USC will have 25 commitments sign today
For South Carolina fans who don’t like surprises, National Signing Day will be particularly enjoyable this year.
At this time last year, Gamecock fans knew would have to wait until Valentine's Day to see Jadeveon Clowney, rated the No. 1 recruit in the nation, select South Carolina over other suitors Alabama and Clemson.
With new SEC over-signing rules, the Gamecocks cannot sign more than 25 recruits for the 2012 season, and as of Monday, USC has 25 commitments who intend to sign their National Letter of Intent today.
For an offseason that has seen the coaching staff reshuffled, from assistant head coach Ellis Johnson to head strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald departing for other programs, the Gamecocks have managed to keep the signing day drama to a minimum.
“One factor that’s helped USC is that they are far from the only school that has experienced some turnover,” said Barton Simmons, national recruiting director of 247Sports. “Lots of assistants have been moving all over the country and South Carolina is just part of the shuffling. They’ve really done a good job of locking down their commitment list and adding a couple of guys late.”
Chad Simmons, national recruiting analyst at Scout.com, thinks that the reason USC has been able to keep its class together is the consistency of the head coaching position with Steve Spurrier.
“It starts at the top,” Simmons said in an email. “There have been many changes in the SEC this season, but like Carolina, Auburn, Florida and others have held their classes together for the most part. Steve Spurrier is still there and these kids believe in what he is doing, so as long as he stayed, most of the class stayed. Spurrier leads the ship, and the face of the program staying kept this class together.”
Furthermore, defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward, who was promoted to replace Johnson, stayed on the staff. This may have contributed to USC getting its final recruit, Chris Moody, an athlete from McDonough, Ga., on Monday, according to Moody’s high school coach Mike Rozier. Moody switched from a commitment to Vanderbilt to one for USC after visiting the campus.
“I think coach Ward does an excellent job,” Rozier said. “Coach Ward convinced him that he was his position coach, his recruiting coach and defensive coordinator. He did a great job recruiting him, and Ward was the very first guy to offer him.”
Rozier described Moody as a steal for the Gamecocks, saying he was a dual-threat guy who could fill a variety of roles on the field, though USC would most likely utilize him as a defensive back.
“I think [it was] getting to meet coach Spurrier over the weekend and spending some time with his family,” Rozier said. “I know his father really enjoyed the visit. He just felt comfortable with South Carolina.”
And while Rozier sees Moody as a steal, the expert opinion is across the board. Chad Simmons sees Rico McWilliams, a cornerback from Hampton, Ga., as “one of the top cover guys in the South.” Gerry Hamilton, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, said safety Jordan Diggs from Cape Coral, Fla., has a chance to see the field early, likely playing the “SPUR” position. Barton Simmons sees the sleepers as Jhaustin Thomas, a strongside defensive end from Decatur, Ga., and TJ Gurley, a cornerback from Cairo, Ga.
When taking into consideration South Carolina’s highest-rated recruit in Mike Davis, a running back from Stephenson, Ga., it’s clear that USC got some of its top recruits from its neighbor state.
“It’s crucial for South Carolina to supplement in-state prospects with players form Georgia and Florida,” Barton Simmons said. “South Carolina has elite talent at the top of the state, but it doesn’t have great depth. This year in particular, the state of Georgia has really made the South Carolina class. Mike Davis, Darius English, Joe Harris and Chaz Elder are the stars of this class in my opinion, and they’re all from the Peach State.”
Whether from the Peach, Orange, Palmetto or Garden State, Gamecock fans know what to expect this year and can spend National Signing Day watching other programs agonize over whether or not they’ll sign the next Clowney.