Size, power and character describe USC tailback commit
December 18, 2017
Curt Bradley describes South Carolina pledge Deshaun Fenwick as a bruiser, a workhorse and a “bell cow.”
So a week after the Braden River (Florida) High School coach only gave his SEC-bound running back five carries in a game, Bradley called Fenwick’s name 18 times – in the first half.
On Oct. 26, Braden River won a game in which Fenwick had 220 yards before the second quarter ended. Feed the beast and he’ll reward you. That’s what Bradley learned this fall as Fenwick led the Pirates to a 10-2 record.
“He was ready to go from the first play until the last,” Bradley said. “He didn’t really wear down. He wore some other people down. But a couple games he had 20-plus carries. He had two or three 200-yard plus games in which he was getting the ball a lot and breaking a lot of tackles. It was part of his size, speed and power, for sure.”
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Fenwick, a three-star prospect who committed to the Gamecocks in May, will sign his national letter of intent to USC on Wednesday. He’ll enroll at the school next month.
The listed 6-foot-3, 208-pounder ran for 1,401 yards (8.7 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns this season for Braden River.
“His junior year, he kind of split the tailback role with another young man that’s at Northwest Missouri State (Raymond Thomas),” Bradley said. “So stepping into his senior year, he was kind of the main ball-carrier for us. So stepping into that role and being a guy that can carry the ball 20-25 times a game was something that was fairly new to him.
“So he kind of stepped into that workhorse, bell cow type of role and that was big for him his senior year.”
Fenwick had offers from the likes of Georgia, Ole Miss, Missouri, Central Florida and South Florida.
He was courted by Gamecock running backs coach Bobby Bentley. Recently fired offensive coordinator Kurt Roper was not involved in Fenwick’s recruitment. The next Carolina OC, though, will be handed a versatile treat in the backfield.
“As tall as he is, he uses his height in the passing game,” Bradley said of Fenwick. “He’s got great ball skills, so he can flex out and be a mismatch against a linebacker in the pass game.
“In the run game, he’s just a big bruising body that will be a 225-pound tailback in college. That’s what you need in the SEC to survive down there. It’s a bruising week-in, week-out league and he’s got to be able to take the punishment on a weekly basis.”
Fenwick moved to Florida during his high school years, leaving behind a rough neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky.
He was raised by his mother and grandfather before coming to Florida to live with his John Ferrito, a former youth coach.
“Coming from where he came from, he was a little immature at times in the beginning,” Bradley said. “That improved over time. We’ve had a pretty successful program down here, so becoming a good teammate and becoming part of a successful program was good for him and he learned and his work ethic improved as time went on.
“South Carolina’s getting a good football player and a good young man.”
THE STATE
December 18, 2017
Curt Bradley describes South Carolina pledge Deshaun Fenwick as a bruiser, a workhorse and a “bell cow.”
So a week after the Braden River (Florida) High School coach only gave his SEC-bound running back five carries in a game, Bradley called Fenwick’s name 18 times – in the first half.
On Oct. 26, Braden River won a game in which Fenwick had 220 yards before the second quarter ended. Feed the beast and he’ll reward you. That’s what Bradley learned this fall as Fenwick led the Pirates to a 10-2 record.
“He was ready to go from the first play until the last,” Bradley said. “He didn’t really wear down. He wore some other people down. But a couple games he had 20-plus carries. He had two or three 200-yard plus games in which he was getting the ball a lot and breaking a lot of tackles. It was part of his size, speed and power, for sure.”
Never miss a local story.
Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.
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Fenwick, a three-star prospect who committed to the Gamecocks in May, will sign his national letter of intent to USC on Wednesday. He’ll enroll at the school next month.
The listed 6-foot-3, 208-pounder ran for 1,401 yards (8.7 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns this season for Braden River.
“His junior year, he kind of split the tailback role with another young man that’s at Northwest Missouri State (Raymond Thomas),” Bradley said. “So stepping into his senior year, he was kind of the main ball-carrier for us. So stepping into that role and being a guy that can carry the ball 20-25 times a game was something that was fairly new to him.
“So he kind of stepped into that workhorse, bell cow type of role and that was big for him his senior year.”
Fenwick had offers from the likes of Georgia, Ole Miss, Missouri, Central Florida and South Florida.
He was courted by Gamecock running backs coach Bobby Bentley. Recently fired offensive coordinator Kurt Roper was not involved in Fenwick’s recruitment. The next Carolina OC, though, will be handed a versatile treat in the backfield.
“As tall as he is, he uses his height in the passing game,” Bradley said of Fenwick. “He’s got great ball skills, so he can flex out and be a mismatch against a linebacker in the pass game.
“In the run game, he’s just a big bruising body that will be a 225-pound tailback in college. That’s what you need in the SEC to survive down there. It’s a bruising week-in, week-out league and he’s got to be able to take the punishment on a weekly basis.”
Fenwick moved to Florida during his high school years, leaving behind a rough neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky.
He was raised by his mother and grandfather before coming to Florida to live with his John Ferrito, a former youth coach.
“Coming from where he came from, he was a little immature at times in the beginning,” Bradley said. “That improved over time. We’ve had a pretty successful program down here, so becoming a good teammate and becoming part of a successful program was good for him and he learned and his work ethic improved as time went on.
“South Carolina’s getting a good football player and a good young man.”
THE STATE