OF TJ Hopkins announces commitment to South Carolina
OL Shane Lemieux of Yakima, WA flew back home last week after spending four days in the Carolinas visiting USC, NC State and East Carolina. He visited the Gamecocks twice and last Monday gave Steve Spurrier and Shawn Elliott his commitment though all involved know his mother still has to sign off on the deal. Lemieux’s mother lives in Yakima with his stepfather while his father lives in Lancaster. Lemieux plans to return to USC in late April with his mother and stepfather to give them the chance to evaluate the school and the program. “She just wants to get down there and see what it’s like,” Lemieux said. “She doesn’t really like the fact of how far away it is. She’s a little upset because she thinks that I officially committed without her there, so I want to make it official when she comes out. She says that she will support me whereever I go though.” Oregon was the other school Lemieux was strongly considering when he committed to the Gamecocks and he plans to take another visit there this spring. He also has Oregon, Washington and Washington State.
OL Zach Giella of Augusta took in USC’s practice on Friday and while he remains very interested in the Gamecocks, he’s far from concluding his recruiting activities. “I don’t have any favorites,” he said. “I want to visit LSU, and Alabama is just starting to talk to me. Everybody who has offered me is pretty much equal.” Giella is going to LSU for their spring game and will be back at USC for their spring game as well. As for USC, Giella likes several things. “I really enjoy the coaching staff,” he said. ‘They are a bunch of great guys. Their facilities are top of the lot. And there academics are great.” Giella also has offers from Ole Miss, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Cal, LSU, Duke, Missouri, Virginia and Miami.
DE Michael Barnett of Woodland attended a USC practice on Tuesday, his first school visit of the spring. He wants to get to Georgia and might visit Clemson this summer. He will go to Georgia Tech for a camp. Right now Barnett has a top five, in no order, of NC State, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Georgia and Florida State. Though Clemson and USC are not in that group, they have not been eliminated. “I have interest in South Carolina. Clemson I really like but they don’t have my major (broadcasting). South Carolina came in the picture late and they have my major but they’ll have to work their way back up.” Barnett also has offers from Virginia Tech (formerly committed), Florida, Tennessee, Alabama and LSU. He won’t make his decision until after the season.
OL Zack Bailey of Summerville was an interested spectator at USC’s practice last Thursday afternoon. “I was seeing how the coaches react and interact with the players and how they coach,” Bailey said. “I was seeing their style and if it matches you. Coach Elliott reminds me a lot of our coaching style now. He drives you over your capacity. At the end of the day everything he does is to get you better.” He’s also been to Clemson for a junior day and wants to visit Georgia and Auburn. He will not be at USC or Clemson for a spring game because he’ll be with family in Florida. Right now Bailey he has a top four, in no order, of USC, Clemson, Auburn and Georgia.
RB Ty’son Williams of Crestwood was at USC Saturday for their junior day. He went to Clemson and Georgia in February. “I want to visit as many schools that have offered as possible,” Williams said. He may be back at USC for the spring game. Williams has offers from USC, Clemson, North Carolina, Georgia, NC State, Duke, Appalachian State, Georgia Tech and Michigan. There are no favorites right now. Williams wants to make his decision before his season and he’s considering graduating early.
USC is keeping in touch with ATH Nyheim Hines of Garner, NC and is pitching the idea to him that he can fill the shoes of a former dynamic receiver. “I talked to coach (Steve) Spurrier last month about slot receiver. He compares me to Ace (Sanders).” Hines plans to get to Clemson, USC, Ohio State, Wake Forest and Duke in coming weeks. He visited North Carolina and Duke for basketball games. Except for Ohio State, all of those schools have offered as have Florida, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Connecticut, Tennessee, Wake Forest and East Carolina. Hines is graduating early so he’s looking to make a decision in September or October.
USC may be the next trip for LB Roquan Smith of Montezuma, GA. With most of the ACC and SEC schools, including USC, extending Smith offers, the process of narrowing his list has been difficult. “I’m down to about 13 or 14 and I want to get it down to five before the season starts,” he said. USC is on his current list. “South Carolina has great people. They’ve got a good program and been really consistent lately.” This spring, Smith has been to spring practices at Florida, Tennessee, Auburn and Georgia.
USC assistant Deke Adams is looking into WR Trevion Armstrong (6-5 210) of Chesterfield, VA. Adams requested film on the wide receiver recently and has Armstrong strongly considering attending a camp in Columbia this summer. Armstrong had 41 receptions for 891 yards and 15 scores as a junior, His offers are from Old Dominion, James Madison, Pitt, Marshall, Charlotte and Towson with interest from USC, North Carolina, Virginia and Duke. Armstrong has visited Virginia, Georgia Tech, Duke, North Carolina, James Madison and Ohio with the three ACC schools standing out.
DB Octavis Johnson of Homerville, GA favors USC with Clemson #2 on his list. He was at Auburn Saturday.
It looks like Stanford will be the next visit for RB Bryce Love of Wake Forest, NC. Love recently visited Tennessee and plans to visit USC very soon. Love is coordinating the visits around his father’s work schedule so that the two can go together. “I can’t tell you I know everything going on with him and all of the schools,” his father chuckled, “but I know that he still talks to Clemson and USC. Auburn and Florida State have been getting more involved lately. He doesn’t talk to Clemson as much as some of the other schools, but they’re still communicating. We need to reconnect with USC so we’re going to get down there at some point. They have some different plans for how to use Bryce so we just want to talk to them about it. Bryce loves the program.” The Stanford visit is for a junior day.
QB Maquane Goodman of West Florence recently visited NC Sate for a spring practice. The Wolfpack have yet to offer but did invite Goodman to attend camp there this summer. The trip was his first of the spring and he is still considering making the same trip to USC. His offer is from Appalachian State.
During their junior day Saturday, USC handed out offers to LB Amonte Cavan of Smith’s Station, AL and OL Nathan Gilliam of Knoxville, TN.
USC offensive lineman target Steven Gonzalez of New Jersey committed to Penn State last weekend.
OL Mason Veal of Charlotte, a USC target and the son of former Gamecock athletes, committed last week to North Carolina.
ATH De’Ron Maxwell of Swedesboro, NJ was at USC’s junior day Saturday and calls the Gamecocks one of his favorites.
LB Ricky DeBerry Jr. of Richmond, VA announced a reduced list of 20 earlier this week and USC is on the list.
Basketball News:
6-11 center Adonis Delarosa of New York plans to visit USC officially the weekend of April 12th his coach. “I think South Carolina is in very good shape,” Joe Arbitello said. But other schools are still working Delarosa. Alabama coach Anthony Grant and Georgia coach Mark Fox were both up to see him along with Pitt coach Jamie Dixon. Delarosa visited Pitt last weekend.
South Carolina, Auburn and Memphis are the latest to reach out to 6-7 Cinmeon Bowers of Chipola JC, FL. Bowers is a Wisconsin native and a former Florida State commitment. He is regarded as the top junior college talent available for the spring signing period. He is visiting Auburn this weekend and could commit to the Tigers.
6-7 Josh Cunningham of Chicago has drawn interest from Minnesota, Bradley, Creighton, Indiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina. He plans to announce his decision next week.
6-5 A’Ja Wilson of Heathwood Hall will announce her college decision on April 16th. She is choosing from USC, North Carolina, Tennessee and Connecticut.
Baseball News:
Tuesday night junior OF TJ Hopkins (6-2 175) of Summerville announced a commitment to the Gamecocks. He was also drawing interest from Clemson after being previously committed to the College of Charleston. This season Hopkins is batting .389 this season. Hopkins is the Gamecocks’ 13th commitment for the 2015 class.
OL Shane Lemieux of Yakima, WA flew back home last week after spending four days in the Carolinas visiting USC, NC State and East Carolina. He visited the Gamecocks twice and last Monday gave Steve Spurrier and Shawn Elliott his commitment though all involved know his mother still has to sign off on the deal. Lemieux’s mother lives in Yakima with his stepfather while his father lives in Lancaster. Lemieux plans to return to USC in late April with his mother and stepfather to give them the chance to evaluate the school and the program. “She just wants to get down there and see what it’s like,” Lemieux said. “She doesn’t really like the fact of how far away it is. She’s a little upset because she thinks that I officially committed without her there, so I want to make it official when she comes out. She says that she will support me whereever I go though.” Oregon was the other school Lemieux was strongly considering when he committed to the Gamecocks and he plans to take another visit there this spring. He also has Oregon, Washington and Washington State.
OL Zach Giella of Augusta took in USC’s practice on Friday and while he remains very interested in the Gamecocks, he’s far from concluding his recruiting activities. “I don’t have any favorites,” he said. “I want to visit LSU, and Alabama is just starting to talk to me. Everybody who has offered me is pretty much equal.” Giella is going to LSU for their spring game and will be back at USC for their spring game as well. As for USC, Giella likes several things. “I really enjoy the coaching staff,” he said. ‘They are a bunch of great guys. Their facilities are top of the lot. And there academics are great.” Giella also has offers from Ole Miss, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Cal, LSU, Duke, Missouri, Virginia and Miami.
DE Michael Barnett of Woodland attended a USC practice on Tuesday, his first school visit of the spring. He wants to get to Georgia and might visit Clemson this summer. He will go to Georgia Tech for a camp. Right now Barnett has a top five, in no order, of NC State, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Georgia and Florida State. Though Clemson and USC are not in that group, they have not been eliminated. “I have interest in South Carolina. Clemson I really like but they don’t have my major (broadcasting). South Carolina came in the picture late and they have my major but they’ll have to work their way back up.” Barnett also has offers from Virginia Tech (formerly committed), Florida, Tennessee, Alabama and LSU. He won’t make his decision until after the season.
OL Zack Bailey of Summerville was an interested spectator at USC’s practice last Thursday afternoon. “I was seeing how the coaches react and interact with the players and how they coach,” Bailey said. “I was seeing their style and if it matches you. Coach Elliott reminds me a lot of our coaching style now. He drives you over your capacity. At the end of the day everything he does is to get you better.” He’s also been to Clemson for a junior day and wants to visit Georgia and Auburn. He will not be at USC or Clemson for a spring game because he’ll be with family in Florida. Right now Bailey he has a top four, in no order, of USC, Clemson, Auburn and Georgia.
RB Ty’son Williams of Crestwood was at USC Saturday for their junior day. He went to Clemson and Georgia in February. “I want to visit as many schools that have offered as possible,” Williams said. He may be back at USC for the spring game. Williams has offers from USC, Clemson, North Carolina, Georgia, NC State, Duke, Appalachian State, Georgia Tech and Michigan. There are no favorites right now. Williams wants to make his decision before his season and he’s considering graduating early.
USC is keeping in touch with ATH Nyheim Hines of Garner, NC and is pitching the idea to him that he can fill the shoes of a former dynamic receiver. “I talked to coach (Steve) Spurrier last month about slot receiver. He compares me to Ace (Sanders).” Hines plans to get to Clemson, USC, Ohio State, Wake Forest and Duke in coming weeks. He visited North Carolina and Duke for basketball games. Except for Ohio State, all of those schools have offered as have Florida, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Connecticut, Tennessee, Wake Forest and East Carolina. Hines is graduating early so he’s looking to make a decision in September or October.
USC may be the next trip for LB Roquan Smith of Montezuma, GA. With most of the ACC and SEC schools, including USC, extending Smith offers, the process of narrowing his list has been difficult. “I’m down to about 13 or 14 and I want to get it down to five before the season starts,” he said. USC is on his current list. “South Carolina has great people. They’ve got a good program and been really consistent lately.” This spring, Smith has been to spring practices at Florida, Tennessee, Auburn and Georgia.
USC assistant Deke Adams is looking into WR Trevion Armstrong (6-5 210) of Chesterfield, VA. Adams requested film on the wide receiver recently and has Armstrong strongly considering attending a camp in Columbia this summer. Armstrong had 41 receptions for 891 yards and 15 scores as a junior, His offers are from Old Dominion, James Madison, Pitt, Marshall, Charlotte and Towson with interest from USC, North Carolina, Virginia and Duke. Armstrong has visited Virginia, Georgia Tech, Duke, North Carolina, James Madison and Ohio with the three ACC schools standing out.
DB Octavis Johnson of Homerville, GA favors USC with Clemson #2 on his list. He was at Auburn Saturday.
It looks like Stanford will be the next visit for RB Bryce Love of Wake Forest, NC. Love recently visited Tennessee and plans to visit USC very soon. Love is coordinating the visits around his father’s work schedule so that the two can go together. “I can’t tell you I know everything going on with him and all of the schools,” his father chuckled, “but I know that he still talks to Clemson and USC. Auburn and Florida State have been getting more involved lately. He doesn’t talk to Clemson as much as some of the other schools, but they’re still communicating. We need to reconnect with USC so we’re going to get down there at some point. They have some different plans for how to use Bryce so we just want to talk to them about it. Bryce loves the program.” The Stanford visit is for a junior day.
QB Maquane Goodman of West Florence recently visited NC Sate for a spring practice. The Wolfpack have yet to offer but did invite Goodman to attend camp there this summer. The trip was his first of the spring and he is still considering making the same trip to USC. His offer is from Appalachian State.
During their junior day Saturday, USC handed out offers to LB Amonte Cavan of Smith’s Station, AL and OL Nathan Gilliam of Knoxville, TN.
USC offensive lineman target Steven Gonzalez of New Jersey committed to Penn State last weekend.
OL Mason Veal of Charlotte, a USC target and the son of former Gamecock athletes, committed last week to North Carolina.
ATH De’Ron Maxwell of Swedesboro, NJ was at USC’s junior day Saturday and calls the Gamecocks one of his favorites.
LB Ricky DeBerry Jr. of Richmond, VA announced a reduced list of 20 earlier this week and USC is on the list.
Basketball News:
6-11 center Adonis Delarosa of New York plans to visit USC officially the weekend of April 12th his coach. “I think South Carolina is in very good shape,” Joe Arbitello said. But other schools are still working Delarosa. Alabama coach Anthony Grant and Georgia coach Mark Fox were both up to see him along with Pitt coach Jamie Dixon. Delarosa visited Pitt last weekend.
South Carolina, Auburn and Memphis are the latest to reach out to 6-7 Cinmeon Bowers of Chipola JC, FL. Bowers is a Wisconsin native and a former Florida State commitment. He is regarded as the top junior college talent available for the spring signing period. He is visiting Auburn this weekend and could commit to the Tigers.
6-7 Josh Cunningham of Chicago has drawn interest from Minnesota, Bradley, Creighton, Indiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina. He plans to announce his decision next week.
6-5 A’Ja Wilson of Heathwood Hall will announce her college decision on April 16th. She is choosing from USC, North Carolina, Tennessee and Connecticut.
Baseball News:
Tuesday night junior OF TJ Hopkins (6-2 175) of Summerville announced a commitment to the Gamecocks. He was also drawing interest from Clemson after being previously committed to the College of Charleston. This season Hopkins is batting .389 this season. Hopkins is the Gamecocks’ 13th commitment for the 2015 class.
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