South Carolina recruiting: The commitment that wasn’t, an assist from the soccer team and chasing a safety
June 28, 2016
The events that transpired on Friday with Zay Brown are already documented, including the #SpursUp tweet from Will Muschamp that normally signifies a commitment.
If Brown is committed, he hasn’t revealed it publicly. But what hasn’t been covered is what pushed the 3-star safety to the brink of committing to South Carolina.
Earlier this month, on the last day of the Will Muschamp Football Camp, Brown and his teammate, 2019 RB Jonathan Sewell, were offered by the Gamecocks.
The prospects from Clarke Central High School (Athens, Ga.) had just finished with the 1-on-1 period when Muschamp approached.
“We got ready to go and I ran over to where the Gatorade was and coach Muschamp was like, ‘I’ll be with you and Zay in a minute. I want to offer you, you and Zay,’” Sewell said. “I was happy. That was my first SEC offer.”
It was Brown’s first SEC offer, too.
“Coach Muschamp told me that he coaches safeties and he told me he would love to coach me up, while I’m in college,” he said.
Sewell added, “It was very cool. It means the world to both of us. We really cherished that moment. That was a moment we’ll never forget.”
Brotherly love
South Carolina soccer coach Mark Berson is working on his first assist to the new football coaches.
Earlier this year, Berson gave Will Muschamp’s staff a heads up about the younger brother of Peyton Ericson, a Conference USA All-Freshman defender on the Gamecocks soccer team.
Warren Ericson had contact with the prior staff at South Carolina, but interest ramped up after word got out on the 2018 offensive guard from North Gwinnett High School (Suwanee, Ga.).
An offer was extended on June 2. Nine days later, Ericson was in Columbia, ready to work with Shawn Elliott at the first lineman camp of the summer.
“(Elliott’s) really into correcting them timing of your punch. There were a lot of punching drills that really seemed to help me,” Ericson said. “It really was a good all-around camp. It was probably one of the better ones that I’ve been to.”
South Carolina’s head coach made quite the impression.
“One thing that really stood out to me, (Muschamp) said I’m a very high priority for them,” Ericson said. “Coming from the head coach, I’m an offensive lineman, that usually doesn’t happen that much. I thought was very cool, that he thinks so highly of me, so does coach Elliott.”
Florida, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt have also offered the 6-foot-4, 290-pound prospect.
‘Blessed’ to have one from the SEC
At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Chris Bell has the look of a safety in the SEC. However, the 3-star safety from Hendersonville, Tenn., holds just one offer from the league.
South Carolina pulled the trigger earlier this month when running backs coach Bobby Bentley was in the Nashville area for a satellite camp.
“I’m just blessed. First SEC offer, that’s huge for me,” Bell said of South Carolina. “I didn’t know when I was going to get it, whether it was going to be before the season, or if I was going to get it at all. I’m just thankful.”
Jackson State, Mercer and Tennessee State have also offered the No. 123 safety in the class of 2017.
“They talked to me before the camp and (Bentley) was just saying he was going to keep an eye on me, see how I do, because he liked my size and stuff,” Bell said. “I guess I put on a good show and he offered me.”
Since the offer was made, the Gamecocks have landed commitments from three defensive backs, including 3-star safety Jaylin Dickerson.
SECCOUNTRY
June 28, 2016
The events that transpired on Friday with Zay Brown are already documented, including the #SpursUp tweet from Will Muschamp that normally signifies a commitment.
If Brown is committed, he hasn’t revealed it publicly. But what hasn’t been covered is what pushed the 3-star safety to the brink of committing to South Carolina.
Earlier this month, on the last day of the Will Muschamp Football Camp, Brown and his teammate, 2019 RB Jonathan Sewell, were offered by the Gamecocks.
The prospects from Clarke Central High School (Athens, Ga.) had just finished with the 1-on-1 period when Muschamp approached.
“We got ready to go and I ran over to where the Gatorade was and coach Muschamp was like, ‘I’ll be with you and Zay in a minute. I want to offer you, you and Zay,’” Sewell said. “I was happy. That was my first SEC offer.”
It was Brown’s first SEC offer, too.
“Coach Muschamp told me that he coaches safeties and he told me he would love to coach me up, while I’m in college,” he said.
Sewell added, “It was very cool. It means the world to both of us. We really cherished that moment. That was a moment we’ll never forget.”
Brotherly love
South Carolina soccer coach Mark Berson is working on his first assist to the new football coaches.
Earlier this year, Berson gave Will Muschamp’s staff a heads up about the younger brother of Peyton Ericson, a Conference USA All-Freshman defender on the Gamecocks soccer team.
Warren Ericson had contact with the prior staff at South Carolina, but interest ramped up after word got out on the 2018 offensive guard from North Gwinnett High School (Suwanee, Ga.).
An offer was extended on June 2. Nine days later, Ericson was in Columbia, ready to work with Shawn Elliott at the first lineman camp of the summer.
“(Elliott’s) really into correcting them timing of your punch. There were a lot of punching drills that really seemed to help me,” Ericson said. “It really was a good all-around camp. It was probably one of the better ones that I’ve been to.”
South Carolina’s head coach made quite the impression.
“One thing that really stood out to me, (Muschamp) said I’m a very high priority for them,” Ericson said. “Coming from the head coach, I’m an offensive lineman, that usually doesn’t happen that much. I thought was very cool, that he thinks so highly of me, so does coach Elliott.”
Florida, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt have also offered the 6-foot-4, 290-pound prospect.
‘Blessed’ to have one from the SEC
At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Chris Bell has the look of a safety in the SEC. However, the 3-star safety from Hendersonville, Tenn., holds just one offer from the league.
South Carolina pulled the trigger earlier this month when running backs coach Bobby Bentley was in the Nashville area for a satellite camp.
“I’m just blessed. First SEC offer, that’s huge for me,” Bell said of South Carolina. “I didn’t know when I was going to get it, whether it was going to be before the season, or if I was going to get it at all. I’m just thankful.”
Jackson State, Mercer and Tennessee State have also offered the No. 123 safety in the class of 2017.
“They talked to me before the camp and (Bentley) was just saying he was going to keep an eye on me, see how I do, because he liked my size and stuff,” Bell said. “I guess I put on a good show and he offered me.”
Since the offer was made, the Gamecocks have landed commitments from three defensive backs, including 3-star safety Jaylin Dickerson.
SECCOUNTRY
