In a normal year, football programs at the SEC and beyond would be vying to host high-profile recruits for a weekend of official visit before the National Signature Day. The next weekend is the last before the first Wednesday of February, when recruits can put the pen on paper.
Given the recruitment restrictions during the pandemic, as the Gamecocks try to complete their 2021 autograph class, first-year head coach Shane Beamer and his team is running out of options to virtually show target recruits what South Carolina is.
“Usually, at this time of year, you have high school students who come to the building seven days a week,” said Beamer. “We don’t have that (this year). We have to bring them to us and schedule these virtual visits, calls from FaceTimes, Zoom so we can show what we are doing. We are trying to be as creative as possible. Every time the country is doing this. We’ve been doing this for nine, ten months. You better not be bored and you cannot be complacent. We are constantly trying to go further, be at the forefront and find new ways to showcase everything we have to offer here in South Carolina. ”
Beamer admitted that he is working closely with Associate Director of Athletics for New and Creative Media, Justin King and his team to produce content that can be shown to recruits and give them a feel for the University of South Carolina, according to what coaches are nailing the phone on.
There is something special about this place. You can leave him, but he never leaves you.
Welcome home ?? pic.twitter.com/2DAvXIMMby
– Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) January 11, 2021
All you need ?? pic.twitter.com/JIGKIbT5VF
– Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) December 16, 2020
“The novelty and excitement in this building is now fantastic,” said Beamer. “This installation is unmatched in this country. I know that, without a doubt. The academics, this city of Columbia, these facilities, the Williams-Brice Stadium, the new team, there is a lot of good now and it will continue to be good in the future. We are trying to do everything we can to show this as much as we can. “
Where South Carolina meets remaining targets for 2021 | South Carolina 2021 Signature Class / Confirmation List
Not knowing how long college football recruitment will be like this, Beamer and his team are also recruiting recruits from the Class of 2022 and 2023 in the same way.
“We are at full speed ahead, doing everything we can with senior students as well,” said Beamer. “We are on the phone with them as much as we can, which is seamless now and doing everything within the rules. There is a lot of emotion and they certainly feel it.
It has been almost two months since Beamer became the Gamecocks coach and he is happy with the interest he has received from recruits who are not even within the traditional recruiting field where South Carolina receives most of its players.
“What really excites me are the other areas (of the country) that we can access,” said Beamer. “The guys that (wide receiver coach) Justin Stepp was recruiting in Arkansas want to play football at the SEC and may not be from this particular region, but they have a great relationship with Justin when he was recruiting them. Some guys I was recruiting in Oklahoma who are not from this region got in touch and want to play in the SEC and are interested in us because of previous relationships. We have a fantastic product to sell here academically and athletically, but when you have previous relationships like (offensive coordinator) Marcus Satterfield in Baylor, he has connections with that part of the country. “