Former USC QB Max Wittek set to join Hawaii later this month

After months of speculation and campus visits, Max Wittek has decided to spend the last year of his college football career with Coach Norm Chow and the Hawaii Warriors, according to Hawaii Warrior World.

Wittek was expected to compete with Cody Kessler for the starting QB job at USC his Senior year, but he decided he would transfer somewhere else for his final year. His original plan was to graduate early from USC and then transfer with two years of eligibility left, due to the NCAA's exemption of the one-year sit out rule for transfers who have already graduated from their previous school.

However, Wittek did not meet the degree requirements to graduate this spring, and would have to take classes the fall semester to graduate from USC. Now, he will have to sit out the 2014 season with one year of eligibility left in 2015. He was courted by Hawaii and Texas this spring to bring his talents to their programs, but the Longhorns cooled off their interest after Wittek's graduation issue came up later this spring. He was awaiting his acceptance into Hawaii as of a week ago, but is set to join the Warriors on August 25th, when the roster expands to 105 players. He visited the islands this past spring, (he even took in a UH Volleyball game), and seemed to enjoy his stay per College Football Talk:

"I feel great with coach Chow," Wittek said. "He’s awesome. He’s been so helpful through this whole process."

Wittek was a four-star prospect out of Mater Dei High in California, the same high school that fellow USC Quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Matt Barkley graduated from. He would redshirt his first year on campus. After, he would throw for 600 yards over the next two season on 95 attempts with 50 completions. He also had six interceptions to three touchdowns.

I don't expect Wittek will compete for the starting job in 2015 if Sophomore Ikaika Woolsey continues to develop well under QB Coach Jordan Wynn, but the former Trojan could make a decent, experienced back-up option for the Warriors in one-sided contests or in injury situations.