SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Between classes, J.T. Daniels has a few minutes. But just a few.

The Mater Dei High School senior quarterback's class load has to be among the most difficult in America. Among his classes this final semester are studies in economics, government, English, comparative religions and philosophy.

That, literally, is only half of it. Daniels wants out of one of the most prestigious high schools in the country a year early. So much so that he has doubled that class load in order to graduate in only three years.

"It was amazing to me that an athlete at that high a level [can] take almost 10 classes during that semester," said Mater Dei athletic director Tia Meza.  "We're not talking basket weaving. It was core classes, honors classes, things that were difficult."

Daniels already is projected to be USC's starting quarterback as a true freshman when he gets on campus in a few months. He just might the difference between USC winning the Pac-12 again and playing in a minor bowl … or playing in a bowl at all.

His matriculation to Troy is one of the most compelling stories of the offseason. His decision to breeze through high school in three years comes down to the same reason rock stars date supermodels.

Because they can.

Well, that and competing for what looks to be a wide-open USC quarterback job following the departure of Sam Darnold.

But that's not totally what this is about. Daniels is among a micro-population of major-college athletes who have "reclassified." Reclassifying has been around for a while, particularly with different modes of education such as home schooling and online learning.

The term entered the college athletics vernacular in a big way when Duke basketball star Marvin Bagley III finished high school a year before his projected class. Then he went one-and-done in Durham, North Carolina.

Missouri forward Jontay Porter also reclassified to be with his brother, Michael Porter Jr., this past season. South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley entered college a year early, too. There have been others.

Daniels will graduate high school later this month and head to USC in June as third-rated quarterback in the country, per the 247Sports Composite.

His explanation is as abbreviated as his high school career.

"I've started varsity in the No. 1 league in America for three years," Daniels said. "I've seen enough of what the Trinity League has to offer. … I don't think there's much more to learn in high school for me."

Daniels sudden availability is perfect symmetry for USC. Darnold, the two-year starter, is gone. Neither sophomore Matt Fink, redshirt freshman Jack Sears nor sophomore Holden Thomas has distinguished himself.

Daniels stressed -- on more than one occasion -- that Darnold's status with the Trojans would not affect his reclassification decision. Daniels' internal high school countdown clock had hit zero.

"I was assuming Sam was going to stay, but I still felt I would get better learning from Sam than playing in high school," Daniels said. "I would seriously regret it if I spent last two months as a high school student wishing for college."

Whether Daniels will achieve some level of success is almost a given. Since becoming Mater Dei coach in 1989, coach Bruce Rollinson has seen only two of his starting quarterbacks not play Division I football.

The jerseys of Heisman Trophy winners John Huarte and Matt Leinart are encased in the lobby of the basketball gym. Daniels broke Matt Barkley's school (and Orange County) record with 12,014 career yards. And just like Barkley, Daniels was the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

"That was something I always dreamed of: having my jersey retired at Mater Dei," Daniels said. "And now it is."

Other than that, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Daniels is not much different than your average high school senior. At first glance. He crows about his expertise on Xbox, particularly playing "Fortnite." But in taking on those extra classes at Mater Dei, he is essentially a high school junior and senior at the same time.

Into those three years, Daniels has had to cram in these Mater Dei requirements: four years of religion, four years of English, three years of social studies, three years of math and two years of world languages. Plus, all his electives. That doesn't include his remaining 80 Christian service hours -- 20 a year -- required of all students.

Had Mater Dei fudged any of its requirements, Daniels couldn't have pulled it off. The NCAA told the school that would be an extra benefit. The opportunity had to be available to everyone.

It was a first for all involved. No student at the school has ever reclassified to enter college a full year early.

Rollinson has had his share of players -- including Barkley -- leave before the spring semester of their senior year. Daniels is different.

"I know some of the instructors who are managing his additional classes," Rollinson said. "One thing they've consistently said: 'We don't have to ask him anymore how he's doing. He's knocking them out.'"

What to you and me appears to be an overwhelming work load is not much of a concern for Daniels. "Mater Dei is a school without too much over-pounding homework," he said.

That's not a flippant slap at Mater Dei academics but rather Daniels' mindset while plowing through them. He has kept a GPA floating around 4.0 for most his career.

The idea of reclassifying was floated to him, Daniels says, by 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins, who was checking out a rumor last summer.

"I just laughed at it," Daniels said. "Who the hell said that? About a week later, I started to look into it, and I thought it could be the best decision for me."

That was August 2017. Five games into a season that would end in a state championship, Daniels and his parents requested a sit-down with Rollinson.

"I had no idea what [reclassifying] was. None," the coach said. "[When I found out], honestly, I thought, 'I better not find out USC is streamlining this thing.' I would have a problem with that."

Trojans coach Clay Helton was as surprised as Rollinson. Now that the move is real, there is no dancing around the fact Daniels will have one heck of a shot becoming USC's starting quarterback at age 18.

"He's used to the style of competition we go against," Helton said. "It's how fast he picks up the playbook. How fast is the speed of the game?

"Is he going to be given the opportunity to compete early?" Helton added sublimely, "Yes."

Sure, it helps Daniels was held back a year, repeating the eighth grade. But Helton was especially impressed recently at a USC seven-on-seven camp. Mater Dei won the whole she-bang. 

"J.T. called the entire day. They had all their coaches there, but he called every play. To be able to see him in that aspect to not only call plays but check plays at the line, for him to be that young and doing that …"

Amazement keeps the USC coach from completing the sentence.

Daniels is now entrenched in USC culture these final few weeks of high school. He made the 40-minute drive from Orange County for spring practice. He huddles regularly with USC quarterbacks coach Bryan Ellis to watch film.

"I never had a dream college," Daniels said. "I always thought I would break the streak of Mater Dei-to-USC quarterbacks. I was not considering USC in the slightest for a while."

Daniels figured USC was worth a courtesy visit. It was close. It had tradition. It flipped him. 

"I'd be stupid not to check them out," he said to himself. "Then I committed two weeks later. I fell in love with Helton and the environment and the whole system of USC. I felt like I belonged there."

USC will do that to you. Helton's quiet, steady style has led the Trojans to their greatest run of success since the Pete Carroll years with Rose Bowl and Pac-12 title wins in his first two seasons.

More than one Trojan quarterback has absorbed the love, meaning and feeling of walking off the Coliseum field after beating Notre Dame.

"You can't put things like that into words," Daniels said.

You can try to quantify what it means to be at this point in time. The kid is simply an academic and athletic savant. He was starting by the second game of his freshman season. As a sophomore, he was calling his own plays while throwing 67 touchdown passes.

Daniels reportedly studied Buddhism recently to steady his mental approach.

"I've had a lot of kids who can throw it from there to the next city," Rollinson said. "But they don't see it, they don't smell it, they don't feel it."

Did we say savant? For years, Daniels has been tutored by former NFL quarterback Jordan Palmer, who is quickly becoming the No. 1 personal trainer authority in that space.

"He can really make it binary for you," Daniels said.

Somehow, that makes perfect sense. During the season, Daniels' typical day started with a 7 a.m. lifting session, then film, school and practice … often with more film after that. Sometimes, Rollinson said, he would walk out of the facility with Daniels and offensive coordinator Dave Money at 8:30-9 p.m.

"I don't go out there and watch six hours of film a day," Daniels said. "My teacher doesn't assign me six hours of homework a day. … I break it down. I'm going to watch the defense's three most common blitzes out of nickel personnel. It makes much more sense to me."

Yeah, but what's the rush in any of this? It's high school, the time of your life -- unless there's nothing left for you.

Unless you can see it, smell it, feel it -- all of it. Your future. Now.

"If I spend another year in high school, will I get better?" Daniels asked.

Considering his actions and his play, there is no need for his teammates, classmates, parents or coaches to speak the answer.