USC QB commit Jake Garcia leaving California to play senior season in Georgia

Jake Garcia, a high school quarterback who is committed to USC, is moving across the country so he can compete in his senior season.

Garcia was set to play at La Habra High School in Orange County, California, but fall high school sports have been suspended until at least 2021. Instead of waiting, Garcia is enrolling at Valdosta High School in Georgia.

Garcia is planning to enroll early at USC, so moving to Georgia allows him to get a senior season of games in before going to college.

“For me, it was big to play as a senior. I need those game reps, and this is going to be a big year for me mentally as well in terms of preparing for college,” Garcia told 247Sports’ Greg Biggins.

Some speculated that moving across the country could be a sign that Garcia’s commitment to USC is wavering, but he told Biggins he is “very solid” in his commitment to the Trojans.

Garcia is well-traveled as a high schooler. He has played at Long Beach Poly, Narbonne, and was set to go to La Habra before moving to Valdosta. Garcia is a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports, which also had Nebraska and Miami in contention for him.