In-depth with Dax Hollifield, Gamecocks offers and SpursUp event
April 27, 2017
SHELBY, N.C. — Four-star inside linebacker Dax Hollifield has been a busy man, visiting Florida, Florida State, LSU and Virginia Tech within the last few weeks.
On Saturday, he’s planning to head back to South Carolina for the SpursUp recruiting event. Stanford will host him on May 19.
Late last year, Hollifield (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) said North Carolina, South Carolina or Virginia Tech were “going to get me, probably.” But he left it with the caveat that things could change.
Well, things have changed. As Hollifield added more offers, his preferred list expanded. For now, it includes Florida, Florida State, LSU, North Carolina, South Carolina, Stanford and Virginia Tech.
After a trip to Stanford next month, Hollifield will narrow the list to five.
“When I was little, I never thought I was going to be able to do all this. This is insane,” Hollifield told SEC Country at Shelby High School on Wednesday.
“I’ve seen all of college football, really; maybe not, really, on the West Coast, but in the South, I’ve seen everything. I never thought it would have gotten like this.”
Florida State defensive line coach Brad Lawing visited on Tuesday. On Thursday, South Carolina running backs coach Bobby Bentley will watch Hollifield in his conference track meet, where he’ll run the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles. North Carolina assistants Gunter Brewer and Mike Ekeler will be there, too.
Among the coaches he’s encountered on the recruited trail, Hollifield is closest with Bentley and Brewer.
“Coach Brewer has been recruiting me since my freshman year,” Hollifield said. “They were the second one to offer me. He’s the one who offered me. He knew my dad in college. He went to Wake Forest and helped my dad out. I’ve always known him. He’s one of my dad’s best friends.”
Bentley established contact shortly after arriving to South Carolina with Muschamp.
“(Bentley) texts me every day. … He’s the one who came here and got me down to camp. If I wouldn’t have gotten down to camp, I probably wouldn’t be one of their top recruits,” Hollifield said.
Ideally, Hollifield will take his five official visits before announcing a commitment, which he hopes to do during football season.
“I don’t want to wait until the last minute and it gets crazy,” he said. “Sometimes, they don’t have enough scholarships for you to do it at the last minute. I don’t really want that to happen to me.”
Two factors will be considered as Hollifield moves toward that decision.
“Playing time and winning,” he said, “So, I want to win, first off. I don’t want to go to a school that’s going to lose. … I want to win, for sure. I want to go to a place I know I’m going to win and have a chance to compete for a conference championship, or at least get there.”
That’s all Hollifield has known at Shelby. The Golden Lions have won four straight state championships and he’s been the starting middle linebacker for the last three.
“I don’t really want anything to change, to be honest with you. If I had a choice, I’d stay in high school,” Hollifield said, with a laugh. “I love it here. It’s awesome. I love winning. I love playing.”
According to 247Sports composite rankings, Hollifield is the No. 4 inside linebacker in the Class of 2018.
South Carolina offers
Several offers were sent out by South Carolina on Wednesday, most of which were to prospects from the 2019 class:
2019 OT Renato Brown (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
2020 OT Ray Curry 2020 (Memphis, Tenn.)
2019 CB Akeem Dent (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
2019 DE/OT William Norton (Memphis, Tenn.)
2019 WR Jeremiah Payton (Neptune Beach, Fla.)
SpursUp day visitors
Below is the running list of confirmed visitors for Saturday. More names are expected to be added:
2018 OL LaMarius Benson (Covington, Ga.) — COMMITTED
2018 S RJ Roderick (Summerville, S.C.)
2018 TE Tommy Tremble (Johns Creek, Ga.)
2019 CB Jammie Robinson (Cordele, Ga.)
2018 WR Dennis Smith (Gaffney, S.C.)
2018 LB Hollifield (Shelby, N.C.)
2018 CB Jaycee Horn (Alpharetta, Ga.) — Arriving Thursday
April 27, 2017
SHELBY, N.C. — Four-star inside linebacker Dax Hollifield has been a busy man, visiting Florida, Florida State, LSU and Virginia Tech within the last few weeks.
On Saturday, he’s planning to head back to South Carolina for the SpursUp recruiting event. Stanford will host him on May 19.
Late last year, Hollifield (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) said North Carolina, South Carolina or Virginia Tech were “going to get me, probably.” But he left it with the caveat that things could change.
Well, things have changed. As Hollifield added more offers, his preferred list expanded. For now, it includes Florida, Florida State, LSU, North Carolina, South Carolina, Stanford and Virginia Tech.
After a trip to Stanford next month, Hollifield will narrow the list to five.
“When I was little, I never thought I was going to be able to do all this. This is insane,” Hollifield told SEC Country at Shelby High School on Wednesday.
“I’ve seen all of college football, really; maybe not, really, on the West Coast, but in the South, I’ve seen everything. I never thought it would have gotten like this.”
Florida State defensive line coach Brad Lawing visited on Tuesday. On Thursday, South Carolina running backs coach Bobby Bentley will watch Hollifield in his conference track meet, where he’ll run the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles. North Carolina assistants Gunter Brewer and Mike Ekeler will be there, too.
Among the coaches he’s encountered on the recruited trail, Hollifield is closest with Bentley and Brewer.
“Coach Brewer has been recruiting me since my freshman year,” Hollifield said. “They were the second one to offer me. He’s the one who offered me. He knew my dad in college. He went to Wake Forest and helped my dad out. I’ve always known him. He’s one of my dad’s best friends.”
Bentley established contact shortly after arriving to South Carolina with Muschamp.
“(Bentley) texts me every day. … He’s the one who came here and got me down to camp. If I wouldn’t have gotten down to camp, I probably wouldn’t be one of their top recruits,” Hollifield said.
Ideally, Hollifield will take his five official visits before announcing a commitment, which he hopes to do during football season.
“I don’t want to wait until the last minute and it gets crazy,” he said. “Sometimes, they don’t have enough scholarships for you to do it at the last minute. I don’t really want that to happen to me.”
Two factors will be considered as Hollifield moves toward that decision.
“Playing time and winning,” he said, “So, I want to win, first off. I don’t want to go to a school that’s going to lose. … I want to win, for sure. I want to go to a place I know I’m going to win and have a chance to compete for a conference championship, or at least get there.”
That’s all Hollifield has known at Shelby. The Golden Lions have won four straight state championships and he’s been the starting middle linebacker for the last three.
“I don’t really want anything to change, to be honest with you. If I had a choice, I’d stay in high school,” Hollifield said, with a laugh. “I love it here. It’s awesome. I love winning. I love playing.”
According to 247Sports composite rankings, Hollifield is the No. 4 inside linebacker in the Class of 2018.
South Carolina offers
Several offers were sent out by South Carolina on Wednesday, most of which were to prospects from the 2019 class:
2019 OT Renato Brown (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
2020 OT Ray Curry 2020 (Memphis, Tenn.)
2019 CB Akeem Dent (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
2019 DE/OT William Norton (Memphis, Tenn.)
2019 WR Jeremiah Payton (Neptune Beach, Fla.)
SpursUp day visitors
Below is the running list of confirmed visitors for Saturday. More names are expected to be added:
2018 OL LaMarius Benson (Covington, Ga.) — COMMITTED
2018 S RJ Roderick (Summerville, S.C.)
2018 TE Tommy Tremble (Johns Creek, Ga.)
2019 CB Jammie Robinson (Cordele, Ga.)
2018 WR Dennis Smith (Gaffney, S.C.)
2018 LB Hollifield (Shelby, N.C.)
2018 CB Jaycee Horn (Alpharetta, Ga.) — Arriving Thursday