COLOMBIA – They are not focusing on recruiting class rankings. South Carolina knew it couldn’t since the day Will Muschamp was fired.
Many potential players left after the change of coach. Shane Beamer just didn’t have time to put his arms around an entire class, which is why the group of 20 players he submitted on February 3 as his first group of recruits is nowhere near the top 50 in the country.
Of course he would love to have a top 5 class. Even when “stars don’t matter,” the more 5-star recruits a coach gets, the more chances they actually live up to the rank.
But in the meantime, he combed the transfer portal, reached junior colleges and found two high school students to join the only non-contract prep player he ever had. The result?
“It’s small, it’s low. That was on purpose, ”said Beamer. “Nobody talks about the players who have been transferred from other places who will help this team right away.”
Beamer completed his first recruiting class, a group of 20 that started when eight signed in December. The only non-contract player who was committed to Muschamp, Marion’s defensive striker TJ Sanders, did not sign in December, but never publicly wavered in his promise. He signed on Wednesday morning.
Kolbe Fields, a linebacker from Metairie, Louisiana, committed to Beamer in January. On Wednesday, he pulled yet another preparation player.
La’Dareyen Craig, an advocate for Mobile, Alabama, chose USC over Mississippi and Oregon. A perspective that new defensive coordinator Clayton White and new defensive coach Torrian Gray pursued at the end of the process, Craig is a perspective that can have immediate playing time.
Gamecocks were hit harder on the defensive back than in any other position during the off-season, and Craig was the fifth recruit added in the secondary. USC met Marcellas Dial and Isaiah Norris at Georgia Military and David Spaulding at Georgia Southern, and also dived in Alabama for another real freshman, Sam Reynolds from Alabaster.
Beamer defeated Mississippi State and West Virginia by Tavareon Martin-Scott, a linebacker originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, who played at Dodge City (Kansas) Community College last year. He goes by “Bam”.
Martin-Scott has four years to play three at USC.
Beamer is counting on seven transfers to reinforce the comeback squad and make an immediate impact. He met a quarterback (Jason Brown) and his best receiver (EJ Jenkins) from FCS St. Francis (Pa.); a top receiver from Georgia Tech (Ahmarean Brown); and a Georgia state linebacker (Jordan Strachan) who tied for the national sack leadership last season.
Where would the class be classified if transfers were included?
“I think it’s very loud. I don’t know about the ratings, but I look at the video and I’m like, ‘man,’ ”said Beamer. “A lot of that was just time. I arrived here in December. I said to the team, ‘Take a deep breath, let’s find out where we are and what we need.’ “
USC ended with 20 signatories, five less than the maximum allowed by the NCAA. Four players from last year’s class are counted for this one.
Kicker Mitch Jeter, gambler Kai Kroeger and receiver Jalen Brooks remain on the team. Defender Adam Prentice played last year, but changed his professional life instead of playing in the seventh year of college football.
The remaining bag can always be used this year, perhaps if there is another need after the spring session.
Spring training is scheduled to begin on March 20. The seven transfers and five more prospects that signed up in January can participate.
Beamer finishes team
Numerous reports show that Beamer hired Charlotte’s Montario Hardesty as the new Gamecocks running back trainer on Wednesday. Beamer has been looking since Des Kitchings, a remnant of Muschamp’s team, left last week for a show with the Atlanta Falcons.
Hardesty, a former Tennessee running back, spent the past year coaching the 49ers’ receivers. Born in North Carolina, Hardesty trained in Chowan and Norfolk State and was a technical strength assistant at Florida Atlantic.
This concludes the USC field team, although, as Beamer has already resisted four defections from the team while assembling them, it may not end until the start of the season.
2021 USC recruitment class
Nick Barrett, DL, 6-4, 320, Goldsboro, NC (Eastern Wayne)
O’Mega Blake, WR, 6-3, 189, Rock Hill (South Pointe)
Ahmarean Brown, WR, WR, 5-10, 170, Tampa, Florida (Georgia Tech)
Jason Brown, QB, 6-4, 230, Fredericksburg, Va. (St. Francis)
La’Dareyen Craig, CB, 6-2, 180, Mobile, Ala. (Baker)
Jordan Davis, OL, 6-5, 288, Fairburn, Georgia (Creekside)
Marcellas Dial, CB, 5-11, 180, Woodruff (Military of Georgia)
Kolbe Fields, LB, 6-1, 205, Metairie, La. (Archbishop Rummel)
Colten Gauthier, QB, 6-3, 205, Dacula, Ga. (Hebron Christian)
Keem Green, DL, 6-5, 320, Sumter (Nebraska)
EJ Jenkins, WR, 6-8, 235, Fredericksburg, Va. (San Francisco)
Bam Martin-Scott, LB, 6-3, 215, Fort Wayne, Ind. (Dodge City (Kan.) CC)
Juju McDowell, RB, 5-10, 175, Leesburg, Ga. (Lee County)
JonDarius Morgan, OL, 6-3, 326, Birmingham, Ala. (Huffman)
Isaiah Norris, DB, 6-0, 170, Anderson (Military of Georgia)
Sam Reynolds, S, 5-9, 175, Alabaster, Ala. (Thompson)
TJ Sanders, DL, 6-5, 300, Marion (Marion)
David Spaulding, CB, 6-2, 185, Riceboro, Georgia (South Georgia)
Jordan Strachan, LB, 6-4, 225, Kingsland, Ga. (State of Georgia)
Darryl “Debo” Williams, LB, 6-1, 220, Smyrna, Del. (Delaware)
Preferred walk-ons
Joseph Byrnes, S, 6-0, 185, Camden (Camden)
Nathan Harris-Waynick, RB, 5-10, 210, Sumter (Sumter)
Jake Helfrich, QB, 5-11, 190, Charlotte (Providence Day)
Ronnie Porter, LB, 6-0, 195, Columbia (Heathwood Hall)
Eriq Rice, WR, 6-2, 170, Columbia (AC Flora)
KJ Scott, LB, 6-3, 200, Greenwood (Greenwood)