Ex-Tumwater Qb Otton Transfers To Usc

Brad Otton, who quarterbacked Tumwater High School to the state Class AA football championship in 1989, has transferred from Weber State to USC. He received a scholarship from the Trojans and will be eligible for the upcoming season.

Otton started the final seven games for Weber State last season as a redshirt freshman and finished with 2,240 passing yards, third in the conference and 13th nationally among Division I-AA quarterbacks. He completed 181 of 308 passes with 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His 540 yards against Northern Arizona was an NCAA record for a freshman. He also had six touchdown passes in that game.

Otton elected to leave Weber State because of the football program's financial problems, according to his father, Sid Otton, who coached Tumwater to the state Class AAA title last fall.

Weber State will field a football team this season, but could drop the program thereafter, Sid Otton said. Consequently, players are being allowed to transfer to other schools without losing a year of eligibility.

Brad, 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, made recent recruiting trips to Washington State, Fresno State and Brigham Young in addition to USC.

As a senior, Otton led Tumwater to a 13-0 season, throwing a state-leading 29 touchdowns with just four interceptions.

After redshirting his first year at Weber State, he took a two-year mission to Rome. He threw just eight passes as a backup in the first four games of the 1993 season before becoming the starter.