South Carolina football lost six members of the 2021 recruiting class.
South Carolina football parted ways with Will Muschamp in the middle of the year and, as is common after the coach’s layoffs, the Gamecocks saw a negative impact on the recruitment process. Since breaking ties with their former leader in command, six members of Class 2021 have kept their promise to the program and reopened the recruitment process.
According to 247 Sports, the class ranking dropped to 92 in the country and is the last in the Southeast Conference. Gamecocks have the smallest group in the league, with only 10 commitments. With the program in progress and the day of the subscription fast approaching, how can the program save the 2021 lesson?
Much of this will fall on the new hire, as the South Carolina government plans to have a new leader in office by mid-December. When they pull the trigger for a candidate, the new head coach is expected to enter the recruiting trail immediately.
There are a few options, even with Gamecocks being a little tricky.
First, the new hire can build relationships with current high school coaches and prospective clients. Most of the candidates in the race for the position of head coach in South Carolina have ties to the Southeast and are well acquainted with the recruiting landscape in the region. This familiarity can help the new trainer sell the program and his vision to recruits looking for a landing site.
We are not suggesting poaching current players already committed to a particular school, but being able to find talented recruits who may not have a solid loyalty to a particular program is a must. Several players would take the chance to play on the SEC and, if the program could bring an innovative offensive system, it could help influence the decisions of recruits who are currently in doubt about where to participate.
We are also likely to see some coaching changes after the season, which may make some committed recruits available in December (Auburn, Tennessee, Michigan could potentially open). Being able to take advantage of this type of situation is critical.
With the day of signing fast approaching, however, it can be difficult to fully fill the class, which is now less than 50% full. This may mean that Gamecocks will need to search your options on the transfer portal to recover the terrain. South Carolina has had some success with transfers from JUCO (Javon Kinlaw, ZaQuandre White) and players from other Division I teams (Tavien Feaster, Nick Muse) in the past.
Whoever ends up winning the job as South Carolina’s new head coach will certainly face an uphill battle in setting up the 2021 recruiting class, but being able to save a solid class can go a long way in making a successful start in your ticket to Gamecock.