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*** One of South Carolina's longtime targets in the 2022 class is set to reveal a decision today, that being Viera (Florida) defensive tackle Jamari Lyons.
The in-state Florida Gators and South Carolina are the finalists here, and the coaching staff in Columbia has remained in touch with the three-star big man this week.
Florida has at times been named the public leader here, and based on information and signs, we would classify the Gators as the front runner to nab his commitment later today (Wednesday).
Gamecock defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey has built a strong relationship here, and odds are some conversations could continue even with Lyons' name appearing on the Gators' commitment list.
South Carolina does want to add another defensive tackle to this class, and we'll see what happens going forward. One obvious name we'll continue to closely watch is that of Fort Dorchester's Demetrius Watson, who's taken a measured approach to his process. Lindsey scouted him earlier this season.
*** Let's close the book on OrTre Smith's time at South Carolina.
He was part of a 2017 class that included a trio of four-star wideouts - Smith, current Carolina Panther Shi Smith, and Gamecock roster member Chad Terrell. It didn't take long for Smith to make an impact, as he was the team's third-leading receiver (behind Bryan Edwards and Hayden Hurst), catching 30 balls for 3 touchdowns.
Following that promising freshman season, Smith had surgery to repair a subluxed kneecap, a major surgery and recovery. He played a limited role in 2019, and had COVID-19 last year, ultimately not playing in the 2020 season due to those issues. Some of the narratives surrounding Smith's recovery and decision not to play last season have certainly been unfair, inaccurate, or both.
As Shane Beamer pointed out during his Tuesday press conference, Smith plays the same receiver spot as starter Josh Vann, and EJ Jenkins has come on to where the staff gave him more playing time Saturday against Troy. Jenkins played 23 snaps to Smith's 2.
Our understanding is that Smith finalized the decision to transfer over the weekend prior to meeting with Shane Beamer and then entering the portal on Monday.
My take on it is that this is all unfortunate, because Smith showed such significant promise early in his career prior to things getting derailed. We're certainly curious to see what his next move ends up being.
*** The NCAA's Division I council on Tuesday approved a one-year waiver for signing and initial counter limits that will allow programs up to 7 additional scholarship spots for the 2022 class, on top of the usual 25 initial counters. This means that for every transfer out of the program, you can get one spot back, up to a limit of 7.
In a release, the NCAA noted that decisions regarding the waiver are not final until its meetings wrap, which will happen later today (Wednesday). Until final details are given, there are still some questions regarding precisely when a transfer would count toward this total, an important question for programs like South Carolina that have had guys leave during or before the season. The terminology that has been used up until now pertains to student-athletes who transfer out in "the first term", but it seems everyone is awaiting clarity on this point.
Regardless, this is going to provide some (needed) flexibility for the Gamecocks' program. It could very well be that, regardless of when transfers begin to count toward the seven-man allotment, that South Carolina could get close to - or to - the new limit of 32.
Let's take this opportunity to give a general overview of where South Carolina is at from a. numbers standpoint in this class. There are currently 17 verbal commitments for the 2022 cycle, and two other roster members also count in the form of safety Tyrese Ross and quarterback Zeb Noland.
South Carolina does not, by the way, have to count the short-lived tenure of defensive back Karon Prunty towards that limit.
That totals 19, meaning there are 6 spots left as of now. Once the waiver kicks in, there could be up to 13 additionals, depending on South Carolina's final transfer number.
Bear in mind that any type of transfer - whether it be an underclassman or a senior who decides to graduate transfer to another program - would count toward the new 7 figure.
Yes, South Carolina's staff will continue to closely monitor the transfer portal, and there will also be some junior college options that will be watched.
Post Up Careers can guide you through this process with their customized resume services. Get personalized coaching to up your game in the job market with Post Up Careers, a company whose mission is to help you navigate all aspects of your career: resume writing, interview preparation, LinkedIn optimization, and much more. Make your talents stand out with the help of a company owned by a lifelong Carolina fan and alumnus – visit PostUpCareers.com or email franklin@postupcareers.com today.
*** One of South Carolina's longtime targets in the 2022 class is set to reveal a decision today, that being Viera (Florida) defensive tackle Jamari Lyons.
The in-state Florida Gators and South Carolina are the finalists here, and the coaching staff in Columbia has remained in touch with the three-star big man this week.
Florida has at times been named the public leader here, and based on information and signs, we would classify the Gators as the front runner to nab his commitment later today (Wednesday).
Gamecock defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey has built a strong relationship here, and odds are some conversations could continue even with Lyons' name appearing on the Gators' commitment list.
South Carolina does want to add another defensive tackle to this class, and we'll see what happens going forward. One obvious name we'll continue to closely watch is that of Fort Dorchester's Demetrius Watson, who's taken a measured approach to his process. Lindsey scouted him earlier this season.
*** Let's close the book on OrTre Smith's time at South Carolina.
He was part of a 2017 class that included a trio of four-star wideouts - Smith, current Carolina Panther Shi Smith, and Gamecock roster member Chad Terrell. It didn't take long for Smith to make an impact, as he was the team's third-leading receiver (behind Bryan Edwards and Hayden Hurst), catching 30 balls for 3 touchdowns.
Following that promising freshman season, Smith had surgery to repair a subluxed kneecap, a major surgery and recovery. He played a limited role in 2019, and had COVID-19 last year, ultimately not playing in the 2020 season due to those issues. Some of the narratives surrounding Smith's recovery and decision not to play last season have certainly been unfair, inaccurate, or both.
As Shane Beamer pointed out during his Tuesday press conference, Smith plays the same receiver spot as starter Josh Vann, and EJ Jenkins has come on to where the staff gave him more playing time Saturday against Troy. Jenkins played 23 snaps to Smith's 2.
Our understanding is that Smith finalized the decision to transfer over the weekend prior to meeting with Shane Beamer and then entering the portal on Monday.
My take on it is that this is all unfortunate, because Smith showed such significant promise early in his career prior to things getting derailed. We're certainly curious to see what his next move ends up being.
*** The NCAA's Division I council on Tuesday approved a one-year waiver for signing and initial counter limits that will allow programs up to 7 additional scholarship spots for the 2022 class, on top of the usual 25 initial counters. This means that for every transfer out of the program, you can get one spot back, up to a limit of 7.
In a release, the NCAA noted that decisions regarding the waiver are not final until its meetings wrap, which will happen later today (Wednesday). Until final details are given, there are still some questions regarding precisely when a transfer would count toward this total, an important question for programs like South Carolina that have had guys leave during or before the season. The terminology that has been used up until now pertains to student-athletes who transfer out in "the first term", but it seems everyone is awaiting clarity on this point.
Regardless, this is going to provide some (needed) flexibility for the Gamecocks' program. It could very well be that, regardless of when transfers begin to count toward the seven-man allotment, that South Carolina could get close to - or to - the new limit of 32.
Let's take this opportunity to give a general overview of where South Carolina is at from a. numbers standpoint in this class. There are currently 17 verbal commitments for the 2022 cycle, and two other roster members also count in the form of safety Tyrese Ross and quarterback Zeb Noland.
South Carolina does not, by the way, have to count the short-lived tenure of defensive back Karon Prunty towards that limit.
That totals 19, meaning there are 6 spots left as of now. Once the waiver kicks in, there could be up to 13 additionals, depending on South Carolina's final transfer number.
Bear in mind that any type of transfer - whether it be an underclassman or a senior who decides to graduate transfer to another program - would count toward the new 7 figure.
Yes, South Carolina's staff will continue to closely monitor the transfer portal, and there will also be some junior college options that will be watched.
