Recruiting Boom: Muschamp lays out plans for 2016 class, and beyond
Dec. 20, 2015
HIGHLIGHTS
Muschamp has hit recruiting trail hard since being hired
period or live period, recruiting never stops
Recruiting office will have 10 full-time employees and staff of interns
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-recruiting/article50724775.html#storylink=cpy
Will Muschamp hasn’t spent much time looking at South Carolina’s current roster of football players. That’s because he’s been focused on the next three rosters in the two weeks since he was named the Gamecocks’ coach.
“I have worked hard on the 2016, 2017 and 2018 class,” Muschamp said.
He will take time next week to see what the current group of players has to offer, he said. The Gamecocks finished 3-9 in 2015 and missed a bowl game for the first time since 2007.
“The big things I am looking for are physicality and effort,” Muschamp said. “I can’t really make a comment schematically because I don’t know what they were being asked to do.”
After he evaluates last year’s film, Muschamp will have a better idea of what he’s looking for in recruiting. College football coaches are in the middle of a recruiting dead period, meaning they can’t travel off campus to meet with recruits,. But that doesn’t mean recruiting stops, Muschamp emphasized.
“Whether you are on campus or it’s a dead period or it’s a live period, you’re constantly recruiting, every day,” Muschamp said. “You’re communicating with high school coaches, you’re communicating with recruits whether it be by social media or by phone or however you are doing it. You are constantly selling our product, which is a great product. That goes on every single day.”
Muschamp and athletics director Ray Tanner spent much of Muschamp’s interview talking about how the school will revamp its recruiting efforts. The Gamecocks’ new recruiting office will have 10 full-time employees along with a staff of interns, Tanner told The State.
“You look at the commitment level of building a $50 million operations facility, that says a lot about where things are headed,” Muschamp said. “People are excited about what we’re doing. The momentum is building, and I’m really excited.”
Muschamp expects to sign, “between five and seven” early enrollees and add a class of 25 additional newcomers in February, he said. He hasn’t spoken to any current players who are planning to transfer, he said.
“I know Pharoh (Cooper) is coming out, but I have not had any other discussions with anybody else,” Muschamp said.
Junior linebacker Skai Moore, the team’s leading tackler the past three seasons, also is planning to apply for early entry into the NFL Draft, according to a source, but Muschamp hasn’t spoken with Moore, he said.
The priorities for this year’s recruiting class are “playmakers” at wide receiver and tight end, running backs, defensive linemen, cornerbacks and safeties and offensive line depth.
Quarterback Brandon McIlwain is one of the early enrollees. It’s “possible” the Gamecocks will sign a second quarterback in the class, Muschamp said.
It’s also possible South Carolina won’t use all its available scholarships in February.
“The biggest thing is don’t make a mistake late,” he said. “I would rather bank those for the next year even if it hurts you a little bit number wise. Just make sure you are taking the right player.”
A GOOD WEEK’S WORK
A look at the five players who picked USC, or confirmed their commitments, this week under the new regime of coach Will Muschamp:
Brandon McIlwain
Quarterback, 6-1, 195
Newtown, Pa.
Elite 11 QB; enrolls in January; will also play baseball
Bryan Edwards
Wide receiver, 6-3, 208
Conway
Four-star who will enroll in January
Sadarius Hutcherson
Defensive end, 6-6, 250
Huntingdon, Tenn.
Picked USC over Memphis, Illinois and Arizona State
C.J. Freeman
Running back, 5-11, 200
Greensboro, N.C.
Picked USC over Wisconsin, Louisville and Ga. Southern
Jamarcus King
Cornerback, 6-2, 180
Coffeyville Community College in Kansas
4-star prospect and the top juco cornerback in country
THE STATE
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-recruiting/article50724775.html#storylink=cpy
Dec. 20, 2015
HIGHLIGHTS
Muschamp has hit recruiting trail hard since being hired
period or live period, recruiting never stopsRecruiting office will have 10 full-time employees and staff of interns
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-recruiting/article50724775.html#storylink=cpy
Will Muschamp hasn’t spent much time looking at South Carolina’s current roster of football players. That’s because he’s been focused on the next three rosters in the two weeks since he was named the Gamecocks’ coach.
“I have worked hard on the 2016, 2017 and 2018 class,” Muschamp said.
He will take time next week to see what the current group of players has to offer, he said. The Gamecocks finished 3-9 in 2015 and missed a bowl game for the first time since 2007.
“The big things I am looking for are physicality and effort,” Muschamp said. “I can’t really make a comment schematically because I don’t know what they were being asked to do.”
After he evaluates last year’s film, Muschamp will have a better idea of what he’s looking for in recruiting. College football coaches are in the middle of a recruiting dead period, meaning they can’t travel off campus to meet with recruits,. But that doesn’t mean recruiting stops, Muschamp emphasized.
“Whether you are on campus or it’s a dead period or it’s a live period, you’re constantly recruiting, every day,” Muschamp said. “You’re communicating with high school coaches, you’re communicating with recruits whether it be by social media or by phone or however you are doing it. You are constantly selling our product, which is a great product. That goes on every single day.”
Muschamp and athletics director Ray Tanner spent much of Muschamp’s interview talking about how the school will revamp its recruiting efforts. The Gamecocks’ new recruiting office will have 10 full-time employees along with a staff of interns, Tanner told The State.
“You look at the commitment level of building a $50 million operations facility, that says a lot about where things are headed,” Muschamp said. “People are excited about what we’re doing. The momentum is building, and I’m really excited.”
Muschamp expects to sign, “between five and seven” early enrollees and add a class of 25 additional newcomers in February, he said. He hasn’t spoken to any current players who are planning to transfer, he said.
“I know Pharoh (Cooper) is coming out, but I have not had any other discussions with anybody else,” Muschamp said.
Junior linebacker Skai Moore, the team’s leading tackler the past three seasons, also is planning to apply for early entry into the NFL Draft, according to a source, but Muschamp hasn’t spoken with Moore, he said.
The priorities for this year’s recruiting class are “playmakers” at wide receiver and tight end, running backs, defensive linemen, cornerbacks and safeties and offensive line depth.
Quarterback Brandon McIlwain is one of the early enrollees. It’s “possible” the Gamecocks will sign a second quarterback in the class, Muschamp said.
It’s also possible South Carolina won’t use all its available scholarships in February.
“The biggest thing is don’t make a mistake late,” he said. “I would rather bank those for the next year even if it hurts you a little bit number wise. Just make sure you are taking the right player.”
A GOOD WEEK’S WORK
A look at the five players who picked USC, or confirmed their commitments, this week under the new regime of coach Will Muschamp:
Brandon McIlwain
Quarterback, 6-1, 195
Newtown, Pa.
Elite 11 QB; enrolls in January; will also play baseball
Bryan Edwards
Wide receiver, 6-3, 208
Conway
Four-star who will enroll in January
Sadarius Hutcherson
Defensive end, 6-6, 250
Huntingdon, Tenn.
Picked USC over Memphis, Illinois and Arizona State
C.J. Freeman
Running back, 5-11, 200
Greensboro, N.C.
Picked USC over Wisconsin, Louisville and Ga. Southern
Jamarcus King
Cornerback, 6-2, 180
Coffeyville Community College in Kansas
4-star prospect and the top juco cornerback in country
THE STATE
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-recruiting/article50724775.html#storylink=cpy