South Carolina getting more than just talent with four-star lineman
Sept. 24, 2018
MURFREESBORO, TENN. - It burned Oakland High School defensive lineman Joseph Anderson that he couldn’t play.
The four-star South Carolina commit started his senior season at a new school with a bang, but a dislocated elbow first limited him and then put him out of commission. And that stung.
“It’s not fun, because you’ve got to look at everybody else have fun and make plays,” Anderson said. “It’s not fun, but you can cheer on your teammates and build them up.”
On Friday night, he still had on his elbow brace, and at points it still hurt. But he toughed it out in a 24-14 win against Blackman.
After all, a region title was on the line.
“Joe Anderson is a great human being,” Oakland coach Kevin Creasy said. “This guy makes a play the second play of the season on a Division I kid running a speed sweep outside, and he makes it from a shade technique, a 1-technique on the center.”
That’s a 6-foot-4, 268-pound defensive end racing from just over the center to stuff a speed guy on the edge.
Then came the dislocated elbow. Then came a game against the No. 1 team in the state.
“He’s supposed to be out,” Creasy said. “And he comes back and plays for 20 plays just because he’s got a big heart.”
He played the first halves of the first two games, then missed the next two. Coming back against an undefeated Blackman team, he played almost every snap.
He also got a pair of visitors from the Gamecocks staff.
Running backs coach Bobby Bentley was in during the day. Defensive tackles coach Lance Thompson started his day in Atlanta, but made it to the game Friday night.
“It means a lot,” Anderson said. “That means he cares. He wants to see me grow. It was great seeing him here.”
Creasy said the coaches had a message for Anderson.
“They just wanted him to know that they were both here and it was to let Joseph know they came all this way just to let him know that they’re here, still following his high school career,” he said. “They want him to finish strong in high school, and he’s got plenty of time to worry about college.
“They know that a lot of these big-time prospects would lay down and sit out, wouldn’t have dressed. Just for the injury part. Some would do it because they’re scared of the competition, but that’s what burns this guy from the inside out.”
Anderson has been trying to work on growing as a leader as he goes through his senior season. He’s working inside with his high school team, but could be a hybrid end/tackle type in college.
And he’s got big plans when he teams up with 2019 five-star classmate Zacch Pickens.
“He’s physical,” Anderson said. “He’s a smart player. He’s aggressive at the point-of-attack. He’s just a player. He can ball.”
“I think we’ll do well, tear up some backfields.”
Visit plans
Anderson aims to visit USC at least twice this season, for the Texas A&M and Tennessee games. He missed Georgia because of the SAT.
He said he’d like to make it to Columbia at least once more before the Clemson game.
Seeing a bright future
Anderson called the current Gamecocks a young, growing team. He expects to reach the level of an SEC championship squad in coming years.
He’s also been talking with classmates such as Ryan Hilinski, Cam Smith, Derek Boykins, Keveon Mullins, Keshawn Toney, plus Pickens.
He also has taken a shot at recruiting the likes of four-star wide receiver Trey Knox, De’Arre McDonald, a 6-foot-2, three-star corner on his team.
Other interest
Anderson said most other schools stopped bothering him after he made his pledge to USC. The one exception is in-state Tennessee, which at least remains in touch. But he had a promise for South Carolina fans.
“I’m 100 percent Gamecock,” Anderson said.
Sept. 24, 2018
MURFREESBORO, TENN. - It burned Oakland High School defensive lineman Joseph Anderson that he couldn’t play.
The four-star South Carolina commit started his senior season at a new school with a bang, but a dislocated elbow first limited him and then put him out of commission. And that stung.
“It’s not fun, because you’ve got to look at everybody else have fun and make plays,” Anderson said. “It’s not fun, but you can cheer on your teammates and build them up.”
On Friday night, he still had on his elbow brace, and at points it still hurt. But he toughed it out in a 24-14 win against Blackman.
After all, a region title was on the line.
“Joe Anderson is a great human being,” Oakland coach Kevin Creasy said. “This guy makes a play the second play of the season on a Division I kid running a speed sweep outside, and he makes it from a shade technique, a 1-technique on the center.”
That’s a 6-foot-4, 268-pound defensive end racing from just over the center to stuff a speed guy on the edge.
Then came the dislocated elbow. Then came a game against the No. 1 team in the state.
“He’s supposed to be out,” Creasy said. “And he comes back and plays for 20 plays just because he’s got a big heart.”
He played the first halves of the first two games, then missed the next two. Coming back against an undefeated Blackman team, he played almost every snap.
He also got a pair of visitors from the Gamecocks staff.
Running backs coach Bobby Bentley was in during the day. Defensive tackles coach Lance Thompson started his day in Atlanta, but made it to the game Friday night.
“It means a lot,” Anderson said. “That means he cares. He wants to see me grow. It was great seeing him here.”
Creasy said the coaches had a message for Anderson.
“They just wanted him to know that they were both here and it was to let Joseph know they came all this way just to let him know that they’re here, still following his high school career,” he said. “They want him to finish strong in high school, and he’s got plenty of time to worry about college.
“They know that a lot of these big-time prospects would lay down and sit out, wouldn’t have dressed. Just for the injury part. Some would do it because they’re scared of the competition, but that’s what burns this guy from the inside out.”
Anderson has been trying to work on growing as a leader as he goes through his senior season. He’s working inside with his high school team, but could be a hybrid end/tackle type in college.
And he’s got big plans when he teams up with 2019 five-star classmate Zacch Pickens.
“He’s physical,” Anderson said. “He’s a smart player. He’s aggressive at the point-of-attack. He’s just a player. He can ball.”
“I think we’ll do well, tear up some backfields.”
Visit plans
Anderson aims to visit USC at least twice this season, for the Texas A&M and Tennessee games. He missed Georgia because of the SAT.
He said he’d like to make it to Columbia at least once more before the Clemson game.
Seeing a bright future
Anderson called the current Gamecocks a young, growing team. He expects to reach the level of an SEC championship squad in coming years.
He’s also been talking with classmates such as Ryan Hilinski, Cam Smith, Derek Boykins, Keveon Mullins, Keshawn Toney, plus Pickens.
He also has taken a shot at recruiting the likes of four-star wide receiver Trey Knox, De’Arre McDonald, a 6-foot-2, three-star corner on his team.
Other interest
Anderson said most other schools stopped bothering him after he made his pledge to USC. The one exception is in-state Tennessee, which at least remains in touch. But he had a promise for South Carolina fans.
“I’m 100 percent Gamecock,” Anderson said.