5-star USC commit is still hearing from other schools, but he’s all Gamecock
August 01, 2018
She tweeted a response after someone I guess asked about the visiting Georgia rumors.
It has been more than two months since T.L. Hanna High defensive end Zacch Pickens surprised many by announcing that he was ending the recruiting process and committing to South Carolina, but that hasn’t stopped schools from pursuing him.
“They’re still saying that I didn’t officially sign so I could still go technically wherever I want,” Pickens recently told The State.
Still, he has had no second thoughts about becoming a Gamecock.
“I’m committed. I’m going to South Carolina for good,” Pickens said.
Pickens and the rest of his T.L. Hanna teammates have started preparing for the upcoming season, and Pickens feels like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders now that he has announced where he will play college football.
“It’s been easy now, just smooth driving,” Pickens said. “I’ve got enough time to focus on what I need to focus on and that’s T.L. Hanna, and that’s it.”
Pickens had known for some time where he was planning on attending school, according to T.L. Hanna coach Jeff Herron.
But he was waiting to announce his destination because he wanted to help other teammates potentially land offers.
“Originally he was wanting to wait until the very end, which is so unusual these days,” Herron recalled. “But his reason was, ‘Coach, the longer I wait the more schools are going to come, which is going to help my buddies.’ I thought, ‘Well, that’s a great idea.’ But when it came down to it, like most kids, the pressure started getting to him. He just really wanted to get it over with. I told him that time would come.
“They love it to start with, and then after a while it begins to become a really old thing to them. They get tired of it. I think that’s what happened with him.”
Pickens has set some big individual and team goals for the 2018 season, which begins Aug. 24 when the Yellow Jackets play at Emerald.
“Going all the way, nonstop, keep going, don’t worry about anything,” Pickens said. “Injuries, I’m going to play through it. So do everything I can to let us get to the (championship). I’m going to try to get 26 sacks. Hold me to that. I’m going to try to get 26 and as many tackles as I can. But the goal is to get 26 sacks.”
He is also going to try to make it to a few South Carolina games, including USC’s second game against Georgia.
Pickens, who is rated as the No. 20 overall player in the class of 2018, is a big part of a South Carolina recruiting class that is ranked No. 17 nationally. He loves the talent the Gamecocks are assembling.
“We’re going to be awesome. I can’t wait to get down there and show everybody what we can do,” he said. “We’ve got a whole bunch of D-linemen so I can’t wait to get with those guys and get to playing with them. It’s going to be fun.
August 01, 2018
She tweeted a response after someone I guess asked about the visiting Georgia rumors.
It has been more than two months since T.L. Hanna High defensive end Zacch Pickens surprised many by announcing that he was ending the recruiting process and committing to South Carolina, but that hasn’t stopped schools from pursuing him.
“They’re still saying that I didn’t officially sign so I could still go technically wherever I want,” Pickens recently told The State.
Still, he has had no second thoughts about becoming a Gamecock.
“I’m committed. I’m going to South Carolina for good,” Pickens said.
Pickens and the rest of his T.L. Hanna teammates have started preparing for the upcoming season, and Pickens feels like a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders now that he has announced where he will play college football.
“It’s been easy now, just smooth driving,” Pickens said. “I’ve got enough time to focus on what I need to focus on and that’s T.L. Hanna, and that’s it.”
Pickens had known for some time where he was planning on attending school, according to T.L. Hanna coach Jeff Herron.
But he was waiting to announce his destination because he wanted to help other teammates potentially land offers.
“Originally he was wanting to wait until the very end, which is so unusual these days,” Herron recalled. “But his reason was, ‘Coach, the longer I wait the more schools are going to come, which is going to help my buddies.’ I thought, ‘Well, that’s a great idea.’ But when it came down to it, like most kids, the pressure started getting to him. He just really wanted to get it over with. I told him that time would come.
“They love it to start with, and then after a while it begins to become a really old thing to them. They get tired of it. I think that’s what happened with him.”
Pickens has set some big individual and team goals for the 2018 season, which begins Aug. 24 when the Yellow Jackets play at Emerald.
“Going all the way, nonstop, keep going, don’t worry about anything,” Pickens said. “Injuries, I’m going to play through it. So do everything I can to let us get to the (championship). I’m going to try to get 26 sacks. Hold me to that. I’m going to try to get 26 and as many tackles as I can. But the goal is to get 26 sacks.”
He is also going to try to make it to a few South Carolina games, including USC’s second game against Georgia.
Pickens, who is rated as the No. 20 overall player in the class of 2018, is a big part of a South Carolina recruiting class that is ranked No. 17 nationally. He loves the talent the Gamecocks are assembling.
“We’re going to be awesome. I can’t wait to get down there and show everybody what we can do,” he said. “We’ve got a whole bunch of D-linemen so I can’t wait to get with those guys and get to playing with them. It’s going to be fun.
Last edited by a moderator: