[COLOR= rgb(178, 34, 34)][SIZE= 24px]Five recruiting storylines: Gamecocks look to hold on, finish strong[/COLOR]
Jan. 22, 2015[/SIZE]
With National Signing Day less than two weeks away, South Carolina coaches are putting the finishing touches on the 2015 recruiting class. Here are five story lines to watch as Feb. 4 approaches.
1. Hold on
South Carolina survived the first of three January official visit weekends with its recruiting class intact. Offensive lineman Christian Pellage, defensive back Damon Arnette and defensive end Quandeski Whitlow are the biggest threats to flip their pledges elsewhere, with Louisville (Whitlow), Florida (Pellage, Whitlow), Michigan (Arnette) and Ohio State (Arnette) making strong pushes. USC made headlines for seven decommitments since October and would like to leave the bad press in the past. “Everyone will recruit your players and that’s to be expected,” recruiting coordinator Steve Spurrier Jr. said. “If we can hold on to the guys we’ve got, and I think we can, this will go down as a great class.”
2. Finish
With safety Toure Boyd and offensive lineman Blake Camper recently added to the class, USC has room to sign up to three more prospects. Let’s assume coaches are holding one spot open in case defensive end target Arden Key rejoins the fold. The Gamecocks would like to add an additional offensive lineman and another defensive back. Outside of those positions, coaches would likely go with a “best available player” approach and take another offensive lineman or someone at another position.
3. Big recruiting weekend
A major investment toward holding on and finishing happens this weekend when USC hosts more than 20 committed prospects and targets on official visits, known as the annual “big recruiting weekend.” For players and their families, it’s a two-day trip that offers a closer look at what life will be like as a Gamecock. For coaches, it’s a chance to firm up pledges from anyone on the fence and to make their best pitch to targets. The large group will attend Saturday’s men’s basketball game against Kentucky, and Steve Spurrier will speak to the crowd at halftime about USC’s success in recent years. Current Gamecocks, including the midyear enrollees, will also be present and be able to showcase USC life to their future teammates.
4. The streak
USC has finished in Rivals’ Top 25 every year under Spurrier, and that streak is on track to continue with the 2015 class. This group, once ranked as high as No. 2, now sits at 14. If 14 ends up as the final spot for USC, that would make the group the third-highest in the Spurrier era (2007 was No. 6; 2009 was No. 12). There is a greater chance of dropping a few spots from being leapfrogged by other teams as they get late commitments. However, a finish inside the top 20 for the fifth-straight season remains a strong possibility. The average Rivals team recruiting ranking for USC under Spurrier has been No. 18.
5. Drama, besides Arden Key?
The Gamecocks went 4-for-4 last year with signing day decisions. Key is the highest-rated target remaining, and he will announce his final choice Feb. 2, two days before signing day. It remains to be seen if any prospects have a USC hat among their choices on the table Feb. 4. While a signing-day get makes for a big splash, coaches prefer knowing who their players will be and would rather not sweat out a last-minute decision. “You have no idea how it will turn out,” Spurrier Jr. said. “There certainly could be some signing day guys that will have a scholarship in their hands that we’re hoping sign with us.”
USC big recruiting weekend
South Carolina's biggest recruiting weekend of the year starts Friday afternoon and runs through Sunday. Here is who the Gamecocks will host on official visits
TARGETS
PLAYER POS HOMETOWN
Arden Key DE Atlanta, GA
Rashad Fenton DB Opa Locka, FL
Trey Derouen OL Lilburn, GA
Cory Helms OL Alpharetta, GA
COMMITMENTS
PLAYER POS HOMETOWN
Lorenzo Nunez QB Kennesaw, GA
Mon Denson RB LaGrange, GA
AJ Turner RB Clifton, VA
Jalen Christian WR Damascus, MD
Dexter Neal WR Stone Mountain, GA
Kyle Markway TE St. Louis, MO
Connor Redmond TE Lawrenceville, GA
Zack Bailey OL Summerville, SC
Christian Pellage OL Brooksville, FL
Shameik Blackshear DE Bluffton, SC
Devante Covington DE Milledgeville, GA
Dante Sawyer DE Suwanee, GA
Quandeski Whitlow DE Opelika, AL
Daniel Fennell LB Loganville, GA
Damon Arnette DB Fort Lauderdale, FL
Toure Boyd DB Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Antoine Wilder DB Atlanta, GA
Joseph Charlton PK Columbia, SC
Octavis Johnson ATH Homerville, GA
Jan. 22, 2015[/SIZE]
With National Signing Day less than two weeks away, South Carolina coaches are putting the finishing touches on the 2015 recruiting class. Here are five story lines to watch as Feb. 4 approaches.
1. Hold on
South Carolina survived the first of three January official visit weekends with its recruiting class intact. Offensive lineman Christian Pellage, defensive back Damon Arnette and defensive end Quandeski Whitlow are the biggest threats to flip their pledges elsewhere, with Louisville (Whitlow), Florida (Pellage, Whitlow), Michigan (Arnette) and Ohio State (Arnette) making strong pushes. USC made headlines for seven decommitments since October and would like to leave the bad press in the past. “Everyone will recruit your players and that’s to be expected,” recruiting coordinator Steve Spurrier Jr. said. “If we can hold on to the guys we’ve got, and I think we can, this will go down as a great class.”
2. Finish
With safety Toure Boyd and offensive lineman Blake Camper recently added to the class, USC has room to sign up to three more prospects. Let’s assume coaches are holding one spot open in case defensive end target Arden Key rejoins the fold. The Gamecocks would like to add an additional offensive lineman and another defensive back. Outside of those positions, coaches would likely go with a “best available player” approach and take another offensive lineman or someone at another position.
3. Big recruiting weekend
A major investment toward holding on and finishing happens this weekend when USC hosts more than 20 committed prospects and targets on official visits, known as the annual “big recruiting weekend.” For players and their families, it’s a two-day trip that offers a closer look at what life will be like as a Gamecock. For coaches, it’s a chance to firm up pledges from anyone on the fence and to make their best pitch to targets. The large group will attend Saturday’s men’s basketball game against Kentucky, and Steve Spurrier will speak to the crowd at halftime about USC’s success in recent years. Current Gamecocks, including the midyear enrollees, will also be present and be able to showcase USC life to their future teammates.
4. The streak
USC has finished in Rivals’ Top 25 every year under Spurrier, and that streak is on track to continue with the 2015 class. This group, once ranked as high as No. 2, now sits at 14. If 14 ends up as the final spot for USC, that would make the group the third-highest in the Spurrier era (2007 was No. 6; 2009 was No. 12). There is a greater chance of dropping a few spots from being leapfrogged by other teams as they get late commitments. However, a finish inside the top 20 for the fifth-straight season remains a strong possibility. The average Rivals team recruiting ranking for USC under Spurrier has been No. 18.
5. Drama, besides Arden Key?
The Gamecocks went 4-for-4 last year with signing day decisions. Key is the highest-rated target remaining, and he will announce his final choice Feb. 2, two days before signing day. It remains to be seen if any prospects have a USC hat among their choices on the table Feb. 4. While a signing-day get makes for a big splash, coaches prefer knowing who their players will be and would rather not sweat out a last-minute decision. “You have no idea how it will turn out,” Spurrier Jr. said. “There certainly could be some signing day guys that will have a scholarship in their hands that we’re hoping sign with us.”
USC big recruiting weekend
South Carolina's biggest recruiting weekend of the year starts Friday afternoon and runs through Sunday. Here is who the Gamecocks will host on official visits
TARGETS
PLAYER POS HOMETOWN
Arden Key DE Atlanta, GA
Rashad Fenton DB Opa Locka, FL
Trey Derouen OL Lilburn, GA
Cory Helms OL Alpharetta, GA
COMMITMENTS
PLAYER POS HOMETOWN
Lorenzo Nunez QB Kennesaw, GA
Mon Denson RB LaGrange, GA
AJ Turner RB Clifton, VA
Jalen Christian WR Damascus, MD
Dexter Neal WR Stone Mountain, GA
Kyle Markway TE St. Louis, MO
Connor Redmond TE Lawrenceville, GA
Zack Bailey OL Summerville, SC
Christian Pellage OL Brooksville, FL
Shameik Blackshear DE Bluffton, SC
Devante Covington DE Milledgeville, GA
Dante Sawyer DE Suwanee, GA
Quandeski Whitlow DE Opelika, AL
Daniel Fennell LB Loganville, GA
Damon Arnette DB Fort Lauderdale, FL
Toure Boyd DB Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Antoine Wilder DB Atlanta, GA
Joseph Charlton PK Columbia, SC
Octavis Johnson ATH Homerville, GA