Christmas Day brought joy to the holiday and new engagements for South Carolina and Clemson football programs.
The Gamecocks added cornerback Isaiah Norris of TL Hanna and Georgia Military JC to the 2021 recruiting class, and the Tigers took wide receiver Adam Randall from Myrtle Beach to the 2022 class.
Norris was one of the first offers from new USC coach Shane Beamer after taking over the program. Norris was committed to the state of Middle Tennessee and also had offers from the state of Tennessee and Washington.
Norris was not a new name for Gamecocks. Former coach Will Muschamp started contact months ago and running back coach Des Kitchings kept the conversation going. When Beamer gave him the opportunity to play in his home state, the deal was sealed.
“I chose Carolina because South Carolina is my home,” said Norris. “Why go elsewhere and play when your home state recognizes your ability to change the game? I love my home state and want to represent my home. In addition, South Carolina has been with me since my senior year of high school and throughout my college journey, and finally becoming a Gamecock is everything.
“I believe Coach Beamer represents a new era for Gamecock football. He is extremely positive and encouraging. I like the vibrancy he brings and his desire to make Gamecock football the best.”
Norris played the 2019 season at the New Mexico Military and had five interceptions. He will not play this spring for the Georgian Army so he can concentrate on the grades and graduate in the spring.
Norris will join another Georgia military defense, Marcellas Dial, with the Gamecocks. Both signed with the USC earlier this month. Gamecocks now have 14 of their 25 allocated points counted in the 2021 class.
Randall restricted his choices to Clemson, USC, Oregon and Tennessee. Randall is rated 4 stars in the 247Sports Composite and the No. 22 receiver in the 2022 class. He is ranked fifth among South Carolina’s prospects for 2022.
“I see myself as a great external receiver that can do anything,” said Randall. “I hope I can make an impact in the beginning.”
This season Randall ended with 46 receptions for 1,009 yards and 9 touchdowns, despite playing with a high ankle sprain during the playoffs. He is Clemson’s third engagement for the 2022 class, joining line attackers Collin Sadler of Greenville and Blake Miller of Strongsville, Ohio.
Kolbe Fields of New Orleans, a potential 3-star linebacker, remains committed to Memphis, although he chose not to sign this month. A unique commitment from the State of Oklahoma, Fields decided to postpone the subscription until February to see what other options might come his way.
The only school that recently entered was USC. Gamecocks have not yet been offered, but that could change soon.
“They’ve been in touch with me and I talked to them recently, so we’ve been talking, that’s all that’s going on with them,” said Fields.
Fields said he has not yet spoken to Beamer, but hopes to do so soon. Fields had an excellent senior season with 105 tackles, 13 loss tackles and 3 sacks.
USC is looking at former Western Michigan linebacker Treshaun Howard as a potential transfer target. He was MAC’s defensive player of the year in 2019. In his career, he has 229 tackles, 16 loss tackles and 5½ sacks. He is a native of Ann Arbor. Mich.
USC offered linebacker Joko Willis of Independence JC of Kansas. He’s committed to Kentucky. He is a native of LaGrange, Georgia, and had the red dress last season at Independence.
USC did not make the list with wide receiver Keon Coleman of Opelousas, Louisiana. He named Michigan State, Jackson State, Virginia Tech, Southern Cal, Florida A&M, Ole Miss, Grambling and Houston.
Sumter’s running back, Nathan Harris-Waynick, accepted a preferred USC ticket offer. He ended his school career with 3,237 running yards and 49 touchdowns.
Quarterback Billy Wiles of Ashburn, Virginia, accepted Clemson’s preferred offer. He is classified as a candidate for 3 stars at 247Sports Composite and gave up a scholarship to Tulane to work at Clemson. Maryland also offered him a PWO opportunity.
Former Furman quarterback Darren Grainger has announced that he will be transferred to the state of Georgia.
The tight end Oscar Delp (6-5, 220) from Cumming, Georgia, is classified as a potential 4-star customer in the 247Sports Composite and is ranked as the 10th national tight end for the 2022 class. He has several important offers at this time, including USC, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Ohio, Southern Cal, North Carolina, Stanford, Florida, Duke, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Minnesota and West Virginia.
“At the moment, I’m quite open,” said Delp. “I have a good impression of some schools that if I were to restrict them, they would be in the mix. I’m quite open just because with the whole COVID business going, I haven’t really been able to experience recruiting as I should and hope to be able to after April and go out and get a feel for all the schools.
“The only two schools I went to were Georgia and Auburn.”
Delp said Georgia, Michigan, Southern Cal and North Carolina are just four of the schools where he has built a good relationship with coaches and offers the high academic level he is looking for. He said Clemson is starting to step in with intensified contact.
“It really started to catch on. I’ve been talking a lot on the phone with coach (Brandon) Streeter and coach (Danny) Pearman lately, ”said Delp. “My uncle (James Chappell) played at Clemson and called me. I think they talked. He was asking them if there is a chance they will catch me and I am practically the next guy on the board right now. “
Delp said Clemson and South Carolina are schools he is considering.
“Coach Beamer was recruiting me to play the tight end in Oklahoma,” said Delp. “He got the new job and knew that I have a history with South Carolina. I grew up a South Carolina fan my entire life. My walls are covered with Connor Shaw and Marcus Lattimore to this day.
“We have a family in Columbia. My grandparents live there and my mom went to South Carolina, so I kind of grew up going to these games. He and some other coaches came to me and said that they really want Me. “
Clemson was in the top 12 with the 2022 wide receiver Brenen Thompson from Spearman, Texas. The others are Texas A&M, Nebraska, Auburn, Texas, Stanford, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Alabama, Oregon, Georgia and Texas Tech.
USC made the top 10 with offensive guard Qae’Shon Sapp (6-5, 310) from Leesburg, Georgia. The others are Kentucky, Alabama, State of Florida, LSU, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida.