CB Aziah Johnson calls Saturday’s visit with Gamecocks the best he’s had to this point
SPORTSTALK / November 21, 2022
The stunning win by USC over Tennessee Saturday night in Columbia, and everything that surrounded the performance inside Williams-Brice Stadium, is paying big-time benefits to the Gamecocks’ recruiting efforts. Prospect after prospect who attended the game have commented about the atmosphere, the fanbase and the direction of the program under Shane Beamer. That includes CB Aziah Johnson of Richmond who took in his first game at USC Saturday night.“I liked the atmosphere and I liked the way they played,” Johnson said. “I like the team they are building. I like their program. They have a great program. That was the best visit I’ve been to so far. I liked the atmosphere. I liked their fanbase. It was just crazy.”
USC secondary coach Torrian Gray is working Johnson for the Gamecocks. He likely will lose both his starting corners after this season, so he has a definite need for quality players at those positions.
“He basically was telling that he really wanted me here,” Johnson said. “He really wanted me at South Carolina. He likes my ball skills. Most of the time, people that play corner play corner because they can’t coach the ball. He said he feels like I have good hands and I’m good in coverage. Coach Gray said he can teach me a lot of stuff and how to become a good corner.”
Johnson also has offers from North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Duke, Virginia, Wake Forest and East Carolina among others. The visit Saturday certainly elevated USC in his thinking.
“They were already in my top five, top six, but they moved up to like the top three along with North Carolina and MIchigan State,” Johnson said. “I don’t have anything coming up right now but I have some official visits in December with Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Michigan State and South Carolina.”
Johnson has an official to Virginia Tech on December 9th and said earlier this month he planned to take one to USC on December 16th. He will sign on December 21st but he will not be an early enrollee.