W
Wes Mitchell
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FOOTBALL NOTES
** South Carolina's football team has returned to campus and has now gone through two weeks of workouts with the players split into four separate workout groups throughout the day as the guys try to work through all the protocols necessary to get back to normal. As was the plan coming in, there are temperature and symptom checks as each player enters the building and the nutrition staff is handling meals in order to keep the players from having to go out for food.
** It's going to sound like a broken record at this point, but MarShawn Lloyd continues to be the first name out of anyone's mouth when I ask who is impressive. That was certainly the case in the winter workouts and it's carried over to the summer - there's genuine excitement from within about what he's going to bring to the table and it's rare that you have this combination of talent and self-starting work ethic, but that's what Lloyd brings to the table. Even as a freshman, he's the type of athlete who sets the standard for the other guys.
** Similarly, among the freshman, quarterback Luke Doty continues to display "special" traits in terms of work ethic and athleticism. Doty is one of the guys who clearly continued to work through the quarantine and showed back up to campus in great shape.
** Will Muschamp continues to say in interviews that he's excited about the Gamecocks quarterback room and a lot of that stems from Ryan Hilinski's progress with the offense this spring even in the limited five practices. But I also get the impression that it's because of the depth and competition in the room as well. I mentioned this in the spring and I continue to hear that Collin Hill shouldn't be counted out in the QB battle. Even without going through the spring, the fact that Hill knows what Bobo wants, can physically make all the throws and that the other QBs didn't get a full spring, puts him in a position to compete as well. Don't let the fact he went to Colorado State cloud your judgment of him - he's a talented kid in his own right.
** There was some confusion this spring about which freshmen were playing where in the secondary but I've received some clarity on that: Dominick Hill is working at cornerback and O'Donnell Fortune is working at safety. Hill, to me, looked like he was the more physically ready to contribute among the two.
FOOTBALL RECRUITING
** Rock Hill (S.C.) South Pointe three-star ATH O'Mega Blake announced Thursday that he'll be announcing on Monday. I put in a Futurecast prediction for the Gamecocks with Blake shortly after he landed the offer and I see no reason to change that now. Blake will announce his final three this afternoon in anticipation of Saturday's decision and my best guess on that three would be that it's South Carolina, Louisville and Virginia Tech, but either way, the Gamecocks will definitely make the cut.
As we've mentioned before, the 6-foot-2, 188-pound Blake is listed as an "athlete" on Rivals and, for the most part, that's what he's being recruited as for South Carolina. At this point, I expect him to start out at wide receiver, though, with the potential to switch to defensive back down the road if it doesn't work out on offense.
Blake recently ran 40-yard-dash in the 4.5s on a laser and has gotten faster this offseason from what I've been told.
** Oakboro (N.C.) West Stanly three-star linebacker Jordan Poole released a top three on Friday of South Carolina, N.C. State and Virginia Tech, but from what I'm hearing this is a South Carolina-N.C. State battle.
While there was some talk that Poole was going to make a decision this month, the word I'm hearing is that he wants to wait it out a little longer and in an ideal world would like to visit his top schools before deciding. The plan has always been to try and announce before getting to his senior season, possibly in August, so there are two things pushing up against each other as far as the timetable is concerned due to the ongoing halt on recruiting.
Poole has, at least been to Carolina as he camped in Columbia last summer, and has been a priority for the Gamecocks. I don't have a feel yet for which way this one is headed but the Gamecocks are firmly in it.
** We mentioned Viera (Fla.) three-star WR/DB Davis Mallinger as someone to watch when the UCF commit landed an offer from the Gamecocks. The 6-foot-2, 188-pounder appears to be one the Gamecocks have turned up the heat on.
BASKETBALL RECRUITING
** As Collyn has previously reported, Fort Mill (S.C.) Legacy School class of 2021 three-star point guard Jacobi Wright is set to announce his decision on Sunday at 2 p.m. I've got a Futurecast for the Gamecocks in with Wright and see no reason to change that at this point.
Assuming South Carolina lands Wright for one spot, I'd keep an eye on one of the in-state targets like Greenville (S.C.) Christ Church four-star center John Butler Jr. or Hartsville (S.C.) three-star center Cesare Edwards filling the other spot in the class.
The 7-foot, 180-pound Butler is ranked the No. 64 overall prospect and No. 11 center in his class while the 6-foot-10, 200-pound Edwards is ranked the No. 145 overall prospect and No. 22 center by Rivals.
From what I've been told, South Carolina has been in regular contact with both over Zoom and I'd expect them to take official visits before making a decision.
** Looking ahead to the 2022 class, South Carolina is believed to have early traction with Blythewood (S.C.) four-star small forward Julian Phillips and Greenville (S.C.) Legacy three-star power forward Perry Smith Jr.
The 6-foot-7, 175-pound Phillips is ranked the No. 51 overall prospect in his class and is probably the top prospect in the state for his class. South Carolina assistant Chuck Smith has dug in with Phillips and developed a strong relationship while making him a priority. Earlier this month, he gave the latest to Collyn on what should be a wild recruitment.
Bruce Shingler has dug in on Smith, who is considered the No. 145 overall prospect in the class at 6-foot-9, 200-pounds. Smith doesn't yet have an official offer from the Gamecocks, but he's one to watch and is teammates with Wright.
** With the addition of new assistant Will Bailey, I would look for the Gamecocks to have an increased presence in Chicago and the surrounding areas due to Bailey's extensive ties there and some of that is already taking place behind the scenes. South Carolina is also building increased traction in Canada so look for the Gamecocks to continue to look north of the US for players much like they did with A.J. Lawson.
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