B
Brian Shoemaker
Guest
------------------------
DID YOU KNOW? You can receive this report (Gamecocks Today) early each morning in your email inbox. Sign up here.
------------------------
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
Father's Day is Sunday, and we have Gamecock Central gift subscriptions that range in length from one month to five years!
We're 81 days away from the Gamecocks playing North Carolina.
Darius Rush/Credit: Katie Dugan
1. 8️⃣1️⃣ Countdown to kickoff: 81 days!
Our countdown to South Carolina's 2019 season opener against North Carolina in Charlotte is now down to just 81 days and today’s athlete is redshirt freshman receiver Darius Rush.
Rush came to South Carolina as an early enrollee in January of 2018. He went through spring drills before a lingering wrist injury kept him sidelined for the majority of the fall. Rush, a three-star recruit from C.E. Murray High School, possesses good speed and size for a receiver.
Now fully healthy, Rush will challenge for playing time behind starters Bryan Edwards and Shi Smith.
– Will Helms
2. Reviewing the five official visits
Perhaps lost in the shuffle of South Carolina's five commitments this weekend, was the fact that the Gamecocks hosted five major official visits on their campus as well.
Big-time committed running back MarShawn Lloyd, tight end flip candidate Jaheim Bell, OL targe Vershon Lee, JUCO wide receiver Malik Heath, and talented Tennessee product Reggie Grimes all made their way to campus.
Let’s take a quick look at where things stand with each visitor:
• Lloyd's commitment to South Carolina may have come out of nowhere when he announced his pledge on Memorial Day, but the elite running back appears to be all Gamecock now. Lloyd was able to spend a lot of time on his visit with new running backs coach Thomas Brown, who was a huge reason he chose the Gamecocks. Lloyd believes there's something special building in Columbia and he wants to be a part of it and build his own legacy in the process.
• Another elite-level prospect, Grimes is ranked the No. 32 overall prospect in the 2020 class and the Alabama legacy from Mount Juliet, Tenn. appears to be giving the Gamecocks a fair shot to win him over. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder is an intriguing athlete in that he could play a number of positions at the next level and could profile as an edge rusher or tight end. Post visit, Grimes said the Gamecocks are "definitely closer to the top" and are right up there with Alabama, where he's also going to take an official.
• Bell is still considered a Florida commitment after committing to the Gators in April, but he seems less than solid with an entire slate of official visits on deck. The first of those was to South Carolina this weekend. The Gamecocks have been heavily involved with Bell for some time, interest that he's reciprocated throughout the process. A versatile playmaker who creates mismatches, Bell is definitely a prospect to keep an eye on.
• There appears to be plenty of movement with Lee's recruiting process following his official visit to South Carolina this weekend. The Virginia native is going to take one more official visit, to Pitt this upcoming weekend, and then says he could make a decision during the following week. That could be a good sign for the Gamecocks, considering he had an excellent visit to the school.
• Heath's visit to campus came a bit out of nowhere, but the former four-star prospect and Under Armour All-American left campus in awe of what the program has to offer. Now at Copiah-Lincoln junior college, Heath appears open in his recruitment after originally signing with Mississippi State out of high school. Heath will look at the Bulldogs as well as South Carolina and Florida, where he's going to take an official in September, before making a decision around the middle of his season.
Related link: 2020 Football Commitment List
– Wes Mitchell
3. This, that, and the other
Another Carolina Podcast: A five #SpursUp weekend - South Carolina football and recruiting insiders Chris Clark and Wes Mitchell join host Pearson Fowler on Another Carolina Podcast to discuss a five #SpursUp weekend and all of USC's official visitors. (link)
Football: Gamecocks add long snapper transfer Matt Oliveira - It's a key addition for South Carolina's football team at a position of need. (link)
Football Recruiting: Amazing camp experience for in-state athlete - Blackville-Hilda class of 2021 athlete Adonis Davis Jr. landed on South Carolina's radar this spring and was in Columbia on Friday to camp with the Gamecocks. (link)
Football Recruiting: Four-star defensive lineman raves about visit - Charlotte defensive lineman Jacolbe Cowan had spoken with defensive line coach John Scott, but never met him in person. That changed this weekend during a Saturday stop to campus. (subscription)
Men's Basketball: What Woods's commitment means for South Carolina - Looking at how Woods can make an impact the next two years at South Carolina. (link)
MLB: Gamecocks in the Pros - Major League Baseball enters its summer months and a good number of former Gamecocks are finding success on the diamond. In this feature, we take a look at some former players throughout professional baseball. (link)
Baseball: Kerry earns NCBWA honor - Pitcher Brett Kerry was named a first-team Freshman All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. (link)
Softball: Smith adds transfer to 2020 squad - USC announced the addition of transfer Kassidy Krupit for the upcoming 2020 season. Krupit, a member of the United States of America Softball Junior Women's National Team, joins Carolina from Baylor where she hit 10 home runs with 29 runs batted in during her freshman season in 2019. (link)
NFL: Clowney to sit out minicamp - Jadeveon Clowney has yet to sign his franchise tag and is not expected to attend the Texans' minicamp, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. (link)
– Jackson Fields
4. This Date in Gamecock History
June 11, 1977 – In one of the most exciting endings in Gamecock baseball history, Chuck McLean's 10th-inning inside-the-park home run gave Carolina a 3-2 win over Baylor in the opener of the 1977 College World Series.
5. Birthdays!
George Schecterly – Schecterly initially enrolled at Penn State, picking the Nittany Lions over offers from Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State. He was in the running for a starting spot for the 1977 season but opted to transfer to South Carolina. He sat out the 1977 season under NCAA transfer rules, then took over as the starting right tackle in 1978, a role he would hold for the next three seasons. He was named all-state, All-South Independent and honorable mention All-America (AP) in 1979 and he would repeat those honors in 1980. Schecterly played in the 1980 Senior Bowl, then played for Toronto of the CFL in 1981 and 1982. He played the 1983 season with the USFL’s Washington Federals.
Corey Alexander (football, 2000-01)
Joe Cardwell (baseball, 1988-89)
Sean Evans (baseball, 1991)
Brandon Miller (baseball, 2008-09)
Craig Ross (baseball, 1993-95)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
6. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• June 13 – Football: OL/DL camps (2 days)
• June 13 – Football: 7-on-7 tourney (2)
• June 14 – Football: OL/DL camps (3)
• June 14 – Football: 7-on-7 tourney (3)
• June 15 – Football: One-day camp (4)
• June 19 – Football: One-day camp (8)
• June 20 – Football: One-day camp (9)
• June 21 – Football: One-day camp (10)
• June 22 – Football: One-day camp (11)
• June 22 – Football: Specialists camp (11)
• June 27 – Baseball: Prospect camp (16)
• July 11 – Baseball: Prospect camp (30)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days, Day 1 (34)
• July 16 – SEC Media Days, Day 2 (35)
• July 17 – SEC Media Days, Day 3 (36)
• July 18 – SEC Media Days, Day 4 (37)
• July 18 – Baseball: Prospect camp (37)
• July 20 – Ladies Football Clinic (39)
• Aug. 17 – Baseball: Elite prospect camp (67)
• Aug. 22 – My Carolina Sports Preview (72)
• Aug. 22 – Carolina Calls feat. Muschamp (72)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (81)
• Nov. 13 – Basketball: Early signing period (155)
• Dec. 18 – Football: Early signing period (190)
• Feb. 5 – Football: Regular signing period (239)
DID YOU KNOW? You can receive this report (Gamecocks Today) early each morning in your email inbox. Sign up here.
------------------------
GAMECOCKS TODAY
Tuesday, June 11
Tuesday, June 11
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
Father's Day is Sunday, and we have Gamecock Central gift subscriptions that range in length from one month to five years!
We're 81 days away from the Gamecocks playing North Carolina.
Darius Rush/Credit: Katie Dugan
1. 8️⃣1️⃣ Countdown to kickoff: 81 days!
Our countdown to South Carolina's 2019 season opener against North Carolina in Charlotte is now down to just 81 days and today’s athlete is redshirt freshman receiver Darius Rush.
Rush came to South Carolina as an early enrollee in January of 2018. He went through spring drills before a lingering wrist injury kept him sidelined for the majority of the fall. Rush, a three-star recruit from C.E. Murray High School, possesses good speed and size for a receiver.
Now fully healthy, Rush will challenge for playing time behind starters Bryan Edwards and Shi Smith.
– Will Helms
2. Reviewing the five official visits
Perhaps lost in the shuffle of South Carolina's five commitments this weekend, was the fact that the Gamecocks hosted five major official visits on their campus as well.
Big-time committed running back MarShawn Lloyd, tight end flip candidate Jaheim Bell, OL targe Vershon Lee, JUCO wide receiver Malik Heath, and talented Tennessee product Reggie Grimes all made their way to campus.
Let’s take a quick look at where things stand with each visitor:
• Lloyd's commitment to South Carolina may have come out of nowhere when he announced his pledge on Memorial Day, but the elite running back appears to be all Gamecock now. Lloyd was able to spend a lot of time on his visit with new running backs coach Thomas Brown, who was a huge reason he chose the Gamecocks. Lloyd believes there's something special building in Columbia and he wants to be a part of it and build his own legacy in the process.
• Another elite-level prospect, Grimes is ranked the No. 32 overall prospect in the 2020 class and the Alabama legacy from Mount Juliet, Tenn. appears to be giving the Gamecocks a fair shot to win him over. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder is an intriguing athlete in that he could play a number of positions at the next level and could profile as an edge rusher or tight end. Post visit, Grimes said the Gamecocks are "definitely closer to the top" and are right up there with Alabama, where he's also going to take an official.
• Bell is still considered a Florida commitment after committing to the Gators in April, but he seems less than solid with an entire slate of official visits on deck. The first of those was to South Carolina this weekend. The Gamecocks have been heavily involved with Bell for some time, interest that he's reciprocated throughout the process. A versatile playmaker who creates mismatches, Bell is definitely a prospect to keep an eye on.
• There appears to be plenty of movement with Lee's recruiting process following his official visit to South Carolina this weekend. The Virginia native is going to take one more official visit, to Pitt this upcoming weekend, and then says he could make a decision during the following week. That could be a good sign for the Gamecocks, considering he had an excellent visit to the school.
• Heath's visit to campus came a bit out of nowhere, but the former four-star prospect and Under Armour All-American left campus in awe of what the program has to offer. Now at Copiah-Lincoln junior college, Heath appears open in his recruitment after originally signing with Mississippi State out of high school. Heath will look at the Bulldogs as well as South Carolina and Florida, where he's going to take an official in September, before making a decision around the middle of his season.
Related link: 2020 Football Commitment List
– Wes Mitchell
3. This, that, and the other
Another Carolina Podcast: A five #SpursUp weekend - South Carolina football and recruiting insiders Chris Clark and Wes Mitchell join host Pearson Fowler on Another Carolina Podcast to discuss a five #SpursUp weekend and all of USC's official visitors. (link)
Football: Gamecocks add long snapper transfer Matt Oliveira - It's a key addition for South Carolina's football team at a position of need. (link)
Football Recruiting: Amazing camp experience for in-state athlete - Blackville-Hilda class of 2021 athlete Adonis Davis Jr. landed on South Carolina's radar this spring and was in Columbia on Friday to camp with the Gamecocks. (link)
Football Recruiting: Four-star defensive lineman raves about visit - Charlotte defensive lineman Jacolbe Cowan had spoken with defensive line coach John Scott, but never met him in person. That changed this weekend during a Saturday stop to campus. (subscription)
Men's Basketball: What Woods's commitment means for South Carolina - Looking at how Woods can make an impact the next two years at South Carolina. (link)
MLB: Gamecocks in the Pros - Major League Baseball enters its summer months and a good number of former Gamecocks are finding success on the diamond. In this feature, we take a look at some former players throughout professional baseball. (link)
Baseball: Kerry earns NCBWA honor - Pitcher Brett Kerry was named a first-team Freshman All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. (link)
Softball: Smith adds transfer to 2020 squad - USC announced the addition of transfer Kassidy Krupit for the upcoming 2020 season. Krupit, a member of the United States of America Softball Junior Women's National Team, joins Carolina from Baylor where she hit 10 home runs with 29 runs batted in during her freshman season in 2019. (link)
NFL: Clowney to sit out minicamp - Jadeveon Clowney has yet to sign his franchise tag and is not expected to attend the Texans' minicamp, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. (link)
– Jackson Fields
4. This Date in Gamecock History
June 11, 1977 – In one of the most exciting endings in Gamecock baseball history, Chuck McLean's 10th-inning inside-the-park home run gave Carolina a 3-2 win over Baylor in the opener of the 1977 College World Series.
- The Bears had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the 10th, but USC 2B Mark Van Bever led off the bottom of the frame with a double.
- McLean hit the first pitch from future Brewers pitcher Jamie Cocanower into the gap in right center and raced around the bases for the game-winning run.
- Randy Martz went the whole way for USC as he and Cocanower engaged in a marathon pitching duel.
- Carolina's other run came on a double by Mookie Wilson, who reached third and then scored on a delayed double-steal.
- The win moved the 41-10-1 Gamecocks into a game against Cal State-Los Angeles.
5. Birthdays!
George Schecterly – Schecterly initially enrolled at Penn State, picking the Nittany Lions over offers from Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State. He was in the running for a starting spot for the 1977 season but opted to transfer to South Carolina. He sat out the 1977 season under NCAA transfer rules, then took over as the starting right tackle in 1978, a role he would hold for the next three seasons. He was named all-state, All-South Independent and honorable mention All-America (AP) in 1979 and he would repeat those honors in 1980. Schecterly played in the 1980 Senior Bowl, then played for Toronto of the CFL in 1981 and 1982. He played the 1983 season with the USFL’s Washington Federals.
Corey Alexander (football, 2000-01)
Joe Cardwell (baseball, 1988-89)
Sean Evans (baseball, 1991)
Brandon Miller (baseball, 2008-09)
Craig Ross (baseball, 1993-95)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
6. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• June 13 – Football: OL/DL camps (2 days)
• June 13 – Football: 7-on-7 tourney (2)
• June 14 – Football: OL/DL camps (3)
• June 14 – Football: 7-on-7 tourney (3)
• June 15 – Football: One-day camp (4)
• June 19 – Football: One-day camp (8)
• June 20 – Football: One-day camp (9)
• June 21 – Football: One-day camp (10)
• June 22 – Football: One-day camp (11)
• June 22 – Football: Specialists camp (11)
• June 27 – Baseball: Prospect camp (16)
• July 11 – Baseball: Prospect camp (30)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days, Day 1 (34)
• July 16 – SEC Media Days, Day 2 (35)
• July 17 – SEC Media Days, Day 3 (36)
• July 18 – SEC Media Days, Day 4 (37)
• July 18 – Baseball: Prospect camp (37)
• July 20 – Ladies Football Clinic (39)
• Aug. 17 – Baseball: Elite prospect camp (67)
• Aug. 22 – My Carolina Sports Preview (72)
• Aug. 22 – Carolina Calls feat. Muschamp (72)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (81)
• Nov. 13 – Basketball: Early signing period (155)
• Dec. 18 – Football: Early signing period (190)
• Feb. 5 – Football: Regular signing period (239)
