Gamecocks can't get every elite prospect; Worley went where he best fit
South Carolina didn't recruit Justin Worley when he was running roughshod over defenses at Northwestern High in Rock Hill en route to a 4A state championship and being named Gatorade National Player of the Year last fall. And in fairness to the Gamecocks, few major programs did.
But, Tennessee did recruit Worley. And Worley signed with the Volunteers. Now he will make his first career start at quarterback against the Gamecocks. Hence, the hand wringing among USC fans has begun, fearful that Worley will now turn around and deal the Gamecocks a crushing defeat.
Maybe that will happen. I highly doubt it will. Worley's a talented kid, sure, but it's his first career start, his supporting cast is less than stellar and USC is far and away the better team. But even if it does happen, it wouldn't be an indictment of the Carolina coaching staff or its recruiting prowess.
There are scholarship limits now. No longer can a coach go out and operate like legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant did, grabbing every elite high school player in sight in order to prevent them from heading to a rival school.
The USC staff made a decision. Worley's skills weren't the best fit for what it wants to do. So it "went in another direction," coach Steve Spurrier said, and signed Tanner McEvoy. Worley then found a home on Rocky Top. No messy recruiting debacle. No jilted parties or hurt feelings. The in-state school went one way; the out-of-state school went the other.
Just because a kid hails from inside your state borders and from its most fertile talent grounds — there's something in that water, as Jadeveon Clowney put it earlier this fall — doesn't mean he has to come to the nearby school, nor does that school have to pursue him. USC fans don't seem to mind much when the Gamecocks pluck a heralded kid from Georgia or Florida. Tennessee should be able to do the same.
In fact, Worley's familiarity may actually benefit USC. A lot of teams would probably dismiss a true freshman making his first career start. And it would be easy for the Gamecocks to do that — they have the best statistical pass defense in the nation and a defensive line that gives signal callers nightmares. But they won't, because they know Worley and respect him.
Brison Williams said USC will approach Worley like it would any starting quarterback. Stephon Gilmore, who played against Worley in high school, said he is a "great" player. DeVonte Holloman, another former opponent, echoed that sentiment. Clowney's South Pointe team lost to Worley's Trojans last year — something defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said he reminded Clowney of for motivation.
Not that the Gamecocks likely need much more of that, though. They know what's at stake: a chance at a second straight SEC East title. What isn't at stake is the recruiting expertise of Spurrier and his staff. USC got the quarterback in the class of 2011 it wanted. Tennessee did as well. Simple as that.