Transferring USC QB Max Wittek To Visit Texas

LOS ANGELES (AP) -   Southern California quarterback Max Wittek is scheduled to visit Texas this weekend and has been in contact with several other schools as he considers where to transfer.

Wittek is on target to graduate with a degree in psychology in May. He will be eligible to play next season, and have two years left.

He said he has also heard from coaches at Louisville, Virginia Tech, Hawaii and TCU. It's a more enjoyable recruiting process than he went through as a highly touted prospect for California football powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. Former USC quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Matt Barkely also played at Mater Dei.

"The only people I really talked to are people that really need me. People who have a hole or a little space that they'd like to fill," Wittek said Thursday. "It makes the process a little easier."

Texas has David Ash returning next season, after he missed most of the 2013 season because of a concussion. Texas announced last month Ash, who will be a senior next season, had been cleared for offseason workouts. The only other experienced quarterback for Texas is Tyrone Swoopes, who will be a sophomore.

The quarterback competition at Louisville seems to be wide-open after the departure of Teddy Bridgewater. Same goes at Virginia Tech, where Logan Thomas was a starter for the last three years.

Wittek said he is in no rush to make a decision and is not close to narrowing down his choices. Texas should not be perceived as a front-runner, he said. The Longhorns with new coach Charlie Strong were the first to contact him.

"I'd like to start to go see these places and have those face-to-face conversations," he said.

Wittek threw for 600 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons for USC, but Cody Kessler, who will be going into his junior season just like Wittek, emerged as a solid starter for the Trojans in 2013 after a sluggish start for both players.

Wittek said he's received great support for USC, which is in its first year under new coach Steve Sarkisian. He said he's spoken to former Trojans stars Keyshawn Johnson and T.J. McDonald about how best to continue to his college career.

He also said he can lean on his parents and high school coach, Bruce Rollinson, for guidance.

"I value his opinion more than anyone in the world," Wittek said about Rollinson.