Recruiting mailbag: The Gamecocks return home
October 05, 2017
Does Kurt Roper have goals/requirements to meet going forward? Produce or move? — @matt_brandi
Aside from wins and loss, there are a few metrics the South Carolina offensive coaching staff uses to measure success. Things like explosive plays, red-zone efficiency and third-down conversion rate.
South Carolina is tied for 122nd in the country with 11 run plays of 10 or more yards. The Gamecocks are much better through the air, which we all know. They’re tied for 28th with 19 passing plays of 20 or more yards.
Inside the red zone, South Carolina has scored 66. 7 percent of the time. That’s tied for 124th. On third-down, the Gamecocks are 67th with a 39.4 percent conversion rate.
Now, all that being said, I don’t know if there’s a level that South Carolina needs to reach that guarantees he’ll be back in 2018. I can’t imagine Muschamp is sitting Roper down and saying, ‘We need to improve by this much before the end of the season, or else…’
I just don’t think Muschamp works like that. However, it’s clear things need to improve over these next seven games, no doubt.
Is there any idea on who leads for Dylan Wonnum and Jovaughn Gwyn? — @kevinharper__
Apparently, Auburn is no longer the leader for Wonnum, who’s been to South Carolina probably more than all of the other schools combined. To me, his recruitment has taken a follow-the-visits feel to it. And it certainly helps that his older brother is already at South Carolina and enjoying some success.
Wonnum, by the way, will be back on campus this weekend for the Arkansas game.
I tried to do some checking around on Gwyn earlier this week, but wasn’t able to get a heck of a lot in terms of intel. But I do know that he’s about to start setting up some official visits. South Carolina, N.C. State and maybe to a lesser extent, Duke, are likely to see him again this fall.
How well is the staff positioned to acquire A-plus skill in the areas of need: d-line, d-backs? —@Ironhead17
About four months before signing day, there’s one area that’s concerned me about South Carolina’s 2018 recruiting class. The Gamecocks have missed on a lot of defensive linemen: Xavier Thomas and Josh Belk (Clemson), Stephon Wynn Jr. (Alabama) and Dorian Gerald (Tennessee).
At this point, I think it’s safe to say the ship has sailed with Belk and Wynn. And Thomas’ is certainly headed in that direction. It still feels like there’s a chance to flip Gerald.
I don’t think that’s a sign that South Carolina is unable recruit top-flight defensive linemen. To me, it just reinforces that Clemson and Alabama are the big boys in college football for a reason. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for the Gamecocks to cash in on some big-time defensive linemen for this cycle.
Though Marlon Character Jr. is the only 4-star-plus defensive back committed to the Gamecocks, I think it’s safe to say that Will Muschamp and Travaris Robinson are capable of recruiting blue-chip talent at defensive back.
When it’s all said and done, who do you think we end up hitting and missing on with Rick Sandidge, Dax Hollifield, Channing Tindall, Dylan Wonnum and K.J. Henry? — @CarolinaCockpit
I feel good about South Carolina’s chances with Sandidge and Tindall. I think the Gamecocks are the team to beat for them and with Wonnum, who’s back in that category after this week.
For Hollifield, I still believe it comes down to South Carolina and Virginia Tech.
With Henry, I’m not so sure, but it feels like he’s a Clemson guy.
Do you expect Nixon and Javon Charleston to get more playing time? Anybody else making headway for playing time that we haven’t seen? —@nick29379
The defensive back I think we’ll see more of moving forward is Steven Montac, who’s missed a ton of time this season with an injury. I also suspect we’ll continue to see more of Brad Johnson as the season moves along because of Bryson Allen-Williams’ injury.
Obviously, having Allen-Williams back next year will be huge, but how does it impact the recruiting of our linebacker targets regarding playing time? — @agrahamchapman
Good question, but I don’t necessarily see that being too much of a factor with Tindall and Hollifield.
Hollifield, who hasn’t been shy about saying he wants to play early, profiles as an inside linebacker, which Allen-Williams isn’t.
Tindall, potentially, could play a role like Allen-Williams, going back and forth between outside linebacker and edge player, but he hasn’t really said that early playing time is a deciding factor.
October 05, 2017
Does Kurt Roper have goals/requirements to meet going forward? Produce or move? — @matt_brandi
Aside from wins and loss, there are a few metrics the South Carolina offensive coaching staff uses to measure success. Things like explosive plays, red-zone efficiency and third-down conversion rate.
South Carolina is tied for 122nd in the country with 11 run plays of 10 or more yards. The Gamecocks are much better through the air, which we all know. They’re tied for 28th with 19 passing plays of 20 or more yards.
Inside the red zone, South Carolina has scored 66. 7 percent of the time. That’s tied for 124th. On third-down, the Gamecocks are 67th with a 39.4 percent conversion rate.
Now, all that being said, I don’t know if there’s a level that South Carolina needs to reach that guarantees he’ll be back in 2018. I can’t imagine Muschamp is sitting Roper down and saying, ‘We need to improve by this much before the end of the season, or else…’
I just don’t think Muschamp works like that. However, it’s clear things need to improve over these next seven games, no doubt.
Is there any idea on who leads for Dylan Wonnum and Jovaughn Gwyn? — @kevinharper__
Apparently, Auburn is no longer the leader for Wonnum, who’s been to South Carolina probably more than all of the other schools combined. To me, his recruitment has taken a follow-the-visits feel to it. And it certainly helps that his older brother is already at South Carolina and enjoying some success.
Wonnum, by the way, will be back on campus this weekend for the Arkansas game.
I tried to do some checking around on Gwyn earlier this week, but wasn’t able to get a heck of a lot in terms of intel. But I do know that he’s about to start setting up some official visits. South Carolina, N.C. State and maybe to a lesser extent, Duke, are likely to see him again this fall.
How well is the staff positioned to acquire A-plus skill in the areas of need: d-line, d-backs? —@Ironhead17
About four months before signing day, there’s one area that’s concerned me about South Carolina’s 2018 recruiting class. The Gamecocks have missed on a lot of defensive linemen: Xavier Thomas and Josh Belk (Clemson), Stephon Wynn Jr. (Alabama) and Dorian Gerald (Tennessee).
At this point, I think it’s safe to say the ship has sailed with Belk and Wynn. And Thomas’ is certainly headed in that direction. It still feels like there’s a chance to flip Gerald.
I don’t think that’s a sign that South Carolina is unable recruit top-flight defensive linemen. To me, it just reinforces that Clemson and Alabama are the big boys in college football for a reason. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for the Gamecocks to cash in on some big-time defensive linemen for this cycle.
Though Marlon Character Jr. is the only 4-star-plus defensive back committed to the Gamecocks, I think it’s safe to say that Will Muschamp and Travaris Robinson are capable of recruiting blue-chip talent at defensive back.
When it’s all said and done, who do you think we end up hitting and missing on with Rick Sandidge, Dax Hollifield, Channing Tindall, Dylan Wonnum and K.J. Henry? — @CarolinaCockpit
I feel good about South Carolina’s chances with Sandidge and Tindall. I think the Gamecocks are the team to beat for them and with Wonnum, who’s back in that category after this week.
For Hollifield, I still believe it comes down to South Carolina and Virginia Tech.
With Henry, I’m not so sure, but it feels like he’s a Clemson guy.
Do you expect Nixon and Javon Charleston to get more playing time? Anybody else making headway for playing time that we haven’t seen? —@nick29379
The defensive back I think we’ll see more of moving forward is Steven Montac, who’s missed a ton of time this season with an injury. I also suspect we’ll continue to see more of Brad Johnson as the season moves along because of Bryson Allen-Williams’ injury.
Obviously, having Allen-Williams back next year will be huge, but how does it impact the recruiting of our linebacker targets regarding playing time? — @agrahamchapman
Good question, but I don’t necessarily see that being too much of a factor with Tindall and Hollifield.
Hollifield, who hasn’t been shy about saying he wants to play early, profiles as an inside linebacker, which Allen-Williams isn’t.
Tindall, potentially, could play a role like Allen-Williams, going back and forth between outside linebacker and edge player, but he hasn’t really said that early playing time is a deciding factor.