For Muschamp and USC, ‘recruiting is a marathon’
Jan. 26, 2017
There’s something missing from this year’s South Carolina recruiting class.
There is hustle but not the hurry. The sweating is present. Scrambling is not.
A year after a fast-and-furious finish to the 2016 signing class, Will Muschamp and his staff have put together this year’s group at a more deliberate pace.
“Recruiting is a marathon,” Muschamp said. “You just have to keep chopping away at it every single day.”
The Gamecocks are on track to sign a Top 25 recruiting class, Muschamp’s first full class as the Gamecocks’ head coach. Last year was considered a “transition class” and bridged prospects recruited by Steve Spurrier and Muschamp’s staff.
It all came together in a matter of weeks as Muschamp hired a new staff and the coaches had to hit the ground running on the recruiting tail.
“Last year he did a good job,” said Woody Wommack, Southeast recruiting analyst for Rivals. “He took some instate kids that were maybe borderline but were going to go to other Power 5 schools. That was a good job to lay the groundwork for this year’s class.”
USC’s 2017 group is heavy on guys from the Carolinas and could feature a half-dozen or so prospects from Georgia.
“That was a priority, to get back into Georgia, and I think they’ve done that,” Wommack said. “More important, they’ve identified guys in the state that they really like. The combination of those two things is what’s going to help them get quality players and win games. I think this is a good class for them, especially given the success they had on the field.”
With limited time, the staff last year assessed needs and took a best-player-available approach to filling the class. With do-it-all standout Pharoh Cooper turning pro, the staff signed five receivers in an effort to find playmakers. Defensive linemen were also a priority as the Gamecocks added seven at the position.
This cycle featured more of a traditional recruiting board with position-specific numbers in mind. Improving team speed was a goal, and the staff thinks it accomplished that with six defensive backs committed, three receivers and four linebackers.
A lot of the seeds of the signatures on Feb. 1 were planted this time last year as the USC staff worked ahead on future classes alongside their efforts to finish the 2016 group. The same thing is happening this month as the Gamecocks close on 2017’s haul.
There is never a real break, Muschamp said.
“You’re looking at the 2018 and 2019 classes as well,” he said. “You’re constantly evaluating your board, whatever year it may be. It never stops.”
There’s still a week of recruiting and one more official weekend visit left, and it’s a big one. The Gamecocks will host top defensive line targets Javon Kinlaw and Aaron Sterling, as well as top cornerback commitment Jamyest Williams.
“You can’t worry about the Internet rumors and what somebody said and what somebody thought somebody said, or where somebody is visiting,” Muschamp said. “You’ve invested a lot of time in these young men.”
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-recruiting/article128750439.html#storylink=cpy
THE STATE
Jan. 26, 2017
There’s something missing from this year’s South Carolina recruiting class.
There is hustle but not the hurry. The sweating is present. Scrambling is not.
A year after a fast-and-furious finish to the 2016 signing class, Will Muschamp and his staff have put together this year’s group at a more deliberate pace.
“Recruiting is a marathon,” Muschamp said. “You just have to keep chopping away at it every single day.”
The Gamecocks are on track to sign a Top 25 recruiting class, Muschamp’s first full class as the Gamecocks’ head coach. Last year was considered a “transition class” and bridged prospects recruited by Steve Spurrier and Muschamp’s staff.
It all came together in a matter of weeks as Muschamp hired a new staff and the coaches had to hit the ground running on the recruiting tail.
“Last year he did a good job,” said Woody Wommack, Southeast recruiting analyst for Rivals. “He took some instate kids that were maybe borderline but were going to go to other Power 5 schools. That was a good job to lay the groundwork for this year’s class.”
USC’s 2017 group is heavy on guys from the Carolinas and could feature a half-dozen or so prospects from Georgia.
“That was a priority, to get back into Georgia, and I think they’ve done that,” Wommack said. “More important, they’ve identified guys in the state that they really like. The combination of those two things is what’s going to help them get quality players and win games. I think this is a good class for them, especially given the success they had on the field.”
With limited time, the staff last year assessed needs and took a best-player-available approach to filling the class. With do-it-all standout Pharoh Cooper turning pro, the staff signed five receivers in an effort to find playmakers. Defensive linemen were also a priority as the Gamecocks added seven at the position.
This cycle featured more of a traditional recruiting board with position-specific numbers in mind. Improving team speed was a goal, and the staff thinks it accomplished that with six defensive backs committed, three receivers and four linebackers.
A lot of the seeds of the signatures on Feb. 1 were planted this time last year as the USC staff worked ahead on future classes alongside their efforts to finish the 2016 group. The same thing is happening this month as the Gamecocks close on 2017’s haul.
There is never a real break, Muschamp said.
“You’re looking at the 2018 and 2019 classes as well,” he said. “You’re constantly evaluating your board, whatever year it may be. It never stops.”
There’s still a week of recruiting and one more official weekend visit left, and it’s a big one. The Gamecocks will host top defensive line targets Javon Kinlaw and Aaron Sterling, as well as top cornerback commitment Jamyest Williams.
“You can’t worry about the Internet rumors and what somebody said and what somebody thought somebody said, or where somebody is visiting,” Muschamp said. “You’ve invested a lot of time in these young men.”
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-recruiting/article128750439.html#storylink=cpy
THE STATE
