National Signing Day came and went this week, and while fans of various universities touted their signing classes as the best in the nation, a bizarre happenstance took place yesterday afternoon.  The University of Southern California, or USC for all of you that don't want to deal with the full name but merely the abbreviation, went out and got themselves a quarterback of the future.

Not the near future mind you.  We're not talking the 2010 or even the 2011 freshman class to wear the scarlet and gold of the Trojans.  No, we're talking the DISTANT future.

Coach Lane Kiffin extracted a verbal commitment from 13 year old David Sills.  That's right, the kid's 13.  He's barely hit puberty, but hey, he's sound enough to make a decision on where to play college ball.  Of course, given Kiffin's track record, he probably won't BE at USC by the time 2015 rolls around.  You half expect Kiffin to become a carny or try to become the next infomercial king, hocking the latest and greatest best weight loss supplement on the market for only $19.95. If you call in the next ten minutes though, he'll TRIPLE the order! That's a $60 value for just $19.95!

That's enough sarcasm for the moment I'm sure.  In all seriousness, there has to be some sort of realistic age cap implemented for student athletes to make even verbal commitments to a university.  College sports are a maelstrom of turmoil and turnover when it comes to coaches, systems, and the rest.  You constantly have alumni clamoring for results.  College is a lot different than high school.  No one cares if you go to class, or when you get up or go to bed.  Mom and Dad aren't watching over you in the dorm.  The school won't call if you're absent.

Who's to say that by the time 2015 rolls around, and Sills is supposed to come to USC, that the Trojans haven't gone through three coaches, two offensive coordinators, and are on NCAA probation?  Is Sills still supposed to follow through on the commitment he made five plus years earlier?  The NCAA needs to get some things in order and realize that 13 is far too young for any athlete to be considering college athletic choices.  Even if Sills was a gifted student and was to go to college at say, 14 or 15, do you think he'd be physically able to compete against 18 to 22 year old college students?  Of course not, unless you've been eating paint chips.

Wake up NCAA...it's time to quit worrying about pointless issues and start focusing on making some rules that actually affect the well being and integrity of collegiate sports.