B
Brian Shoemaker
Guest
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Good morning from Gamecock Central.
We're 64 days away from the Gamecocks playing North Carolina.
✅ Vote early
✅ Vote often
✅ Really, once would be great; GamecockCentral.com has been nominated for Best Local Website for Sports (link to vote)
Alex Huntley took his official visit to USC in June (Credit: Rivals)
1. Spring official visit trend shows no signs of slowing
The NCAA recruiting calendar used to only allow for official visits during the fall of a prospect's senior season, but as the early signing period for football was introduced during the 2018 recruiting cycle, the NCAA started allowing for prospects to take official visits in the spring and summer, starting with the 2019 recruiting class.
While some schools have been slow to bring in prospects that early in the cycle - instead choosing to save their official visits for a more traditional time table - South Carolina has embraced the new calendar.
With prospects increasingly more likely to want to commit before their senior seasons begin - effectively eliminating a good portion of the time and effort that the recruiting process requires - the Gamecocks have followed suit with trying to complete the majority of their class before the fall.
• South Carolina has already hosted 26 official visitors on its campus for the 2020 recruiting cycle. The Gamecocks hosted three prospects the weekend of April 26, 11 starting on May 31, five on June 7, five more on June 14 and two on June 21. To this point, 11 of those prospects are committed to South Carolina.
• That's over twice as many prospects as the year before when South Carolina hosted 12 class of 2019 prospects for their officials during the spring and ultimately signed eight of those prospects.
• South Carolina currently has 14 prospects committed to the 2020 class, plus pledges from two transfers who will count towards the class. Several other targets, such as defensive linemen Myles Murphy and Tonka Hemingway and defensive back Joey Hunter, have announced their intentions to commit before the summer is over.
This time last year, Carolina also had 14 of its eventual signees already committed with Keveon Mullins committing exactly one year ago today.
– Wes Mitchell
2. 6️⃣4️⃣ Countdown to kickoff: 64 days!
Our countdown to South Carolina's 2019 season opener against North Carolina in Charlotte is now down to just 64 days. With no current No. 64 on the roster, we go back to former defensive end Marty Dye (1988-91).
Dye entered college as an offensive lineman but quickly switched sides of the ball and became one of the best players on defense. Across four seasons, Dye amassed 300 tackles, including 15 for loss, earning All-South Independent Honors as a senior in 1991.
– Will Helms
3. This, that, and the other
Football Recruiting: JUCO wideout has a favorite - Scoobie Ford talks Gamecocks offer and favorites. (link)
The latest: South Carolina Gamecocks football recruiting news - Will Muschamp and the South Carolina Gamecocks football program continues its pursuit of a strong 2020 recruiting class as the month of July approaches. Catch up on the very latest Gamecock football recruiting news in this feature. (link)
Baseball Recruiting: Gamecock commits on the move in latest PerfectGame rankings - With the 2019 draft over and coaches turning their attention to building their 2020, 2021 and 2022 classes, PerfectGame's released a fresh batch of rankings with the Gamecocks well represented across all three classes. (link)
Gamecock Success Week: Another great year to be a Gamecock - The 2018-19 athletics season saw South Carolina student-athletes earn SEC and national championships, numerous records fell, and a large number of programs advanced to the postseason. (link)
Track and Field: Mueller, Chance honored - Allie Mueller and Arinze Chance were named to the Google Cloud Academic All-America team. (link)
– Jackson Fields
4. This Date in Gamecock History
June 28, 2011 – The Gamecocks claimed their second straight College World Series championship by knocking off Florida, 5-2, behind the pitching of Michael Roth.
5. Birthdays!
• Phil Ellis – Ellis signed with South Carolina over Kentucky, Georgia Tech and Memphis State. He redshirted in 1978, started at defensive end in 1979 and stayed in the starting lineup for four seasons. In 1979, Ellis was second on the team in sacks. As a sophomore in 1980, he tied Andrew Provence for the lead with seven sacks - despite missing one game and part of another with an ankle injury - and was eighth in tackles. As a junior in 1981, he was seventh in tackles and tied for third in sacks. He earned honorable mention all-state honors in 1982 when he moved to an outside linebacker position and finished sixth in tackles.
• Jesse Barbaro (baseball/first base, 2009)
• Danny Gordon (football/quarterback, 2015-18)
• Emmanuel Weaver (football/middle guard, 1980-81)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
6. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• July 11 – Baseball: Prospect camp (13 days)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days, Day 1 (17)
• July 16 – SEC Media Days, Day 2 (18)
• July 17 – SEC Media Days, Day 3 (19)
• July 18 – SEC Media Days, Day 4 (20)
• July 18 – Baseball: Prospect camp (20)
• July 20 – Football: Ladies Clinic (22)
• Aug. 1 – Football: Media Day (34)
• Aug. 17 – Baseball: Elite prospect camp (50)
• Aug. 22 – My Carolina Sports Preview (55)
• Aug. 22 – Carolina Calls feat. Muschamp (55)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (64)
• Nov. 13 – Basketball: Early signing period (138)
• Dec. 18 – Football: Early signing period (173)
• Feb. 5 – Football: Regular signing period (222)
7. Newest Podcast: Camp, Commitment Recap
Gamecock Central football and recruiting insiders Chris Clark and Wes Mitchell join host Pearson Fowler on Another Carolina Podcast. Topics on this episode include:
Listen to Gamecock Central Podcasts on these platforms: Apple iTunes Podcasts| Spotify | PlayerFM | SoundCloud | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | Spreaker | YouTube
ALSO: more episodes | GC Radio app: App Store - Google Play
– Wes Mitchell
DID YOU KNOW? You can receive this report (Gamecocks Today) early each morning in your email inbox. Sign up here.
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GAMECOCKS TODAY!
Friday, June 28
Friday, June 28
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
We're 64 days away from the Gamecocks playing North Carolina.
✅ Vote early
✅ Vote often
✅ Really, once would be great; GamecockCentral.com has been nominated for Best Local Website for Sports (link to vote)
Alex Huntley took his official visit to USC in June (Credit: Rivals)
1. Spring official visit trend shows no signs of slowing
The NCAA recruiting calendar used to only allow for official visits during the fall of a prospect's senior season, but as the early signing period for football was introduced during the 2018 recruiting cycle, the NCAA started allowing for prospects to take official visits in the spring and summer, starting with the 2019 recruiting class.
While some schools have been slow to bring in prospects that early in the cycle - instead choosing to save their official visits for a more traditional time table - South Carolina has embraced the new calendar.
With prospects increasingly more likely to want to commit before their senior seasons begin - effectively eliminating a good portion of the time and effort that the recruiting process requires - the Gamecocks have followed suit with trying to complete the majority of their class before the fall.
• South Carolina has already hosted 26 official visitors on its campus for the 2020 recruiting cycle. The Gamecocks hosted three prospects the weekend of April 26, 11 starting on May 31, five on June 7, five more on June 14 and two on June 21. To this point, 11 of those prospects are committed to South Carolina.
• That's over twice as many prospects as the year before when South Carolina hosted 12 class of 2019 prospects for their officials during the spring and ultimately signed eight of those prospects.
• South Carolina currently has 14 prospects committed to the 2020 class, plus pledges from two transfers who will count towards the class. Several other targets, such as defensive linemen Myles Murphy and Tonka Hemingway and defensive back Joey Hunter, have announced their intentions to commit before the summer is over.
This time last year, Carolina also had 14 of its eventual signees already committed with Keveon Mullins committing exactly one year ago today.
– Wes Mitchell
2. 6️⃣4️⃣ Countdown to kickoff: 64 days!
Our countdown to South Carolina's 2019 season opener against North Carolina in Charlotte is now down to just 64 days. With no current No. 64 on the roster, we go back to former defensive end Marty Dye (1988-91).
Dye entered college as an offensive lineman but quickly switched sides of the ball and became one of the best players on defense. Across four seasons, Dye amassed 300 tackles, including 15 for loss, earning All-South Independent Honors as a senior in 1991.
– Will Helms
3. This, that, and the other
Football Recruiting: JUCO wideout has a favorite - Scoobie Ford talks Gamecocks offer and favorites. (link)
The latest: South Carolina Gamecocks football recruiting news - Will Muschamp and the South Carolina Gamecocks football program continues its pursuit of a strong 2020 recruiting class as the month of July approaches. Catch up on the very latest Gamecock football recruiting news in this feature. (link)
Baseball Recruiting: Gamecock commits on the move in latest PerfectGame rankings - With the 2019 draft over and coaches turning their attention to building their 2020, 2021 and 2022 classes, PerfectGame's released a fresh batch of rankings with the Gamecocks well represented across all three classes. (link)
Gamecock Success Week: Another great year to be a Gamecock - The 2018-19 athletics season saw South Carolina student-athletes earn SEC and national championships, numerous records fell, and a large number of programs advanced to the postseason. (link)
Track and Field: Mueller, Chance honored - Allie Mueller and Arinze Chance were named to the Google Cloud Academic All-America team. (link)
– Jackson Fields
4. This Date in Gamecock History
June 28, 2011 – The Gamecocks claimed their second straight College World Series championship by knocking off Florida, 5-2, behind the pitching of Michael Roth.
- The junior left-hander pitched 7.2 innings, giving up five hits and two runs while improving his record on the season to 14-1.
- Standout closer Matt Price recorded his 20th save by pitching the final 1.1 innings.
- USC scored first in the game, as Peter Mooney doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Scott Wingo in the third. Later that inning Evan Marzilli scored on a single by Christian Walker, then Brady Thomas singled home Jackie Bradley Jr. to make it 3-0.
- Florida scored one in the fourth, but USC answered it in the sixth with a solo homer from Mooney and later added a fifth run as Robert Beary scored on a Wingo single.
- USC put up some amazing numbers on this run, being the first team to go 10-0 in a single CWS tournament and had a team ERA of 1.31, while the bullpen's ERA was a sparkling 0.53.
- Wingo was named Outstanding Player of the tournament, hitting .333 and playing great defense, while Beary, Walker, Wingo, Mooney, Thomas, Roth and Price all made the all-tournament team.
5. Birthdays!
• Phil Ellis – Ellis signed with South Carolina over Kentucky, Georgia Tech and Memphis State. He redshirted in 1978, started at defensive end in 1979 and stayed in the starting lineup for four seasons. In 1979, Ellis was second on the team in sacks. As a sophomore in 1980, he tied Andrew Provence for the lead with seven sacks - despite missing one game and part of another with an ankle injury - and was eighth in tackles. As a junior in 1981, he was seventh in tackles and tied for third in sacks. He earned honorable mention all-state honors in 1982 when he moved to an outside linebacker position and finished sixth in tackles.
• Jesse Barbaro (baseball/first base, 2009)
• Danny Gordon (football/quarterback, 2015-18)
• Emmanuel Weaver (football/middle guard, 1980-81)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
6. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• July 11 – Baseball: Prospect camp (13 days)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days, Day 1 (17)
• July 16 – SEC Media Days, Day 2 (18)
• July 17 – SEC Media Days, Day 3 (19)
• July 18 – SEC Media Days, Day 4 (20)
• July 18 – Baseball: Prospect camp (20)
• July 20 – Football: Ladies Clinic (22)
• Aug. 1 – Football: Media Day (34)
• Aug. 17 – Baseball: Elite prospect camp (50)
• Aug. 22 – My Carolina Sports Preview (55)
• Aug. 22 – Carolina Calls feat. Muschamp (55)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (64)
• Nov. 13 – Basketball: Early signing period (138)
• Dec. 18 – Football: Early signing period (173)
• Feb. 5 – Football: Regular signing period (222)
7. Newest Podcast: Camp, Commitment Recap
Gamecock Central football and recruiting insiders Chris Clark and Wes Mitchell join host Pearson Fowler on Another Carolina Podcast. Topics on this episode include:
- Catching up on three South Carolina commits since our last show: OL Vershon Lee, DB Dominick Hill and TE Nick Muse. The scoop on why the Gamecocks took a transfer tight end.
- The latest on two official visitors who South Carolina hosted this past weekend, wide receiver Deajuan McDougle and DB Joey Hunter.
- Is 2021 quarterback Colten Gauthier already the one to watch for the Gamecocks in that class?
- Who impressed at camp so far and what has stood out to the Gamecock Central staff.
Listen to Gamecock Central Podcasts on these platforms: Apple iTunes Podcasts| Spotify | PlayerFM | SoundCloud | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | Spreaker | YouTube
ALSO: more episodes | GC Radio app: App Store - Google Play
– Wes Mitchell
