re: 2014 South Carolina Recruiting Thread

oh...thought that was an add. welp

Does Pruitt to UGA help us with Wideman?

Wideman is one that I have wanted us to land for a while now. Could be wishful thinking, but I hope this developing situation helps us with him.

Bama, got the DL Coach from So Cal, so Wilson is still there, for now.

From a PK Article

quote:

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DL Dexter Wideman of Saluda will take his official visit to USC this weekend with several members of his family, and he'll do so as a Florida State commitment, which he has been since the summer. Wideman put the strength of his commitment "at a 6 or 7" on a scale of 10. In an interview at his school Tuesday, Wideman said nothing has changed with him as he goes into the final weeks of the recruiting season, and no definite decision has been made. "I'm committed to Florida State but I'm going to go down to Carolina and have a good time, spend time with the coaches and talk to them," Wideman said. He will take his official visit to Florida State January 31st and his family will also join him on that visit. "Go down, spend a good time with the coaches, talk to them and then after that I'm going to put things down on paper and see where I'm going to go." Wideman has visited both schools before so on these trips he has some specific questions he wants answered. "I'm going to ask the coaches to lay everything out for me, let me know how it's going to be, don't sugarcoat anything to me, tell me straight up how everything is going to be, and I just want to build my relationship with all the coaches." Wideman added that the depth charts at both schools are very important to him because he'd like to play early. "I haven't studied them that much but I know at Carolina I've got a real good chance of playing my first year, and I know at Florida State if I work hard I still have a chance." Speculation has been running strong in USC recruiting circles that Wideman is prime for flipping to USC at some point. Wideman has heard that kind of talk as well. "My commitment is strong," he said. "Well just have to see when Signing Day comes what happens." Wideman said his grandmother, uncle and some other family members will play a role in his decision making process, but he pointed out the pull of staying close to his family won't be a factor. "I thought it was going to be a factor but it's not going to be a factor. My grandma told me she's going to make it to all my games and don't worry about trying to stay close to home if I don't want to do that. The decision is going to be on me so family is not going to be a factor." So, could Wideman sign today if it were Signing Day? "I can't answer that. I just don't know right now. I'm going to have to wait until after these official visits and we'll see." There's also the matter of Wideman getting his grades to be able to qualify, something his former coach Doug Painter really emphasized for him last summer and this season. "I'm going to qualify. Everything has been improving big time. I'm going to qualify."

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I like that he's coming in, I like that he said his commitment is a 6 or 7 out of 10. I like that he wants to look at the depth chart and I like that he wants to play early.


Let's break it down:

FSU has 8 DL committed right now for '14, most are 4 star guys. They signed 3 DL last year, but 2 were studs like DeMarcus Walker.
FSU is bringing back 6 of 8 from the DL 2 Deep. However, it's unknown how many of those guys will leave after '14.
They will have 9 Soph's or Jr's on the DL return next year.
So that will mean 17 DL next year.

USC is bringing back 6 of 8 from the DL 2 Deep. Right now only 1 would be projected to leave after '14. We will have 11 Soph's or Jr's on the DL next year. We have 4 DL committed so far this class, we signed 3 last year, but Covington didn't qualify, Devin Washington missed the whole season with a concussion and that only leaves Griffin (who is awesome though.) So we'll have about 15 DL next season.

I think the depth charts are pretty even, FSU has more "stars" along the DL, so maybe it will be harder to break into the 2 Deep there year 1. Although, I think it will be hard to break into the 2 Deep at year 1 in general at USC.

Meanwhile, USC just accepted the commitment of 4* JUCO DE Darrius Caldwell:

quote:

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January 15, 2014

Caldwell commits to USC

By Phil Kornblut


Darrius Caldwell


DE Darrius Caldwell of Pearl River JC, MS had been waiting for weeks on a call from USC with an official offer because he planned to commit if one came. USC had to look over his transcripts first and finally Caldwell got that call. On January 7th, Gamecock defensive line coach Deke Adams contacted Caldwell with the news his transcript was good enough for enrolling at USC, and Caldwell followed thru on his pledge. "I had told coach Adams if he made me the official offer I would commit on the spot and when I got back to school he called and asked me if that still stands and I said yes," Caldwell said. "I was probably more excited than he was." USC recruited Caldwell out of high school in Atlanta but he signed with Illinois. He spent two seasons there but left after the coaching change played this season at Pearl River. He will have two years to play two. "They need a guy that's ready to play and I would add a little more versatility to their defense in my playing style," Caldwell said. "I'm excited about the opportunity to attend the university and play SEC football." Caldwell said he's on track to graduate in May. "I only need a few more credits to get out and I just have to take a few more classes here at the JC." Caldwell becomes the 18th commitment for USC's 2014 class.

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LINK

Hmmm....I wonder what this means for the current crop of DE commits & targets we have for this class?

But in any case, WELCOME TO THE GAMECOCKS, Darrius!!

This is great, and we need to take all these commitments. We're still dealing with 4 potential DE commits this class who have NOT locked up their academics and there is still a chance (no matter how small) that they may not academically qualify. I think the recruits know this, they talk to the coaches, each other and may even read some of the boards.

This weekend could be a monster. Really like that they put Rodgers with Prince.

Some cool things for the big weekend:

-so far everyone we've expected have showed up.

-The guys got their own cookie cakes.

-Alshon is here in town at the stadium.

-recruits are hanging out with their hosts this evening.

Yeah I just saw. He said that his mom couldn't get off work, but he's talked to Ward and he's going to reschedule to OV. He's bummed that he couldn't make it b/c he, Wes Green Crosby, BAW and some of the guys were going to make a funny video.