Four-Star Recruit Zion Anderson Opens Up About Family Ties to USC

Long Beach Poly (Calif.) four-star athlete Zion Anderson has been impressed with USC inside receivers/tight ends coach Chad Savage’s coaching style since meeting him at a football camp a couple of years ago.

Anderson attended the Trojans spring practice on Wednesday morning, and it gave him another opportunity to be around the USC coach.

USC Trojans Long Beach Poly Chad Savage Lincoln Riley Spring Practice Zion Anderson Danny Lang Aaryn Washington Recruiting — Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Utah Utes in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I had a great experience, it was overall a great trip,” Anderson said. “I love the facility. They took me on a campus tour, and they got what I like and what I look to major in. Coach Savage, I love him, I been knowing him for a while. I met him at a camp when he was at Colorado State, I like how he coaches.”

But it’s more than just Savage as a coach on the field that has made a lasting impression on Anderson.

“Coach Savage wants to develop his players,” Anderson said. “He really wants to know you on a deeper level other than football. He wants to develop me as a man outside of football and on the field.”

Anderson is an explosive athlete with the ball in his hands. He has tremendous make-you-miss ability in the open field and the speed to stretch the field vertically. He can mix between playing in the slot or lining up out wide. Anderson also has the versatility to play corner or safety and has a strong desire to play on both sides of the ball in college.

Plans Beyond Football and Family Ties

Anderson may only be a sophomore in high school but knows exactly what he wants beyond the football field. He plans to major in real estate in college, and the University of Southern California has one of the top real estate programs in the country.

"I’m really looking forward to doing that in college,” Anderson said.

Anderson is the nephew of former USC receiver Travon Patterson, who played for the Trojans in the mid to late 2000s and also came from Poly. The 2028 recruit received his offer from USC in January.

“I was excited with USC being my hometown school,” Anderson said. “My uncle went and had a career there, so that’s where my family always pushes me to go.”

Anderson is connected to two a pair of USC commits in the 2027 class. IMG Academy (Fla.) four-star cornerback Aaryn “J.O.” Washington, who is originally from Southern California, is his cousin, and knows Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star cornerback Danny Lang very well from their youth football days.

“I love to see us keeping our Cali kids here and keeping it alive.”

Experience at USC’s Practice

Anderson was able to sit in on a team meeting Wednesday and left impressed by the way USC coach Lincoln Riley conducted himself inside the team facilities but also out on the field.

“I like his passion. The way he was talking, he pays attention to little details,” Anderson said. “They’re working indy drills, and he on everybody.”

The Trojans were back in full pads for their second practice since returning from spring break. Anderson raved about the intensity of practice but a couple of things of about the players stood out to him.

“I love how they competed and I Iove how it wasn’t just the coaches that pushed the players, it was the players themselves,” Anderson said. “It was more like a player led practice. You got players coming out like an hour early, getting they drills in and then you got players staying after. After practice the position groups still did some extra work and then you got players staying after that. I like the work and how they push that.”

Other Recruiting Interest

Anderson has the attention of some elite programs from the across the country. He picked up an offer from Miami during his freshman season. Georgia and UCLA offered in the fall but Anderson has seen his recruitment takeoff since the turn of the new year.

In addition to receiving an offer from USC, other notable schools to join the mix include Alabama, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Oregon, Washington and Nebraska.

Right now, Anderson says he’s just trying to enjoy the process and is focusing on improving himself as a player. This offseason he wants to continue getting bigger and adding muscle before his junior season.

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