Like many other collegiate football coaches four years ago, Pete Carroll jumped on the Derrick Hill bandwagon.

Literally.

"I still remember it to this day," says Hill, now a junior defensive lineman at Cal. "I was lying on the bed, coach Carroll came into me and (former teammate Josh Tatum's) room at a USC summer camp, and he jumped on my back and offered (a scholarship) to me right there. It was the most unique offer I ever got."

From that moment until Signing Day, the four-star recruit from Oakland would have to make a tough decision: accept a spot on the roster of a perennial powerhouse, or find a niche at a school where he might feel more comfortable and make a more immediate impact on the field.

At that point, USC, Cal and Arizona were all viable options for the McClymonds High standout. And once the Trojans came calling, he hardly bothered asking for advice.

"Everybody wanted me to go to 'SC," Hill says. "But I had a long talk with my father before making the decision ... Don't fall for the name, fall for what's gonna fit you. That's what I always live by."

At the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl -- an all-star game for high school football players -- Hill publicized his choice with a little dramatic twist. The husky 17-year-old, standing behind a table that featured baseball caps from his top three schools, picked up the Wildcats hat for a brief moment. Then he put it back on the table, grabbed the Bears cap and placed it on his head.

He didn't even touch the USC hat.

Almost three years later, when Cal traveled to Los Angeles for its annual showdown against the Trojans, a raucous Coliseum crowd still hadn't forgotten.

"The fans actually remembered to boo me," says Hill. "They called me a traitor and all that. But it's not about who went there. It's about who had the guts to not go there and challenge them."

When D.J. Holt was called into his high school football coach's office less than a week before Signing Day, the budding linebacker wasn't expecting good news.

"I thought I was in trouble," he says with a smile.

He wasn't in trouble after all, but he was somewhat troubled by the message Jeremiah Ross delivered that day:

The Trojans had just extended him a scholarship.

Perhaps not surprisingly, their 11th-hour offer stirred conflicting emotions in one of the nation's most promising prep talents. On the one hand, Holt, a Southern California native and USC fan who attended Crespi Carmelite High -- where Carroll made occasional visits -- had long aspired to play collegiate football in Downtown Los Angeles.

"Automatically, I smiled," says Holt, recalling his reaction to the news. "I was like, 'Wow.'

"I felt like I accomplished something because I always wanted to get an offer from USC, just to say I got one at least. All my hard work paid off."

Holt, however, had already thought extensively about his future whereabouts. In addition to his desires to "play early" and experience life in the Bay Area, he wanted to attend a school that would be more than just a 40-mile drive away from his Santa Clarita, Calif., home. As such, Holt made a non-binding verbal commitment to the Bears -- well before the Trojans' official proposal.

"I was like, 'I can't take my word and change it at the last second because of USC,'" he says. "I gave my word to Cal."

The 6-foot-1, 250-pound sophomore has given coach Jeff Tedford's team much more than his word since sealing the deal in 2007. Holt has recorded 18 tackles so far this season, all the while showcasing the speed and versatility that Carroll likely saw in him not long ago.

"He's just kind of breaking in for us right now and doing a great job," says Tedford. "He's playing a lot, and I think he has a great future here."

That kind of positive outlook may or may not have been possible for Holt if he had joined the Trojans. But the likable linebacker doesn't seem to dwell on what-ifs. He's just excited for what feels like a homecoming when the Bears face USC.

"I played with a lot of the guys, got recruited with a lot of the guys," he says. "When I play the L.A. schools, I'm always pumped up ... USC especially, because they're the top dog."

It's been quite a while since Cal offensive lineman Mike Tepper last spoke with Carroll.

Six years ago, the Pacifica High prospect was being recruited by the Trojans along with a slew of other teams from across the country. Tepper received a few letters, performed well at their summer camp and had the chance to fulfill a lifelong fantasy.

"It was a fourth-grade dream to go to 'SC," he says. "Because I'm from Southern California, you live and breath 'SC football down there."

Years removed from the elementary school playground, though, Tepper's perspective in deciding between the Trojans and the Bears began favoring the long term. Indeed, he eventually realized that his career on the gridiron wouldn't last forever. He chose accordingly.

"It wasn't a matter of playing time -- I knew I'd play," says Tepper. "I wanted to go to a good football team with a good coach ... but I also wanted to get a good education.

"Education set the two apart."

A preseason All-Pac-10 selection for the Bears, the experienced elder statesman is now many seasons removed from his days as a potential pick-up for USC. Even so, he recalls those times with a certain respect for one of his team's fiercest rivals. So does Carroll.

"There's a lot of guys (at Cal) that we've recruited over the years," he says. "They're excellent players."

For one reason or another, those players were not lured by the Trojans' glitz and glamor. And heading into an important game against a potent Pac-10 powerhouse, they're taking the extra steps to defend the life-changing choice they made back in high school to play for the Bears.

"I think I made the right decision," Tepper says, pausing momentarily. "I know I made the right decision."

Tags: DERRICK HILL, USC FOOTBALL, MIKE TEPPER, D.J. HOLT, RECRUITING, CAL FOOTBALL