Perspective on our class so far

[henmania]

Originally Posted by CoverTwo

If you look at this class, our 'worse' commit ratings wise has offers from Clemson, NC State, and Tennessee.

Take a different look at it. Break it down by position.

QB - Connor Mitch .. Have many complaints about him? Didn't think so.

RB - David Williams / Jamari Smith - Grabbed a Top 10 back in the country, grabbed the most underrated player in Florida. Nice job there.

OL - Na'Ty Rodgers / DJ Park / Bryce King / Alan Knott / JP Vonashek - All have big time offer sheets. Hit a homerun there.

DL - Devante Covington / Devin Washington / Gerald Turner / Kelsey Griffin / David Johnson / Kendal Vickers - Solid group here. Got your elite defensive tackle in Kelsey Griffin, got 2 hybrids in Gerald Turner and David Johnson, got a very good player in Devin Washington, and a guy that no one talks about much in Devante Covington but he is a really good player as well. Then you go and place Kendal Vickers who will absolutely blow up star rating wise in Prep. Nice haul there. Want to nit pick the fact that it doesn't have an elite pass rusher? I'll give that to you. That might be the only weakness of this group.

LB - Larenz Bryant / Jonathan Walton / Mohamed Camara - Got a top 5 player out of NC, picked up a guy late in the process that had offers from a handful of other SEC schools and Linebacker U (Penn State), hand picked a guy in Mohamed Camara who quietly racked up offers from Arkansas and Wisconsin. Add Skai Moore to this group and its another solid group.

DB - Pharoh Cooper, Ronnie Martin, Ali Groves, Jasper Sasser - By now you know what kind of player Cooper is. Groves brings in a Rico McWilliams-style offer sheet but he has a Florida offer on his. Martin's offer sheet out of high school spoted LSU and Nebraska offers. Want to pick a reach for this class, you could probably Jasper Sasser. Unfortunately, he'll get singled out on NSD but he didn't play much at all this year after breaking his foot. There isn't any senior film on him so you just have to go with the coaches here. Want to say its a reach? I'll give you that.

I mean I can't sit here and look at this class and say its blah. Because its not. Want to bitch about Langley and Rolin? Ok, thats fine. I'm upset too but what we got on board going into Wednesday is really good. I made mention of this in an earlier thread. Guys, our staff put together a probable Top 15 class built on out of state kids. There is only 3 instate commitments out of 6 legitimate offers! Thats unheard of.

I made the point to a buddy of mine that was as good of a class pound for pound as we haved signed in the recent years. He thought I was being a sunshine pumper but I don't think I am. The OL talent alone when combined with what we signed the last 2 years should give us a solid running game for the RB talent we have (Davis, Wilds, Williams, Carson). Larenz Bryant is an absolute baller with great instincts. Devin Washington will be the second coming of Devin Taylor. Kelsey Griffin will be another Kelcy Quarles. Not sure where Cooper will fit in but he is as talented a football player as we can get. He will surely contribute somewhere. From what I can tell, these kids are winners and are not drama kings or problem kids. Washington is the kind of kid you hope your child grows up to be. I hear Bryant is another high character person. I am excited about the future. More importantly, SOS is excited and that should matter more than anything.

[CoverTwo]

While thats true, they could end up rebounding pretty nicely with Walton and Moore. I mean if you tell me you are losing a player like Rolin but picking up a guy like Skai Moore I think you are doing pretty well for yourself. And we basically upgraded from Kight Dallas to Jonathan Walton.

[EveryThingGreen]

I wish we hit the JUCO scene earlier and harder for a LB that could enroll early.

[Uhaul]

Originally Posted by CoverTwo

While thats true, they could end up rebounding pretty nicely with Walton and Moore. I mean if you tell me you are losing a player like Rolin but picking up a guy like Skai Moore I think you are doing pretty well for yourself. And we basically upgraded from Kight Dallas to Jonathan Walton.

Honestly, that would have to be seen as an improvement at the LB position, being that Botkin is sold on Walton and Moore as LBs and was not sold on Rolin and/or Dallas.

[henmania]

Originally Posted by EveryThingGreen

I wish we hit the JUCO scene earlier and harder for a LB that could enroll early.

I wish we would find a punter. Eventually that one is going to come back and haunt us. We got away with it last year but it will catch us sooner or later.

[robgusc76]

If the coaches continue to develop players like they have in the past, the USC program should be just fine.

[elcid99]

Talent wise, this year was the worst I can remember in the State of SC. Nevertheless, we secure commitments from from the top two OL prospects in the State, the Hybrid we wanted, and have placed the best LB in the State (Boulware is not better than JungleBoiJr-DJ's cousin-Davon Durant). So, I am of the opinion Terry or Williams were the only SC kids we really recruited hard throughout the process that we failed to land (As Hill was projected at OG by the staff & was told the same...he wasn't pleased). So, if you consider Durant as a get, which I do, we pulled 4 of the 6 & the two we didn't land play WR (A position of little need considering the young WRs on the roster & the talent in 2014).

That my friends is amazing. Then we go hard after the RB we wanted from Pennsylvania & landed him. The OT we wanted in MD & landed him. The OLB, QB, and DB we wanted in NC & landed all of them. The DT in Ga. we wanted & landed him bc UGA's coaches were split on whether or not he was a take. I could keep going on, but this may not be the best class we have ever signed, but it was the best job (Forgot Walton-Alabama kid -Auburn offers & he picks the Gamecock) a Carolina staff has done during my lifetime successfully expanding the areas they recruited the hardest bc of the lack of in-state talent.

[sporkgod50]

Originally Posted by elcid99

Talent wise, this year was the worst I can remember in the State of SC. Nevertheless, we secure commitments from from the top two OL prospects in the State, the Hybrid we wanted, and have placed the best LB in the State (Boulware is not better than JungleBoiJr-DJ's cousin-Davon Durant). So, I am of the opinion Terry or Williams were the only SC kids we really recruited hard throughout the process that we failed to land (As Hill was projected at OG by the staff & was told the same...he wasn't pleased). So, if you consider Durant as a get, which I do, we pulled 4 of the 6 & the two we didn't land play WR (A position of little need considering the young WRs on the roster & the talent in 2014).

That my friends is amazing. Then we go hard after the RB we wanted from Pennsylvania & landed him. The OT we wanted in MD & landed him. The OLB, QB, and DB we wanted in NC & landed all of them. The DT in Ga. we wanted & landed him bc UGA's coaches were split on whether or not he was a take. I could keep going on, but this may not be the best class we have ever signed, but it was the best job (Forgot Walton-Alabama kid -Auburn offers & he picks the Gamecock) a Carolina staff has done during my lifetime successfully expanding the areas they recruited the hardest bc of the lack of in-state talent.

I agree. the fact that we got a RB from penn. while competing with big time programs. Is very impressive.

[Jwilson]

Originally Posted by Acockolypse Now

So, I've read more than a few people that have expressed a sense of...how shall I say this..."blah-ness" about our class so far.

Which to me is more than unfair to the players themselves and the coaches that have worked so hard to make sure we're getting the right players in.

While almost everyone agrees that star ratings are a crap-shoot, I decided to go back and look at the Rivals score for each player we signed through 2010, to average our classes out and compare them against one another.

What I found out might surprise you.

Here's the AVERAGE score of the players we've signed each year since 2010:

2010: 5.6
2011: 5.68
2012: 5.68
2013: 5.7

What's interesting to me about this is:

1. Our staff's consistency
Even though we've concentrated on different areas of the team from year to year, they've been remarkably consistent in finding talent across the board.

2. No huge outliers
It might seem that the 2010 and 2011 classes were top-heavy, since we signed such heavyweights as Lattimore and Clowney. The truth, however, is that their 6.1 rankings didn't skew the numbers upward, the majority of players were still 5.6 and above. 2010 is the lone exception, since someone decided that Jerideau was only a 5.3. Again, it's an inexact science.

3. We're winning with 3 star talent
5.8 and above is considered a 4 star by Rivals. I've always said that star rankings are useless other than this: 3 star means you're a legit D1 prospect. 4 star probably means your offer sheet probably includes at least 2 tier one programs, and 5 star means that people won't shut up about you. The difference between them is minimal. It means our coaching staff has been able to take 3 star talent and beat 4 star talent with it. I'm not up to it, but I'm betting that UGA, Florida, and Tennessee all averaged higher than us over the same time-span and we have an 8-1 record against those teams over the last 3 years.

4. You're bitching about nothing.
This year's class is just as good, if not better, than the previous classes. There aren't any marquee guys like Clowney or Lattimore that will get us ESPN press on signing day, but it doesn't matter, because this class is deep, will get better with an additional commitment or two over the next few days, and our staff will continue to win with them.

Per Rivals, Our OL position is ranked 7th, DL is 10th and RB is 13th.

[cockypanther]

Thanks C2 and Acock. I'm definitely feeling good about this class and our team going forward. Now let's get these guys in the weight room and really turn them into men.

[bryarx]

I think this years class looks solid. Got what we wanted for the most part in the LB department. Didn't get a 5th straight Mr. SC football, but that's ok - we got a solid RB from Penn, and are loaded at the RB position anyway. Next year I think we'll be taking a WR core and couple OL to get spun up for the next season (2014).

To me, this year has been about building solid depth, I look at that as a win.

[donbgamecock]

It wasn't too long ago that we had recruiting seasons that we were left with just trying to get the best remaiining two stars to fill our class. This year's class sure aint closing like those years.

[sc455]

Originally Posted by donbgamecock

It wasn't too long ago that we had recruiting seasons that we were left with just trying to get the best remaiining two stars to fill our class. This year's class sure aint closing like those years.

you got that right. heck, i remember when the offer sheets for the kids coming in were..ecu, western carolina, duke, wofford...etc..

[Acockolypse Now]

Just so you know, our average score from 2004, the first year I could find with score rankings, was 5.4. Several players were unranked.

[b381l]

Originally Posted by EveryThingGreen

I wish we hit the JUCO scene earlier and harder for a LB that could enroll early.

I'm assuming they didn't do that because they felt like Rolin (was an EE), along with the other LB's, were good enough for the class. That just goes to show, you never take you foot off the gas.

[b381l]

If I get time tomorrow, I'll do the same thing for the top 12-14 in each class which is usually the core group of recruits.

[Reeser]

David Williams and Connor Mitch are going to be one hell of a duo

[Gamecockfanatic4]

Originally Posted by henmania

I wish we would find a punter. Eventually that one is going to come back and haunt us. We got away with it last year but it will catch us sooner or later.

how is the last punter we gave a scholly too working out for us?? yea exactly....... our punting isnt great but it could be worse Hull improved vastly from August to the Bowl Game

[trapper82]

Originally Posted by CoverTwo

If you look at this class, our 'worse' commit ratings wise has offers from Clemson, NC State, and Tennessee.

Take a different look at it. Break it down by position.

QB - Connor Mitch .. Have many complaints about him? Didn't think so.

RB - David Williams / Jamari Smith - Grabbed a Top 10 back in the country, grabbed the most underrated player in Florida. Nice job there.

OL - Na'Ty Rodgers / DJ Park / Bryce King / Alan Knott / JP Vonashek - All have big time offer sheets. Hit a homerun there.

DL - Devante Covington / Devin Washington / Gerald Turner / Kelsey Griffin / David Johnson / Kendal Vickers - Solid group here. Got your elite defensive tackle in Kelsey Griffin, got 2 hybrids in Gerald Turner and David Johnson, got a very good player in Devin Washington, and a guy that no one talks about much in Devante Covington but he is a really good player as well. Then you go and place Kendal Vickers who will absolutely blow up star rating wise in Prep. Nice haul there. Want to nit pick the fact that it doesn't have an elite pass rusher? I'll give that to you. That might be the only weakness of this group.

LB - Larenz Bryant / Jonathan Walton / Mohamed Camara - Got a top 5 player out of NC, picked up a guy late in the process that had offers from a handful of other SEC schools and Linebacker U (Penn State), hand picked a guy in Mohamed Camara who quietly racked up offers from Arkansas and Wisconsin. Add Skai Moore to this group and its another solid group.

DB - Pharoh Cooper, Ronnie Martin, Ali Groves, Jasper Sasser - By now you know what kind of player Cooper is. Groves brings in a Rico McWilliams-style offer sheet but he has a Florida offer on his. Martin's offer sheet out of high school spoted LSU and Nebraska offers. Want to pick a reach for this class, you could probably Jasper Sasser. Unfortunately, he'll get singled out on NSD but he didn't play much at all this year after breaking his foot. There isn't any senior film on him so you just have to go with the coaches here. Want to say its a reach? I'll give you that.

I mean I can't sit here and look at this class and say its blah. Because its not. Want to bitch about Langley and Rolin? Ok, thats fine. I'm upset too but what we got on board going into Wednesday is really good. I made mention of this in an earlier thread. Guys, our staff put together a probable Top 15 class built on out of state kids. There is only 3 instate commitments out of 6 legitimate offers! Thats unheard of.

Looking at this breakdown again, I can't help but love this class. The positions we stacked up on are the ones we personally need right now but also the ones that historically you need to win games. OLine, DLine, QB, you just don't win consistently if those aren't solid. And to top it off, we get a great group of RB's, and DB's that tend to be a staple of our program. We run a different system for Linebackers, and often times that is used against us, but I think we land Skai Moore and that means we had a very good crop of those come in too. To top it all off, as C2 pointed out, look where they came from. We poached talented guys from Alabama, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, that OTHER DIVISION 1 programs who happened to also be the HOME TEAM went after. I mean...WOW!

[scfanohio]

Thread of the year. Great work gentlemen.

While we have some great skill position players, I am so happy to see the recruiting on the offensive line. We are now assembling the key unit that will make our offense go for the next few years.

The future is now for the offensive line.