W
Wes Mitchell
Guest
Recruiting notes...
** Four-star offensive tackle Dylan Wonnum hosted coaches from each of his finalists this week with South Carolina coaches Eric Wolford and Bryan McClendon getting the last visit. We felt good about Carolina's chances following the official visit to Columbia over the weekend and have only had those feelings strengthened following Wonnum's final meetings with each coaching staff. Wonnum, who plans to announce his commitment at some time Saturday, is someone I would project in the Gamecocks class.
** South Carolina has cautious confidence that three-star defensive end John Mincey will choose the Gamecocks and the feeling around Mincey is the same, though Mincey has not yet informed the staffs of his pick from what we've been told. Mincey has made up his mind, though, and said earlier that only two or three people know his decision.
Mincey will not take an official visit this weekend and Travaris Robinson and Lance Thompson are scheduled to be at his school today before he announces on Wednesday. This isn't one of those scenario where we know the pick but just can't say, so we're not calling it a done deal, but it seems to be headed Carolina's way.
** Finally to four-star defensive tackle Rick Sandidge, who will host Will Muschamp, Bobby Bentley and the entire defensive staff for his in-home visit Saturday.
I would say there's cautious optimism from the South Carolina end with Sandidge, though Georgia's in-home visit Wednesday left an impression and left the Sandidge family with additional factors to consider. Sandidge and his family have taken an in-depth approach to the recruiting process with lots of questions for each final staff.
Carolina will have its final in-person opportunity to answer all those questions on Saturday before the Sandidges shut down for a little while in an effort to make the actual decision on Monday (then announce on Wednesday of course).
Sandidge's mother, Keshia, described it as a heart vs. head decision to DawgNation, though it's also worth pointing out that the Georgia Rivals site, UGASports, is less confident in Georgia's position today than they were heading into the Kirby Smart in-home.
Add all of that together and we still give Carolina an edge, but it still "isn't over until it's over."
** Will Muschamp is hitting at least a couple of in-state territories today as I've been told he was by Dillon (S.C.) High early this afternoon. South Carolina is still scouting Dillon's 2019 defensive end Shamar McCollum, who has an opportunity to pick up a Carolina offer at some point and probably profiles as a BUCK in the scheme. Dillon also has several underclassmen who have a chance to be major prospects.
I'm told that after that Muschamp was scheduled to head to Myrtle Beach, home of class of 2020 quarterback Luke Doty, who holds a Carolina offer. As we previously reported, Bobby Bentley was by Myrtle Beach a couple of weeks ago and we'd look for Doty to visit Columbia soon for some extended time with new quarterbacks coach Dan Werner. Carolina is in decent shape with Doty early on though and has made an impression.
** Finally, I'm told that Bentley was scheduled to see Charlotte (N.C.) Harding five-star ATH Quavaris Crouch today. It's going to be an all-out battle for Crouch's signature, but he's been on campus multiple times in the last year and has strong interest in the Gamecocks.
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