Shortly after 1 p.m. on March 14, roughly 200 friends, family members, supporters and local media gathered on the rooftop of the Andaz San Diego in the Gaslamp Quarter.
Behind them stretched panoramic views of downtown, with a narrow strip of pool just off camera during the live broadcast on CBS Sports.
At the center of it all sat Cathedral Catholic junior standout Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, ready to announce his commitment decision for the 2027 college football season. He was flanked by five members of his family, with hats from his six finalist schools — USC, Oregon, Texas, Miami, LSU and Notre Dame — lined up neatly in front of him.
After delivering a short speech thanking his family for their support, Fa’alave-Johnson paused before revealing his choice.
“It was a hard decision,” he said. “But my mom always wanted me to stay as close as I can, so I’ll be taking my talents to …”
He reached down and picked up a green Oregon hat, briefly holding it before shaking his head.
“Not here,” he said, tossing it aside.
Moments later, Fa’alave-Johnson grabbed a prop sword and lifted a cardinal-and-gold USC hat. His family rose beside him, holding USC shirts.
“I always felt good things about USC,” Fa’alave-Johnson told The Coast News. “The coaching staff is great. It was a tough one between them, Texas and Miami. USC checked all the boxes for me. My family can come to all my games, and my old pastor preaches out there now. It was a hard process, but I’m glad to make this decision.”
A key contributor on both sides of the ball for Cathedral Catholic during his junior season, Fa’alave-Johnson totaled 1,847 yards and 28 touchdowns on offense while adding 40 tackles and three interceptions on defense. His efforts helped the Dons capture the CIF San Diego Section Open Division championship before falling to Folsom in the state championship game.
He is expected to play on offense and defense at USC.
“They made it clear they want me both ways,” Fa’alave-Johnson said. “I feel like I can be a contributor in all three phases of the game. They had a good pitch: We don’t want to use you too much, but we can definitely get you the ball.”
Fa’alave-Johnson played a pivotal role in Cathedral Catholic’s 20-16 section championship victory over Carlsbad, scoring two short-yardage rushing touchdowns, including the game-winning score with 21 seconds remaining.
“Sean Doyle played a big part in opening my eyes to see which school would be the best fit,” Fa’alave-Johnson said of the Dons’ head coach.
Nationally, Fa’alave-Johnson is recognized as the top-rated safety in the 2027 class. His standout season earned him the 2025 Silver Pigskin Award, joining a select group of San Diego athletes to receive the honor, including former USC star Reggie Bush.
“Honor has been a huge impact on our team, and blocking for him has been great,” Cathedral Catholic senior offensive lineman Anthony Bibaeff said. “Just watching him explode through the holes I form for him is something amazing to witness in person, and I love that dude with all my heart.”
Added Dons senior lineman Xavier Faavi: “He’s a great leader and competitor. Playing with Honor during my senior year was awesome.”
Fa’alave-Johnson’s decision follows more than 40 scholarship offers from Division I programs nationwide. For USC, he becomes a cornerstone of the 2027 recruiting class, joining in-state targets wide receiver Quentin Hale and cornerback Aaryn Washington.
“I’m going to work hard my senior year, but everyone expects me to be at a higher standard after [the commitment],” Fa’alave-Johnson said. “I want to start strong and show what I’m going to do in college. I also want to take that leadership role, be a better player and teammate. Hopefully, we go all the way and win a championship.”
