Big weekend ahead for USC and DE Brad Johnson
[SIZE= 14px]JANUARY 13, 2017 BY [/SIZE][SIZE= 14px]PHIL KORNBLUT[/SIZE][SIZE= 14px] [/SIZE][SIZE= 14px]Link[/SIZE]: sportstalk
Brad Johnson
USC is thought to have held the upper hand for DE Brad Johnson of Pendleton throughout this recruiting season but Virginia Tech has made a strong push for the SC Shrine Bowl team defensive MVP, so his official visit with the Gamecocks this weekend will be crucial in their efforts to keep him in the state.
Johnson made his official visit to Virginia Tech last month. Texas A&M and Mississippi State also are pushing for a visit the final weekend of the month but Johnson is not expected to take one after going to Tennessee next weekend. Gamecocks and Hokie coaches met with Johnson Thursday and Tennessee is do in next week.
Johnson has made several visits to USC over the last year for junior days, practices and games so he’s hoping to look deeper into the program this weekend.
“Every visit has been kind of rushed, go down for a game and come back, go down for a workout and come back,” said Pendleton coach Paul Sutherland. “This will be the first time he’s been able to go down there, him and mom, and they’ll be able to take their time and really get a good luck at it. He’s not really been down there over night. I really believe this trip will go a long way toward him making his mind up. He’s really looking forward to seeing the campus life. Nobody has recruited him any harder but he does want to see the campus side of it and the student side of it.”
Sutherland said Johnson will make a quick decision after the Tennessee visit and there will be no fanfare around his announcement.
“It will pretty much be low key,” he said. “Him and his mom will let me know and then we’ll thank every school involved. We’re not looking for any grand show. We don’t operate that way around here and Brad is not that kind of kid.”
Johnson had not planned to take this long in the process but his mother had surgery last summer and that prevented him from getting out to see some places and thus delayed him in making his decision.
[SIZE= 14px]JANUARY 13, 2017 BY [/SIZE][SIZE= 14px]PHIL KORNBLUT[/SIZE][SIZE= 14px] [/SIZE][SIZE= 14px]Link[/SIZE]: sportstalk
USC is thought to have held the upper hand for DE Brad Johnson of Pendleton throughout this recruiting season but Virginia Tech has made a strong push for the SC Shrine Bowl team defensive MVP, so his official visit with the Gamecocks this weekend will be crucial in their efforts to keep him in the state.
Johnson made his official visit to Virginia Tech last month. Texas A&M and Mississippi State also are pushing for a visit the final weekend of the month but Johnson is not expected to take one after going to Tennessee next weekend. Gamecocks and Hokie coaches met with Johnson Thursday and Tennessee is do in next week.
Johnson has made several visits to USC over the last year for junior days, practices and games so he’s hoping to look deeper into the program this weekend.
“Every visit has been kind of rushed, go down for a game and come back, go down for a workout and come back,” said Pendleton coach Paul Sutherland. “This will be the first time he’s been able to go down there, him and mom, and they’ll be able to take their time and really get a good luck at it. He’s not really been down there over night. I really believe this trip will go a long way toward him making his mind up. He’s really looking forward to seeing the campus life. Nobody has recruited him any harder but he does want to see the campus side of it and the student side of it.”
Sutherland said Johnson will make a quick decision after the Tennessee visit and there will be no fanfare around his announcement.
“It will pretty much be low key,” he said. “Him and his mom will let me know and then we’ll thank every school involved. We’re not looking for any grand show. We don’t operate that way around here and Brad is not that kind of kid.”
Johnson had not planned to take this long in the process but his mother had surgery last summer and that prevented him from getting out to see some places and thus delayed him in making his decision.
