Baucham's Ready to Compete at Cornerback

Brian Baucham was one of the pleasant surprises of USC’s 2008 recruiting class which was ranked 9th by Scout.com. The versatile CB/RB from West Torrance HS is one of the lesser known recruits that the Trojans brought in this year but has more than enough talent to compete with the four and five-star recruits that are found all over the Trojans’ star-studded roster.

Brian Baucham was one of the pleasant surprises of USC’s 2008 recruiting class which was ranked 9th by Scout.com. The two-star CB/RB from West Torrance HS is one of the lesser known recruits that the Trojans brought in this year but has more than enough talent to compete with the four and five-star recruits that are found all over the Trojans’ star-studded roster.

Baucham flew under the radar for much of the recruiting process, originally committing to Washington State, but the Trojans made a late push and when he received an offer from USC he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to stay close to home and play for the Trojans, a decision that his family couldn’t have been happier with.

“When they offered and I committed to them, my mom started crying, that’s how happy she was,” Baucham said. “I would be close to a lot of my friends and my mom and dad are close. I wouldn’t be too far away, I could come back and get a home cooked meal.”

Since Signing Day, Baucham has spent most of his time on the track at West Torrance HS working hard and setting school records but has also found the time to get prepared for Fall Camp.

“I have been in track right now and have been working out a little bit and lifting weights, but then coach told me to focus on my senior year in track. I broke my school-record twice. In the three hundred hurdles, I did 38.71,” said Baucham.

In high school, Baucham was a standout running back and cornerback but he will focus on playing cornerback to begin his career at USC and is very excited about the prospect of learning under USC secondary coach Rocky Seto.

“He’s a great guy and a great person,” Baucham said of Coach Seto. “He’s just such a tremendous guy and as a coach he is even better because he takes time with you and teaches you how to do everything.

“Coach Seto as a cornerback coach is excellent. I like the way he coaches them and his scheme is just like how I want to play,” Baucham said enthusiastically. “They play a lot of man-to-man and Cover 2 so I fit in perfect with that.

“The strength of my game is probably Cover 2 because I can play the receiver and also come up and make the big hit.”

At USC, Baucham will join arguably the best secondary in the country and get the opportunity to play alongside a player that made a big impression on him in high school and that he greatly admires, Kevin Ellison.

“As a freshman I came in and saw Kevin Ellison destroying my school (West Torrance HS) and ever since then I have wanted to play with that guy,” Baucham said. “The way he prepares for games is tremendous. I really look forward to working with him, and Taylor Mays is another guy that I talk to.”

When asked about his goals for his freshman year Baucham responded, “My goal is to come in and compete with the seniors, juniors and sophomores. Hop in the rotation, excel and at least get in on special teams and get my feet wet.”