Arden Key to make up his mind
At first glance, you may wonder whether or not South Carolina really needs an 18-year-old kid who has decommitted from the program twice and who refers to himself on Twitter as a “Walking Legend”. The answer: Dig up the Texas A&M game and watch it in its entirety.
Arden Key, a four-star defensive end who initially committed to the Gamecocks back in June 2013, decommitted three months later, then renewed his commitment in June 2014 before decommitting again earlier this month.
Clearly, Key loves the excitement of the recruiting process and plans on milking it for every drop of attention he can get.
Earlier this week, he announced that he would make his decision on Feb. 2, two days prior to national signing day, which is set for Feb. 4.
South Carolina remains fixated at the top of his list along with Auburn, LSU and Miami. Key, the No. 24 recruit in the 2015 class according to ESPN, will take an official visit to South Carolina on Jan. 23.
A Return to the College World Series
In 2012, South Carolina’s baseball team lost to Arizona in the College World Series final. After the loss, the Gamecocks lost their head coach Ray Tanner to a comfy, new Athletics Director position. After the move, the team welcomed its current head coach Chad Holbrook and yet to return to college baseball’s promised land.
A loss to North Carolina in the Super Regionals in 2013 and a loss to Maryland in the 2014 season have kept the Gamecocks on the outside looking in, but a return to the College World Series could restore South Carolina’s baseball team to its glory days of 2010 and 2011.
A return to Omaha would also secure Holbrook’s job for a while at least. If the Gamecocks fail to reach that stage, a coaching change could feasibly take place, and nobody wants to see a former head baseball coach (Tanner) fire the man he chose to succeed him in his old position. So, for the sake of Gamecock nation, a return to the College World Series is something South Carolina needs in 2015.