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Brian Shoemaker
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Gamecock Nation Today
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Good morning and Happy Thursday!
Yesterday: The men's basketball team traveled to Nashville to prepare for Friday's SEC Tournament game, the softball team played a doubleheader versus Bryant and won both games, and swimming & diving's Marissa Roth qualified for the NCAA Championships.
Reminder: Gamecock Central's Wes Mitchell is the guest speaker at tonight's Anderson County Gamecock Club meeting.
Customize: You get to choose which breaking news alerts and newsletters to receive from Gamecock Central.
– Brian Shoemaker (email)
Dennis Daley/Credit: Chris Gillespie
1. The Ides of March
If you’re waiting on some dominos to fall with the Gamecocks’ recruiting efforts for the 2020 cycle, history shows you will likely be waiting until later in the spring or summer.
It’s amazing to see how college football recruiting has evolved over the last several years. Whether it’s the significant increase in media attention given, the way social media has changed the landscape, or the way the recruiting calendar has shifted, covering recruiting in 2019 is vastly different than covering it in 2009.
The last change – movement in the NCAA’s recruiting calendar – is just one reason why we are seeing more and more early commitments from prospects. Many elect to get it out of the way well in advance of the newer December signing period. There’s been an uptick in prospects that decide to enroll early. Prospects are allowed to take official visits in the spring, in addition to the fall/winter dates of the past.
Looking back at South Carolina’s commitment lists during the Rivals.com era gives an interesting glimpse into how the landscape of recruiting has changed in Columbia. In the early 2000s, most commitments came much later in the process. As the years went on, so did the amount of earlier pledges. Yet, for one reason or another, one data point we noticed is that not many prospects in USC’s recent history have pledged to USC in the month of March.
Here are some interesting notes we found:
- For South Carolina’s 2005 and 2006 classes, no prospects verbally committed prior to the summer.
- The 2007 class brought USC’s first April pledge in the Rivals era in the form of four-star offensive lineman Quintin Richardson out of Spring Valley.
- The 2009 class held the first March commitment in Gamecock Central’s history, that being former fan favorite Chris Payne. Of course, Payne never enrolled at South Carolina, ending up at junior college and then Texas Tech.
- Kelcy Quarles was a very early commitment for USC – he made his pledge in November of 2008. Originally a 2010 class member out of Greenwood, Quarles ended up as an early enrollee in 2011 after spending a semester at prep school.
- In Will Muschamp’s first class, running back C.J. Freeman (transferred to Iowa Western) was another March commitment.
- Other March commitments under Will Muschamp: Dennis Daley, Damani Staley, and Summie Carlay in the 2017 class, Hank Manos in the 2018 class, and Keshawn Toney and Jahkeem Green (did not sign) in the 2019 crop.
– Chris Clark (email)
D.J. Wonnum/Credit: Chris Gillespie
2. A little Gamecock football
The football team has been off this week as it's spring break for the university.
But next week:
- Practices on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
- USC's Pro Timing Day on Thursday
- Will Muschamp Coaches Clinic on Friday and Saturday
The Garnet & Black Spring Game is Saturday, April 6.
Robinson says d-line is 'our most talented unit' – For the first time since Will Muschamp and Travaris Robinson arrived in Columbia three years ago, the defensive line is not a question mark heading into the season. (link)
Wolford on several Gamecocks' OL signees – Offensive line coach Eric Wolford signed a five-man o-line class for 2019 and he was recently asked specifically about three of those players. He goes in-depth with thoughts on each. (link)
Will Muschamp Coaches Clinic – Reservations are being accepted for the fourth annual Will Muschamp Football Coaches Clinic. The clinic is set for March 22-23. (link)
Recruiting: Best bets for the 2020 class – Which 2020 prospect at each position is most likely to sign with South Carolina as of today? In this popular feature, we go position by position on offense and defense and give insight into which one player the Gamecocks have the best chance of landing. (subscription)
Frank Martin/Credit: Chris Gillespie
3. New and notes
NFL: Cann is getting paid – Former South Carolina guard A.J. Cann is set to re-sign with the Jaguars in a three-year deal worth just over $15 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. An All-American at South Carolina, Cann just played the final year of his initial four-year deal with the Jags, which was worth just over $3 million total.
- Related: Gamecocks in the NFL page
Men's Basketball: Frank Martin's salary rank – The USA Today Sports survey of 2018-19 NCAA Division I men's basketball coaches compensation was published Wednesday. Martin's $2.95 million comes in at No. 22 on the list. (link)
Men's Basketball: Comparing USC's resume to bubble teams – Gamecock Central reporter Collyn Taylor with a comparison of teams with less than 20 wins listed as either one of the last eight in or last eight out by Joe Lunardi. (subscription)
Men's Basketball: Joe Rhett podcast previewing the SEC Tournament – With the SEC Tournament set to begin, Gamecock great Joe Rhett offers a preview of the event. (link)
Junior Gamecock Club Punt, Pass & Kick on April 6 – Boys and girls who are members of the Junior Gamecock Club will compete in punting, passing and place-kicking skills. The age divisions are 6-7, 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. The top scorers will have the opportunity to compete at halftime of the spring game later the same day. (link)
Softball: Gamecocks sweep Bryant doubleheader – USC was dominant from start to finish in a doubleheader sweep of Bryant. The Gamecocks defeated the Bulldogs, 7-0, in the first game followed by a, 10-2, victory in six innings. (link)
- Related: A highlight from yesterday
Men's Tennis: USC remains the No. 4 team in the Tennis Channel/USTA College Tennis Men's Top 25. Ahead of the Gamecocks are Ohio State, Wake Forest and Texas.
Women's Tennis: South Carolina remains the No. 7 team in the Tennis Channel/USTA College Tennis Women's Top 25. Ahead of the Gamecocks are Georgia, North Carolina, Stanford, Duke, Vanderbilt and Texas.
Men's Golf: Miles named SEC Golfer of the Week – Will Miles was named SEC Golfer of the Week. On Tuesday, he won the 2019 Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate. (link)
Swimming & Diving: Gamecocks finish week with three NCAA qualifiers – Wednesday was the final day of the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships, and Marissa Roth finished fourth in the women's platform competition to qualify for next week's NCAA Championships. Roth will be joined by Anton Down-Jenkins and Mikaela Lujan. (link)
ICYMI: Gamecocks hold on to beat The Citadel – Gage Hinson watched as the four other bullpen pitchers before him struggled to keep The Citadel’s lineup off of the bases and off of the scoreboard Tuesday night. So, when it was his turn to come in in the bottom of the eighth, he knew what he had to do. Hinson pounded the zone, escaping a jam in the inning and shutting the door in the ninth as the Gamecocks held on to beat the Bulldogs, 10-9. (link)
Baseball podcast with Kip Bouknight: Bulldogs and more Bulldogs this weekend – Gamecock great Kip Bouknight discusses this week's matchups with The Citadel and Georgia. (link)
– Jackson Fields (email)
Mark Kingston/Credit: Chris Gillespie
4. Plan your schedule accordingly
Thursday, March 14
• All day – Swimming & Diving, CSCAA National Invitational (Cleveland)
• 12:30 pm – Baseball, Mark Kingston and players speak with the media to preview the Georgia series
• 7:30 pm – Men's Basketball, Frank Martin speaks with the media (Nashville)
Friday, March 15
• All day – Swimming & Diving, CSCAA National Invitational (Cleveland)
• All day – Track & Field, Black and Gold Invitational (Orlando)
• 3:30 – Men's Basketball, SEC Tournament (Nashville), ESPN
• 5 pm – Women's Tennis hosts Tennessee, YouTube
• 5 pm – Men's Tennis at Tennessee
• 7 pm – Softball at Arkansas
• 7 pm – Baseball hosts Georgia, SECN+
Saturday, March 16
• All day – Swimming & Diving, CSCAA National Invitational (Cleveland)
• All day – Track & Field, Black and Gold Invitational (Orlando)
• 1 pm - Beach Volleyball vs. UAB in Gamecock Grand Slam
• 2 pm - Softball at Arkansas
• 4 pm - Baseball hosts Georgia, SECN+
• 5 pm - Beach Volleyball vs. Georgia State in Gamecock Grand Slam
– Jackson Fields (email)
5. This Date in Gamecock History
March 14, 1975 – The Gamecocks took both ends of a double-header from Virginia, as Earl Bass shut out UVA in game one 6-0 with relief help from Scott Thomas, while Steve King's RBI single in the ninth inning of game two completed a 5-4 comeback victory. Jeff Grantz had a two-run homer for Carolina in the opener, as Bass and Thomas combined to allow just six hits. In addition to his game-winning single, King added a solo homer in the nightcap, as Greg Ward picked up the win in relief. USC improved to 9-0 on the season with the pair of victories.
– John Parker (gamecockarchives.com)
6. Key Dates (Countdown)
• March 21 – Football: Pro Timing Day (7 days)
• March 22 – Muschamp Coaches Clinic (8)
• April 6 – Football: Spring game (23)
• April 25 – NFL Draft begins (42)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (55)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (68)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (123)
• July 20 – Muschamp Ladies Football Clinic (128)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (170)
7. Birthdays and Celebrations!
Gamecock Central birthdays
• @brucemarsh (Member since 2003)
• @cock43 (2008)
• @tacman72 (2008)
If you have a Gamecock Central account - free or subscription - you can add your birthday here.
Gamecock Nation birthdays
• Tim Dyches (deceased) – The younger brother of Gamecock center Danny Dyches (1967-70), Tim was named all-area as a junior at Hanahan in 1976, then made all-area and all-state teams as a senior in 1977. He played in the Shrine Bowl and was named to Joe Terranova’s National Top 400 recruits list. He redshirted in 1978 and worked as a backup tackle in 1979. He backed up senior Chuck Slaughter at left tackle in 1980, then took over as the starter in 1981. Dyches moved to left guard and started there in 1982 while also acting as one of the team captains. Dyches died in a motorcycle accident in 1984 while living in Hanahan.
• George Hyder (football/defensive end, 1983-85)
• Matt Marsters (football/defensive end, 1996-99)
• Jermaine Sims (football/running back, 2003-05)
• Bill Vandegriff (football/offensive tackle, 1987-90)
• Brandon Wallace (basketball/forward, 2003-07)
• Sada Wheeler (women's basketball/center, 2008-09)
– John Parker (gamecockarchives.com)
8. Around Gamecock Nation
• March 14 – Anderson County Gamecock Club meeting ***
• March 27 – Greenville, President's Reception (link)
• April 10 – Give 4 Garnet (link)
• April 23 – Augusta, Spurs Up Tour
• April 24 – Midlands, Spurs Up Tour
• April 29 – Lancaster, Spurs Up Tour
• April 30 – Greenville, Spurs Up Tour
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
*** Gamecock Central's Wes Mitchell is the guest speaker at tonight's Anderson County Gamecock Club meeting at the Earle Street Bar & Grill. Admission is free. A cash bar and food menu will be available. Doors open at 6 and the program begins at 6:30.
Note: Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including specific locations and ticket prices, will be announced as it becomes available.
– Brian Shoemaker (email)
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