a weird throwing motion and I question his level of competition. Looks like a bust to me. :silly:

LMAO, there ya go, let's break him in to ALL aspects of the pros........

"Keeerist, he was out there skateboarding with his friends, doesn't he remember what happened to Roethlisberger? He could end his career with that kind of offseason childishness!"

"Oh hell, here's a Facebook of him hanging out playing XBox, he isn't taking this very seriously, is he?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DCranon21

DCranon21

Posted
Posted
Who was that USC or UCLA QB that was groomed by his dad and when he got drafted he crapped out and was sick of football yada yada.?

His name flat escapes me, But is this really a good thing?

Todd Marinovich. He was nice at USC, but was a bust when he hit the pros. He was too robotic back then. Hope this kid's father isn't training him to be like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hamptonskinsfan

hamptonskinsfan

Posted
Posted

my thing is and i'm not wishing this upon him mind you, but what if he starts having problems with his grades in school or worse yet gets into what most young adolesents get into (i.e. drinking, drugs, or worse yet hanging out with the wrong crowd at the wrong time). I think this actually handicaps the young man because knowing he has a full ride, could make him feel "invincible" both legally, physically, and academically. Then again with a father pushing like this father it may right the ship or.... the child could rebel against his father's overbearing ways and completely mess up his life. I dont like it to be honest with you. Let a 13 year old be a freakin 13 year old and not a 35 year old in a 13 year old's body. All that does is usually lead to someone having a late childhood when all the exploration of oneself would usually be done and that usually has dire consequences. Again I only wish the best for the kid but as a father of a 15 year old myself, I had to reign myself back when he was younger and realize that when he wanted to play pokemon instead of outside throwing the ball with his old man that that was acceptable. Now he is buggin me all the time to do stuff with him (which in all honesty I do not mind).:rant::soapbox:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
robotfire

robotfire

Posted
Posted
Todd Marinovich. He was nice at USC, but was a bust when he hit the pros. He was too robotic back then. Hope this kid's father isn't training him to be like that.
I looked at his wikipedia page, and apparently Todd Marinovich ruined his career with drugs. He apparently was able to not suck too much in high school and college while on drugs, and his opponents would call him "Marijuana-vich".
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Spartacus87

Spartacus87

Posted
Posted
my thing is and i'm not wishing this upon him mind you, but what if he starts having problems with his grades in school or worse yet gets into what most young adolesents get into (i.e. drinking, drugs, or worse yet hanging out with the wrong crowd at the wrong time). I think this actually handicaps the young man because knowing he has a full ride, could make him feel "invincible" both legally, physically, and academically. Then again with a father pushing like this father it may right the ship or.... the child could rebel against his father's overbearing ways and completely mess up his life. I dont like it to be honest with you. Let a 13 year old be a freakin 13 year old and not a 35 year old in a 13 year old's body...
You can rest a little bit easier, since the kid is only verbally committed to USC. A verbal is completely nonbinding for both him and whatever college program he makes it with. So I don't think he'll sit back, banking on his full ride, just yet.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
darklight1216

darklight1216

Posted
Posted
my thing is and i'm not wishing this upon him mind you, but what if he starts having problems with his grades in school or worse yet gets into what most young adolesents get into (i.e. drinking, drugs, or worse yet hanging out with the wrong crowd at the wrong time). I think this actually handicaps the young man because knowing he has a full ride, could make him feel "invincible" both legally, physically, and academically. Then again with a father pushing like this father it may right the ship or.... the child could rebel against his father's overbearing ways and completely mess up his life. I dont like it to be honest with you. Let a 13 year old be a freakin 13 year old and not a 35 year old in a 13 year old's body. All that does is usually lead to someone having a late childhood when all the exploration of oneself would usually be done and that usually has dire consequences. Again I only wish the best for the kid but as a father of a 15 year old myself, I had to reign myself back when he was younger and realize that when he wanted to play pokemon instead of outside throwing the ball with his old man that that was acceptable. Now he is buggin me all the time to do stuff with him (which in all honesty I do not mind).:rant::soapbox:

He could easily be making this decision when he's sixteen or seventeen. It's not nearly as big of an age difference as you're making it seem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gortiz

gortiz

Posted
Posted

its just amazing ...

sure its cool to revel in this kids physical tools and apparent football acumen, but anybody with a shred of football knowledge knows that of all the positions, teh QB has to have those intangibles, i.e. fearlessness, leadership, etc. etc.

to even give this kid any hype without knowing his strengths in these areas is is pretty crazy.

still cool to see a phenom like this though ... just nuts that people all ready are branding him as the next one, or a soon to be household name.

i hope he does not flame out ... i mean does Capriati ring a bell? Marinovich?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Conn

Conn

Posted
Posted
I don't know how to feel about this. Kids change their minds all the time, and it just seems kinda .. wrong that USC has a signed commitment from him, 5 years before he even graduates.

:whoknows:

It's just a verbal commitment, nothing signed and no obligations on either side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hiro

Hiro

Posted
Posted
It's just a verbal commitment, nothing signed and no obligations on either side.
Ahh. My mistake. :cheers:
Why bother? You guys the college quarterback to end all college quarterbacks on your roster already. :silly:

Careful now ... you may rile up the Cult. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...