5 Predictions Following the Lattimore Commitment

Marcus Lattimore is a Gamecock. Well, technically, not until 4 p.m. Wednesday when he is scheduled to sign his national letter of intent at Byrnes High School. What does his commitment mean? Assuming Lattimore doesn’t experience a change or heart at the 23:59 mark, here are 10 predictions for 2010 in the wake of his announcement Tuesday night at his church.

1. USC Will Finish Among The Top Six In Rushing Offense In The SEC: Lattimore makes what would have been a deep backfield even deeper, possibly one of the deepest in the SEC next season. Kenny Miles enjoyed a solid season in 2009 with 626 yards, while Jarvis Giles (277 yards) showed flashes of his ability in the first half of the season. Brian Maddox (307 yards) begins his senior season. Lattimore will arrive in the summer and immediately challenge for playing time. The competition should make everybody better. No question, pre-season camp will be fun.

2. Lattimore Will Be USC’s Leading Rusher in 2010: Lattimore isn’t the top running back prospect in the nation for nothing. He possesses the size, speed and talent to succeed immediately in the SEC. While nothing is guaranteed, the coaching staff won’t waste much time getting Lattimore the ball. Over time, I expect Lattimore will establish himself as USC’s best option at running back, just like Miles did in the second half of 2009 when he climbed from fourth string to starter. How many yards will Lattimore get? Maybe not 1,000, but close to it.

3. Lattimore Will Be A Freshman All-American: Ironically, one of his competitors for a spot in the backfield should be Michael Dyer, a five-star running back who signed with Auburn. Some people thought Lattimore and Dyer could form a devastating backfield duo for the Tigers along the lines of Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown. But it won’t happen. Lattimore and Dyer will duel on the Plains on September 25. The Auburn fans could have a “special” greeting for Lattimore.

4. Lattimore’s Presence Will Energize The USC Fan Base: All of a sudden, making those YES payments won’t be such an ordeal for many Gamecock fans. The next seven months leading up to the season opener will be filled with optimistic talk about 2010 rather than reflecting back on the miserable bowl performance. At this point, some USC fans probably don’t even remember the score of the bowl game. I fully expect every home game will be sold out in 2010, particularly the first four (Southern Miss, Georgia, Furman, Alabama) in the first five weeks at Williams-Brice Stadium.

5. Lattimore Will Break Multiple Freshman Records: According to the USC media guide, the single game record for rushing by a freshman is 278 yards by Brandon Bennett in 1991. That record might be safe but I expect Lattimore will challenge the record for most points scored by a freshman in a single game (18), touchdowns in a single game (3) and most touchdowns by a freshman in a single season (13). I wouldn’t be surprised if Lattimore establishes new standards in all three categories.

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Is Tuesday The Lattimore Referendum?

In a matter of hours, we’ll know where highly-touted running back Marcus Lattimore of Byrnes High School will play his college football.

Supposedly, Lattimore has boiled his decision down to two schools – South Carolina and Auburn. But you truly never know in recruiting.

Being a Palmetto State product, most Gamecock fans are praying the rosary in earnest Lattimore will place the USC hat on his head Tuesday night when he makes his much-anticipated announcement around 6 p.m. at his church in Spartanburg.

Talking and listening to USC fans over the last month or so, there’s no question in my mind some Gamecock supporters view the Lattimore decision as a referendum on the school’s football program under Steve Spurrier.

Should it be? Again, it depends on your perspective.

Obviously, you have to start with the premise that grading an entire recruiting class based on one player is a bit unfair. Football is the ultimate team sport and even a great running back like Lattimore needs an effective offensive line to open holes for him. If they don’t, then he becomes just an ordinary running back.

In addition, USC already has some good young running backs on their roster. Both Kenny Miles and Jarvis Giles have three years of eligibility left, so it’s not like the cupboard will be bare if Lattimore elects not to sign with USC.

But, I also understand Lattimore is one of the highest profile prospects nationally to come out of South Carolina in a while. Most respectable recruiting services have rated him one of the top 10 players in the country for a while. In fact, the Sporting News had him at No. 1 until recently. He’s currently No. 2 on their list.

And for good reason. Lattimore is a stud running back with his good size and great speed. Moreover, it appears he has a good head on his shoulders.

One reason Lattimore’s decision is such a big deal is because of the well-documented struggles of the USC offense, particularly the ground game. I don’t have to tell most USC fans that the Gamecocks have finished last in the SEC in rushing offense for the last three seasons.

I’m sure Lattimore is well aware of that fact as well.

Lattimore has been quoted (when he was talking to the media, though he broke his silence Monday with an interview at sportingnews.com) as saying he had concerns about the USC offense.

Based strictly on Lattimore’s talent, his announcement is a big deal for Spurrier. It could be years before USC is this close to signing a running back of Lattimore’s caliber. In my opinion, that’s more important than saying the announcement is a referendum on Spurrier’s tenure.

Since Lattimore is such a special player, I suggest the following scenario: rather than announcing his decision at his church, he should take a cue from the Vatican. Lattimore and his family and select friends would remain inside his home in Spartanburg, while the media and “the community” (his minister’s term) gather outside. When the appropriate time comes, the chimmey would tell us which school he is attending. White smoke for USC, Black smoke for Auburn.

Just a suggestion.

Here’s another reason people are watching the Lattimore decision closely - without question, USC and Clemson have both struggled during the 2010 recruiting cycle to convince many of the best Palmetto State players to stay at home. Right now, six of the top 13 players are headed out of state, according to the revised state rankings released late last week by Rivals.com.

If Lattimore picks Auburn, it would mean four of the top five players in the state plan to play their college football elsewhere. Frankly, that would be very disappointing.

The struggles of USC and Clemson to put a fence around the borders contrast sharply with the states of Georgia and Alabama. In the Peach State, four of the top seven recruits, including the top three, have verbally committed to UGA head coach Mark Richt.

In the Yellowhammer State, most of the top recruits have historically signed with either the Crimson Tide or Tigers and this year is no different.

Right now, 10 of the top 11 prospects in Alabama plan to play for either Nick Saban or Gene Chizik.

When USC and Clemson reach that point, we’ll know they have truly put a fence around the borders.

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Nine Days That Could Shake Gamecock Nation

Beginning with Tuesday’s news that Assistant Head Coach For Defense Ellis Johnson will nearly double his pay under the terms of a new four-year contract and continuing later that night with the historic basketball upset over Kentucky, we’re now three days into a nine-day stretch that could impact Gamecock Nation for years.

If you think that’s just hyperbole, consider the following:

-- USC has tied up one of the most respected defensive minds in the country through the 2013 season;

-- USC toppled the No. 1 team in the country in front of a national TV audience, a win that could resonate with fans, recruits and the media for a while;

-- Friday, the USC baseball team begins full team practice for a season that could – some say should - produce the school’s first College World Series appearance since 2004.

-- Saturday, USC hosts Georgia at Colonial Life Arena in possibly the biggest game of the Darrin Horn Era;

-- Tuesday, the Palmetto State’s top high school football recruit will announce where he plans to spend the next four years;

-- Wednesday, USC is expected to sign a class highlighted by the addition of six or more offensive linemen, a group many people hope will help lift one of the most vital units on the field out of the doldrums.

Let’s take each of these one-by-one:

Retaining Johnson was absolutely critical for USC’s success over the next few years. So, while signing Johnson became an expensive game of Keeping Up With The Joneses considering the recent climate in the SEC, it was something that had to be done. Like it or not, $700,000 per year has become the new standard for defensive coordinators at the top programs in the SEC. Johnson could have been paid more than that at Tennessee, but decided to remain loyal to USC. If Eric Hyman hadn’t locked Johnson up, he would have certainly bolted for greener pastures at some point.

The victory over Kentucky has brought USC a considerable amount of media attention in the last 24 hours, but the benefits of that win will be compromised with a loss to Georgia on Saturday night. USC has done an excellent job of protecting its home court since Horn took over in April of 2008, the first step towards becoming an elite SEC program.

This is no time for a letdown. Georgia is better than you think under new coach Mark Fox and certainly capable of knocking off USC if the Gamecocks get sloppy and start believing they’re better than they really are.

In my opinion, ESPN’s Pat Forde wrote the best line about Tuesday’s game: “Devan Downey might have played the best 20-missed-field-goal game in college basketball history.” Downey made only 9-of-29 shots, but still scored 30 points as he fearlessly drove to the basket and got to the free throw line 11 times.

Downey didn’t singlehandedly beat the top-ranked Wildcats, of course, but it came close.

Must Downey score 30 points every night to give USC a chance to win against SEC opponents? Yes. So don’t look for him to slow down anytime soon, or for Horn to ask him to take fewer shots.

I believe Ray Tanner has his deepest, most experienced team in a few years at USC. If the Justin Smoak-Reese Havens-James Darnell teams had enjoyed the depth of the 2010 pitching staff, USC would have reached the CWS at least once when that trio was here.

But there are questions. First baseman Nick Ebert and pitcher Sam Dyson are question marks for different reasons. USC needs both players to get on the field and stay healthy. It all starts Friday with the first full team scrimmage.

Will Marcus Lattimore sign with USC or Auburn? By all indications, it’s too close to call. Offensive lineman Eric Mack bolted recently for the Plains, contending he silently committed to Auburn in September even though he remained publicly pledged to USC for four months afterwards. Is Lattimore, who was also part of that same September weekend, silently committed to Auburn as well? It depends on who you ask. Auburn folks are confident. But so is USC.

Trying to predict what an 18-year old boy will do is a dangerous game, so I won’t try. But I believe USC needs Lattimore badly. While the stable of running backs they have now is adequate, he will allow USC to take the ground game to another level, one they must get to in order to move up the SEC food chain.

Finally, the 2010 class has always been about the offensive linemen. USC urgently needs to restock the shelves at that position. As a result, USC’s class probably won’t be as highly ranked as previous classes since there won’t be as many offensive skill position players. But it might be the class that has the biggest long-term impact.

I have a feeling that one week from today we'll know a great deal more about which direction the USC football and basketball teams are headed than we did the day before, and a general sense of how the baseball team will perform.

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Whatever Happened To The 2007 Wide Receiver Class?

And the hits just keep on coming.

The announcement late Friday that rising junior wide receiver Matt Clements was leaving the team was hardly shocking considering his limited playing time this past season. He had no catches in two games.

It also put the spotlight back on the once-heralded 2007 wide receiver class that was ranked No. 1 in the country by Rivals.com.

But here we are three years after that class was signed and only two receivers remain – Jason Barnes and Dion LeCorn. Both receivers have had their moments (Barnes’s best game came at Ole Miss in 2008) but have yet to show the consistency you want.

LeCorn, of course, struggled to return from the broken lower leg sustained in last year’s spring game. He had just four catches this past season. He moved to the front of the pack in 2007 largely because of his blocking skills. USC certainly missed him this past season.

But he has done little since then. The 2010 season will be his time to step up and become one of the leaders of the wide receiver corps.

Chris Culliver was signed as a five-star WR but moved to safety in the spring of 2008, a move that has largely paid dividends for both him and the Gamecocks even though he encountered some rough patches this past season.

Clements is one of four receivers signed in 2007 that are no longer with the team. Larry Freeman didn’t work out after being signed out of junior college (2 catches in 2008), while Joe Hills transferred to Tennessee State last August and Michael Bowman was denied admission into USC (remember Spurrier’s press conference?) and eventually enrolled at East Carolina.

I admit I was wrong about Clements. When he first arrived on campus, I thought he would have a nice career at USC. I recall wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. spending extra time with him after workouts trying to accelerate his progress.

But it never worked out, for whatever reason.

Our society loves to play the blame game, so who’s at fault for the fact the 2007 wide receivers class failed to materialize?

Were mistakes made at the outset in the recruiting process? Probably. It’s clear now some of the guys weren’t as talented as the coaches initially thought (too many drops) or they struggled to adjust to having to play at a higher level against SEC defensive backs.

Obviously, some people will point to Spurrier Jr. as the culprit. But this is the same coach that also developed Sidney Rice, Kenny McKinley and now Alshon Jeffery. So, he’s done something right.

As usual, liability is probably best shared between the coaches and players.

And, let’s be frank, wide receiver isn’t the only position from the 2007 class that fell below expectations.

Out of the 31 players signed in 2007, 12 have already left the program for various reasons, an attrition rate of close to 40 percent. Remember these names? Mark Barnes, Donte’e Nicholls, Sam Pope, Jamire Williams and Matt Williams.

To be fair, the class has also produced a number of productive players as well – Stephen Garcia, Cliff Matthews, Travian Robertson, Ladi Ajiboye, Akeem Auguste and Patrick DiMarco.

But, at this point, not enough of them. There are also a number of other players from that class that must step up in 2010, including Jason Barnes. You can add Melvin Ingram, Brian Maddox, Kyle Nunn, Quintin Richardson and Weslye Saunders to that group, as well.

How those players perform in 2010 could determine how the history books treat the 2007 signing class. It was one that created a lot of jubilation in Gamecock Nation three years ago. It was ranked No. 6 in the country by Rivals.com and was thought to be the class that would put USC among the SEC elite. Obviously, that hasn’t happened yet.

There’s still time for the 2007 signing class to live up to its lofty ranking, but time is running out.

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Taking Stock Of Tuesday's Perfect Storm

Tuesday started slow but soon shifted into overdrive. It started well with the news Ellis Johnson had decided not to pursue the Louisiana Tech head coaching job, but went downhill after that.

It started with the reports that TE Weslye Saunders had been suspended indefinitely, continued with reports that backup QB Reid McCollum was transferring and ended about 8 p.m. or so when OL prospect Eric Mack decommitted. But there was another piece of news that fell under the radar. Hopefully, USC has exhausted their limit of bad news for the month of January.

Ellis Johnson Stays: Had Ellis Johnson left to take the head coaching job at Louisiana Tech or the Assistant Head Coach position at Tennessee, it would have been far more devastating to the USC program than any overhyped recruit deciding USC wasn’t the right school for him. But Johnson declined both jobs (as well as rejecting the overtures from Georgia for their defensive coordinator job), even though he could have easily doubled his salary. A seven-figure income can go a long way in Ruston, La. Will USC reward his loyalty? Yes. Johnson should receive a significant bump in salary and an extension to his contract, which runs through 2011. He makes around $350,000 now. Some defensive coordinators in the SEC that lack Johnson’s career accomplishments earn more than that.

Weslye Saunders Suspended: Anyone could say they saw this one coming from a mile way and actually sound believable. Saunders has the potential to be one of the top tight ends in the country but his attitude and work ethic have always been a huge question mark. Nothing he did in the early stages of winter workouts changed that. Saunders started playing well towards the end of the regular season when he had all three of his TD receptions against Florida and Clemson, but he was practically invisible during earlier stretches. Overall, he had a mediocre season that fell below expectations. During bowl practice, tight ends coach Jeep Hunter told me freshman Justice Cunningham was a better blocker than Saunders. Why? Blocking is a lot like rebounding in basketball. It’s all about effort and technique. Saunders was told after the season he had to improve his work ethic if he wanted to stick around. Will he?

Reid McCollum Transferring: Well, it’s not finalized yet, but could be today when McCollum meets with Spurrier. This development is hardly surprising in the wake of the hiring of Shawn Elliott as offensive line coach. Elliott loves the spread option, a scheme that doesn’t fit squarely with McCollum’s skills. He is a pure drop-back quarterback. The USC coaching staff hasn't hid their feelings about Connor Shaw, who enrolled last week. He is a lot like Stephen Garcia in that he is proficient both running and throwing the football. He is certainly being eyed as Garcia's successor. With Garcia and Shaw around, McCollum saw the writing on the wall. His chances for significant playing time in the next two years was slim. I look for McCollum to transfer to a Div. I-AA or Div. II school and start for three years. He should be a good QB for a smaller school somewhere. As you may recall, McCollum enrolled early at USC in January of 2008 but returned home shortly thereafter. He incurred a devastating double shot to the psyche a few years ago when an assistant coach he was close with at Summerville became one of the heroic ‘Charleston 9.’ Soon thereafter, an ex-girlfriend died in a beach house fire. I wouldn’t be surprised if the mental scars haven’t totally healed.

Eric Mack Decommits: Frankly, I don’t know how these recruiting analysts stay sane. Is it getting to the point where we can’t trust anything that anybody says during the recruiting process? Sunday night, Mack told every South Carolina based media entity he spoke with that he had enjoyed a great visit to USC over the weekend and was firmly committed to the Gamecocks. Within hours, he said he would take an ‘unofficial’ visit to Auburn this upcoming weekend. Less than forty-eight hours later, he had dropped USC and will now reportedly choose between Auburn and Florida. Again, I go back to Brad Lawing’s comment last year that a verbal commitment today is a lot like a dinner reservation. The player might show up, maybe he won’t.

The Legal Wars: With everything else going on, this one fell way under the radar but it could have implications in the future for the USC athletic department. A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Southern Cal rightfully owned the trademark to the interlocking ‘SC’ logo used by both schools. This will most affect the Gamecock baseball team, which has the logo on their hats. According to a story on the website insidehighered.com, USC will not be required to immediately discontinue use of the logo. However, what it does mean is USC won’t enjoy the protections that come with federal registration of a trademark and allow Southern Cal to challenge USC’s use the interlocking ‘SC’ logo.

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A Riveting Game Of High Stakes Poker

In a span of two hours Sunday night, highly-touted running back Marcus Lattimore went from “planning to sign with USC” to being a “slight lean” to Auburn.

Just another day in the recruiting wars.

So who’s right, if anybody?

Well, the only thing we know right now is Lattimore is down to two schools – USC and Auburn – and that he plans to announce his decision at his church in Spartanburg on Feb. 2, the day before National Signing Day.

Oregon and Penn State have, apparently, been eliminated Sunday from consideration. I guess that means Lattimore won’t take his official visit to the West Coast this weekend.

But five days is an eternity in recruiting and things can change very quickly. I’m sure the Oregon coaches have already contacted Lattimore and tried to convince him to fly to Eugene.

I’ve also read Joe Paterno is still planning on traveling to South Carolina for his previously scheduled in-home visit next week. Don’t count out JoePa just yet.

Anything is possible in recruiting, which is why I always say it’s never over until the prospect actually signs his LOI on the dotted line.

With that being said, do I believe the report that surfaced Sunday night that Auburn holds a “slight lead” for Lattimore? No.

If Lattimore actually said that, I’m willing to call his bluff in this riveting game of high-stakes poker.

Lattimore is a very smart, thoughtful and mature young man (he won’t be another Demetris Summers, if you’re concerned about that) and through the frenzied recruiting process has become quite media savvy.

I believe his purported statement to the Auburn web site that the Tigers hold a “slight lead” was done intentionally to counter the media reports earlier in the evening where unnamed sources “who spoke with Lattimore” said he “planned” to play for the Gamecocks.

The biggest test Lattimore faces over the next two weeks is sustaining the drama until his much-anticipated announcement on Signing Day Eve. No player wants his day in the spotlight spoiled, and I can guarantee plenty of media will be there in Spartanburg on Feb. 2.

I predict Lattimore will continue to play the USC and Auburn media off each other until the big day arrives. That’s what you do if you want to keep people in suspense.

With NSD 16 days away, which school do I believe Lattimore will ultimately sign with? USC.

But does Auburn still have a chance to sign Lattimore? Sure. It’s probably a 51-49 lead for USC, so the final tally is still within the margin of error.

I also believe his comments to the Auburn web site are another example of telling someone what they wanted to hear rather than the absolute truth. Auburn sites have been prolific in contending the odds of Lattimore signing with the Tigers are close to 80 percent, which, of course, is laughable.

The fact Steve Spurrier has the final home visit on Jan. 30 before Lattimore goes into lock-down mode bodes well for the Gamecocks.

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Who Will Be USC's Starting QB In 2012?

South Carolina will have five scholarship quarterbacks on campus when spring practice starts sometime in March.

But short of a devastating injury or Heisman Trophy campaign by incumbent starter Stephen Garcia in 2010, we all know who will be calling signals for the Gamecocks over the next two years.

Garcia was heads and shoulders above the rest of the field in 2009 and the same should be true in 2010 and possibly even 2011. His knowledge of the offense and ability to change the play at the line of scrimmage should improve as time goes on.

If Garcia improves as much between the 2009 and 2010 seasons as he did between 2008 and 2009, he should be a very good QB next season, possibly the best in the SEC East.

Thus, while he drives Steve Spurrier crazy sometimes with his decisions on the field (see the ill-fated QB sneak on fourth down in the Papajohns.com Bowl), Garcia remains the best option for USC at QB by a wide margin.

But what happens after Garcia exits? Who becomes the starting quarterback then?

Who will start at quarterback for USC in 2012?

I know this - there won’t be any shortage of candidates. Reid McCollum, Andrew Clifford, Aramis Hillary, Connor Shaw, Dylan Thompson and whoever the Gamecocks sign in 2011 should all be in the running for the spot.

After careful consideration, here’s my projected winner: Shaw.

Shaw impressed the USC coaches throughout the recruiting process with his physical skills both running and throwing, his work ethic and his intellectual approach to the game. Spurrier described him Thursday as a “football junkie.”

In my opinion, Shaw is the favorite because he will be the best fit for the offensive system I believe USC will be utilizing when the 2012 season arrives.

The hiring of Shawn Elliott from Appalachian State as the new offensive line coach and run game coordinator sends a strong signal Spurrier is prepared to head in a slightly different direction in terms of offensive philosophy.

While Spurrier is a strong advocate of the I-formation and vertical passing game, he also understands very well the concept of trends. The spread option is the hottest rage in college football. Appalachian State enjoyed the full benefits of the system en route to capturing three consecutive Div. I-AA national championships, and stunning then No. 4 Michigan in one of the greatest upsets ever.

With Elliott now on board, I expect the spread option will creep more and more into the USC playbook. The Gamecocks used it towards the latter portion of the 2009 season and had some success with it.

After the Clemson win, I asked Garcia about the option pitch to Maddox for the game-tying touchdown in the first quarter. He said USC had finally reached the point where they were comfortable running some option and that was a good time for that play call.

Shaw had a brilliant senior season at Flowery Branch (Ga.) High School. He threw for 3,100 yards and 30 touchdowns with just six interceptions, while rushing for 800 yards and 17 TDs. He also threw for 2,200 yards and rushed for 941 yards as a junior.

Obviously, Shaw got the job done in high school both running and throwing. Clifford has also shown the ability to gain yards with his arms and legs, rushing for 10 touchdowns as a senior in Tampa.

Things change very quickly in major college football – a lesson we’ve learned yet again over the past several days – and the 2012 season is a long, long, long ways into the distant future.

But, in my opinion, the hiring of Elliott gives Shaw the inside track to the starting quarterback job when Garcia is done in Columbia.

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Few Tears Will Be Shed Over Geathers' Departure

The seeds of defensive end Clifton Geathers’ departure for the NFL were sown the day after the bitter Papajohns.com Bowl loss when a still-angry Steve Spurrier was asked if he would speak with any of the draft-eligible juniors about returning for their final years.

His response was classic Spurrier.

He contended he wouldn’t beg any of the players to stay except for possibly DE Cliff Matthews, who emerged this season as one of the top defensive players in the SEC.

In short, Spurrier’s message to Geathers, TE Weslye Saunders and DB Chris Culliver was obvious – don’t let the door hit your butt on the way out.

Geathers, apparently, took him up on the offer. Culliver and Saunders will likely stay, though.

While Geathers has left to go play on Sundays, I can assure you that Spurrier and defensive line coach Brad Lawing are crying few tears about his decision to leave.

First, Geathers’ production on the field doesn’t warrant any weeping and wailing. He only started nine games in his career and made 72 tackles in three seasons.

After being suspended for the season opener following that infamous run-in with the Columbia police in late August, it took him half the season to finally overtake redshirt freshman Devin Taylor at the defensive end position opposite Matthews. Last year, he couldn’t beat out Jordin Lindsey and ended up starting just one game.

Make no mistake, though, Geathers is gifted with tremendous size (6-foot-8, 281 pounds) and athleticism, two traits that will make him attractive to NFL teams. However, he is too raw and undeveloped at this stage of his career.

As a well-known draft analyst told me last night, few NFL general managers would be willing to risk taking Geathers in the early rounds because he will be considered a ‘project’. Remember, those guys are judged primarily on who they select in the first three rounds and most of them like their million dollar salaries too much to take too many chances. Early-round players are expected to contribute immediately. If they don’t, they’re considered busts by the local media and the GM gets the blame.

Of course, it’s always possible Geathers could go to the NFL Combine and impress everybody with his physical skills, forcing a team to take him in the early rounds just like Johnathan Joseph did in 2006 when he ran a blazing speed in the 40.

The happiest person might be Lawing, since he dealt with Geathers and his family on a daily basis. About a year ago, Lawing told me a story about getting a phone call from someone in the Geathers family. They complained about the way Clifton was being coached.

Lawing furnished the caller with a reality of Clifton’s abilities and what he had to do to become a productive defensive end in the SEC. Apparently, the caller wanted Lawing to do what Geathers high school coach did – just tell him to line up and get after the quarterback.

Unfortunately, as Geathers quickly learned, it doesn’t work that way in the SEC when you’re trying to get around or push through some of the best offensive tackles in all of major college football.

At the SEC level, it’s about proper fundamentals and technique and being able to use your hands and feet to your advantage. But the Geathers’ family didn’t grasp that.

Lawing understood USC was simply a caretaker for Geathers on his road to the NFL. As someone said yesterday, playing pro football is the “family business” and things would be no different for Clifton.

But the trick to making it in the NFL is earning a second contract. That’s where most players get wealthy, especially those taken in the later rounds. Right now, I question whether Geathers will make it that far since he’s still raw. The key will be how patient the team that selects him decides to be.

In my opinion, Geathers’ reason for leaving early – fear of injury – is enough justification to wave goodbye. That excuse (the only proper description) leads to one reasonable conclusion – had Geathers returned in 2010 he would have played tentatively, not understanding, of course, that he would put himself at a greater risk of injury by playing half-speed.

Frankly, any player who says he’s afraid of being hurt shouldn’t be playing football especially at the SEC level. Those words could come back to haunt him in the NFL. He will certainly be asked about it at the NFL Combine.

Remember, Geathers initially committed to Georgia duirng the recruiting process but was denied admission. He ended up at Hargrave Military School with the hopes of earning sufficient grades to get into UGA. When he couldn't, he showed up at USC.

In fact, a week or so before he left Hargrave, Geathers wore his Georgia gear while being interviewed. In the video, he proudly boasted about how he was looking forward to playing for the Bulldogs. Thus, don't be fooled into believing he wore the garnet and black because he loved the school, the campus, Columbia or anything else.

Clearly, playing for USC was his second choice at the beginning of his college career. Now, staying in school is a distant second to playing for pay.

Clifton, good luck. You might need it.

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The Only Recruiting Rule That Truly Matters

Silly me, but I didn’t realize God was a Gator.

But apparently he is based on comments from Sharrif Floyd’s high school coaches about what went down in the final few days before Floyd announced his college choice on national TV last Saturday at the U.S. Army All-American game.

As we all know, Floyd picked Florida.

Now we’re starting to find out why.

According to Floyd’s coaches, he was set to pick Ohio State until he spoke with Meyer on the phone. That’s when Florida’s coach, desperate to rein in the nation’s top defensive tackle prospect, went “all in” with the religion card. According to a quote that first appeared on a Ohio State site and has made the rounds on the internet, here’s what the coaches said:

“Sharrif was really confused and put a call into Coach Meyer. When they spoke Coach Meyer told him that he had a ‘dream’ the night before, and that Coach Meyer saw himself on the sideline coaching Sharrif. Told him that is was a "message from God that I should come back and coach, as I guess if it’s my time to die, I'd rather die on the sidelines coaching you than anywhere else in the world.

"Sharrif talked to us the next day and said Ohio State is great and all, but Coach Meyer said he would DIE for me. That's pretty intense. From that day on Sharrif mainly kept to himself. But that was the turning point in my eyes."

Either you have to applaud Meyer for a brilliant recruiting maneuver or mock him for preying on the emotions of a naïve high school kid.

You could also do both. Make no mistake, Meyer knew exactly what he was doing, just like the way he “resigned” as Florida’s head coach only to announce a day or two later he was taking an indefinite leave of absence. Contrived? You bet.

But, considering all the highly-touted prospects that have committed to the Gators in recent days, Meyer’s ploy has worked to perfection.

Really, though, the entire Meyer/Floyd proves yet again that while the NCAA Rulebook is as thick as a phone directory there is only one rule that truly matters when it comes to recruiting – caveat emptor.

Let the Buyer Beware.

It’s difficult to blame Floyd for believing such nonsense since players worship coaches like Meyer as father figures. They sincerely accept as true anything and everything that comes out of the mouths of coaches, especially one like Meyer who has won multiple national championships.

Titles bring credibility.

But Meyer’s master stroke in convincing Floyd that committing to Florida was a matter of divine intervention is yet another indication of how far some coaches are willing to go in recruiting to sign the top players. Did Meyer cross the line? Yes. Is it illegal to tell a kid you had a vision from God? No.

The way the NCAA works, it’s the player’s responsibility and his advisors to separate fact from the B.S.

Is this the first time a well known coach has played the religion card? Heck, no. And it won’t be the last either.

If you recall, former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden unapologetically played the religion card while recruiting RB C.J. Spiller. Unfortunately, God later determined the Tigers weren’t worthy of an ACC championship or a BCS bowl game during Spiller’s time in the Upstate, though he did accomplish a lot individually.

I’m sure there are countless other examples as well where coaches have exploited a player’s belief in the almighty to gain a recruiting advantage.

About 20 years ago, preacher Oral Roberts relied on the same tactics when he convinced thousands of his followers God would “call him home” unless he raised enough money ($8 million) to send out missionaries from a medical center he had built earlier.

In essence, it’s all about passing the snicker test. As long as the prospect doesn’t laugh when religion is invoked, the coach has a chance.

And that’s exactly what Meyer was counting on.

So, is God a Gator? Well, if that movie set for release this weekend is really true, his attention isn't focused on college football right now.

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Seven Questions I Asked While Talking To Myself

It’s January. It’s cold. Alabama has won the national championship, defending the SEC's honor against Texas at the Rose Bowl Thursday night. Here are seven questions I’ve asked myself over the last few days:

1. What’s Going On With Moe Brown?: First there was a supposed locker room confrontation between Brown and wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier, Jr. following the bowl game and now this June arrest for speeding and illegally carrying a weapon. I laughed when I first heard about the shouting match between Brown and Spurrier Jr. What did you expect? Brown was a senior playing his last game. Along with the rest of the offense, he played poorly against UConn. Did anyone truly expect a happy locker room after that abysmal performance? Of course not. In fact, I would have been more surprised if there hadn’t been an incident. Unfortunately, it looks like the team showed more passion in the post-game locker room than they did on the field during the game.

As for the “gun incident,” (that’s what a head-scratching newspaper headline actually stated) the charge of illegally carrying a weapon as dismissed about a month later when the court ruled the police conducted an improper search. In short, Moe Brown’s constitutional rights were violated by the Columbia police but none of the media reports I’ve read has mentioned that. In short, this case was about a speeding ticket, which, in my opinion, doesn’t justify the media hysteria we’ve seen the last couple of days.

2. What Must USC Do To Become An Elite SEC Team?: When the final SEC statistics are released in a few days, they’ll likely show the Gamecocks last in rushing offense. Again. USC will not become an elite SEC program until they find a way to run the football consistently. The numbers don’t lie. USC was 6-1 this season when they rushed for 100+ yards, 3-0 when they had 150+ yards rushing. Conversely, they were 1-5 when they gained fewer than 100 yards on the ground. Generally, you’ll find the same record with most teams around the nation. Teams that know how to run the football are usually successful more often than not.

What will it take accomplish that? A stud running back and a tougher, meaner offensive line. Marcus Lattimore could be the guy. As for the O-line, that’s why Shawn Elliott was hired. Changes could be in store at both positions in 2010.

3. Does USC Really Have A Chance To Land Sharrif Floyd?: You’re guess is as good as mine. It’s been a wild roller coaster ride of emotions, for sure, over the last several months, but the Gamecocks appear to still be inthe thickof the fight. I’m not sure how I would rate their chances at this point. But this quote by Floyd is encouraging: "I do know my decision. I think a lot of people are going to be shocked by my decision. I can't wait. It will be a lot of weight lifted off of my shoulders. Then I can talk about my school, sit back, relax and finish the rest of my senior year." If Floyd commits to USC, it would be the biggest recruiting upset of the 2010 cycle considering the main competition are national powers Ohio State and Florida. Whatever the outcome, G.A. Mangus deserves a lot of credit for bringing USC this far. They’ve got a shot.

4. Will Jarriel King Move To Defensive Line?: Possibly. You could make the argument King hasn’t developed into the dominating left tackle Steve Spurrier envisioned 18 months ago when King first arrived on campus. But he’s done OK. The biggest obstacle to any move across the line of scrimmage is the shortage of O-linemen in the spring. With Seaver Brown, Pierre Andrews and Kevin Young moving on, that leaves 10 available O-linemen and that’s if Terrence Campbell is ready to play, an iffy proposition at best.

At this point, I would consider it a more likely proposition for Steven Singleton to switch from defensive line back to offensive line to help alleviate the numbers crunch there than for King to move to D-line. But there's no question King would prefer to play D-line. He's said that since the first day he arrived.

5. Will USC Sign A Top 15 Recruiting Class?: It’s quite possible. There are still three five-star prospects left on USC’s board – RB Marcus Lattimore, DT Sharrif Floyd and DE J.R. Ferguson. Sign two of those three (Lattimore is the most likely to sign with USC at this time) and USC is assured of a Top 15 finish. But there are a large number of four-star recruits out there as well, including LB Justin Parker, WR Ace Sanders, OL Morgan Moses, DB Victor Hampton and LB Kendall Moore. There could be others as well. USC has four 4-star commitments right now, They could easily double that number by Signing Day.

6. Can The Basketball Team Make The NCAA Tournament Without Dominique Archie and Mike Holmes?: Very unlikely. The SEC wars begin Saturday in Auburn. We’ll find out a lot about this team between now and the end of the month. Home games with LSU, Vanderbilt and Kentucky will be difficult. But USC has proven they can win consistently at Colonial Life Arena under Darrin Horn. USC’s best hope to make the Big Dance is go 10-6 in the SEC and hope the conference RPI stays high. Win most of the home games, steal a few on the road and USC should be a bubble team.

The smaller lineup Horn introduced the other night against Longwood appears to be USC’s best option. But it was Longwood. The Gamecocks will probably be outrebounded nearly every night in league play. So they must concentrate on limiting turnovers and creating some of their own.

7. How Will The USC Baseball Team Do This Year?: Cautious optimism is rolling through Carolina Stadium. Ray Tanner acknowledged in November following the conclusion of fall practice that the Gamecocks have enough talent to contend for one of the coveted eight spots in Omaha. But some of that talent is young and untested. Front line pitchers Sam Dyson and Blake Cooper must have big years with few wasted starts. Nick Ebert must be eligible to play. The pitching depth appears to be much better than 2009, and that will be the key to a lengthy stay in the NCAA Tournament. Another 40-plus win year? It looks like it. And the beat goes on.

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Making A Dinner Reservation: Assessing USC's Chances With Some Top Prospects

Without question, one of the best comments I’ve ever heard about recruiting was uttered by South Carolina defensive line coach Brad Lawing in Union, SC last April.

Lawing has been a college football coach for almost 30 years and has recruited hundreds, if not thousands, of prospects.

So, I sat up and paid attention when he compared a commitment in today’s world of college football recruiting to a dinner reservation.

Translation: a verbal commitment means a player may or may not sign with the particular school he’s pledged to.

After watching and following recruiting for a few years now, there are two concrete rules I faithfully follow when it comes to 17 and 18 year old boys: 1) it isn’t over ‘til it’s over and 2) never say never. As a result, until ink hits paper on Feb. 3, USC’s chances with any prospect are less than 100 percent and greater than zero. Anything in between is fair game.

So, when I watched Manning (S.C.) CB John Fulton put on an Alabama hat Saturday at the Under Armour game in St. Petersburg, Fla., I flashed back to a year ago and recalled that WR Alshon Jeffery was committed to Southern Cal until the last minute.

Then, when I heard Sharrif Floyd had dropped USC from consideration, I didn’t keel over as if someone had kicked me in the stomach. At least not yet anyways.

There’s still a month until Signing Day. And, as we‘ve found out in recent years, 30 days is an eternity in recruiting. Someone’s three-star prospect one day can be someone else’s four-star phenom the next.

We’ve already been treated/forced to endure/subjected to a steady stream of prospects parading in front of the cameras and announcing in one form or other which college colors they intend to play their football for.

With the ever-growing influence of the internet and TV, recruiting sometimes feels like a never-ending theatrical production with all the props and well-rehearsed lines.

But I digress.

Some Gamecock fans were, without a doubt, thrown into panic by Fulton’s decision to verbally commit to Alabama. Shane Beamer and the USC staff worked their magic in crunch time last year with Jeffery. Can they do the same thing with Fulton? Maybe, maybe not.

Ultimately, Fulton’s decision will come down to how much loyalty he has for his home state. Jeffery switched to the Gamecocks because he wanted to stay closer to home and help USC climb the SEC ladder. Will Fulton feel the same urge?

Remember, USC still hasn’t had their big recruiting weekend. That’s supposed to occur Jan. 15-17. USC has a home basketball game against Vanderbilt on Sat. Jan. 16. You can be assured every recruit will attend that game, and they’ll certainly be paying attention to the atmosphere.

Believe me, trying to predict what high school boys will do is exceptionally difficult. But, at the risk of being wrong, I’ll take a stab at it. After careful consideration, here is how I rate USC’s chances of signing some of the top prospects left on their board, in no particular order:

Marcus Lattimore (RB): The top prize. USC is still the favorite despite overtures from schools like Auburn, Oregon and Penn State. Some recruiting analysts will tell you Lattimore has been a lock for the Gamecocks for some time. He’s supposed to announce Feb. 2, the day before National Signing Day, at his church in Spartanburg. USC chances: 80 Percent.

Ace Sanders (WR): Rivals.com described him recently as “currently one of the most coveted offensive recruits from the Sunshine State.” He is set to visit USC on Jan. 22. Assistant G.A. Mangus is scheduled for a visit later this week. The chief competition will come from South Florida and West Virginia. Right now, USC has a good chance to land him. USC’s chances: 50 Percent.

Jeremy Deering (S): Although he is listed as a 6-foot-2 safety from Tampa, USC is talking with him about playing slot receiver. He is scheduled for an official visit to USC on Jan. 15. Mangus will visit him on Thursday. He’s visiting Florida State this weekend and Rutgers on Jan. 22. He might be hard to pull out of the Sunshine State. USC’s chances: 30 Percent.

Kadron Boone (WR): His recruiting went into overdrive when Mike Leach was fired as head coach at Texas Tech. He claims he’s still committed to the Red Raiders. USC is maneuvering for a visit but right now it’s unlikely he ends up in Columbia. USC Chances: 10 Percent.

Mychal Rivera (TE): A former Oregon player, the 6-foot-4 prospect is attending College of the Canyons JC in California. He had a home visit with Jeep Hunter Monday night and claims they clicked. He has set an official visit with USC for the big recruiting weekend of Jan. 15-17. He also plans to visit Kansas State and Utah State. Considering the competition, I like USC’s chances in this battle. USC’s Chances: 60 Percent.

Kegan Funderburk (DE): USC likes the 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive end very much but grades could be a problem. If he qualifies, USC has a great shot to sign him. He impressed some observers at the Shrine Bowl with his skills. Right now, Rivals.com lists his only offers as Michigan State and Wisconsin. Will USC sign and place? They might. USC’s Chances: 70 Percent.

Morgan Moses (OL): USC’s chances with the nation’s No. 6 prep school prospect depend on whether Moses qualifies for early enrollment in January. If he does, he will sign with Florida or Virginia. If he doesn’t, USC has a chance to land him. So, it really comes down to academics. And, he has to hit it off with new O-Line coach Shawn Elliott. That’s a lot of questions for an elite prospect. USC’s Chances: 20 Percent.

Victor Hampton (DB): He’s been impressing coaches and teammates this week at the U.S. Army All-American Game. Rivals.com described him as the “most consistent cornerback” in pre-game workouts. USC has positioned itself nicely with the four-star prospect and the 11th best player in South Carolina. The other major contenders for Hampton are Tennessee and North Carolina. But Rivals.com wrote he is “very likely” to pick the Gamecocks. USC’s Chances: 70 Percent.

John Fulton (DB): His commitment to Alabama isn’t too surprising considering he’s been saying positive things about the Crimson Tide for several months. But it’s still a shock to see an elite player from the Palmetto State leave and go somewhere else, especially a school in the SEC West. However, rest assured USC won’t give up and will try to turn him before Signing Day. They were successful with Jeffery last year. It’s a small chance, but it’s a chance. USC’s Chances: 20 Percent.

J.R. Ferguson (DL): USC’s chances with the elite defensive line prospect don’t look good right now. He’s already visited LSU, Notre Dame and California. He is supposed to visit Oklahoma on Jan. 22. He told Rivals.com a couple of days ago at the U.S. Army All-America game in San Antonio that the fifth and final visit will be to Miami, Florida State or UCLA. Unless Ferguson visits USC, they have no shot. USC’s Chances: 10 Percent.

Kyle Woestmann (DT): He committed to Vanderbilt in June after giving USC some consideration. But the Commodores’ poor season has given him pause. He has a home visit with Mangus scheduled for Wednesday and an official visit to USC firmed up for Jan. 22. With Shariff Floyd and J.R. Ferguson likely out of the picture, USC will put the full-court press on to turn him towards Columbia. USC’s Chances: 50 Percent.

Tavaris Barnes (DT): He committed to Florida State last June and now that the Bobby Bowden situation has been resolved, it appears he will stick with the Seminoles after wavering for a time. USC could be one school he looks at when he decommits. But that probably won’t happen. USC’s Chances: 10 Percent.

Sharrif Floyd (DT): He is supposed to announce Saturday at the U.S. Army All-America Game in San Antonio. His final three schools are reportedly Ohio State, Florida and North Carolina with the Buckeyes as the favorite. But he wrote today in his diary that USC is still in the running as one of his Final Four. So, there's still some hope. If you’re wondering how the Buckeyes were able to leapfrog to the front after months of doing a good job of ignoring Floyd, you’re not alone. G.A. Mangus put forth a valiant effort for a year to keep USC in the mix but, right now, it looks like he will fall short. However, remember that it’s never over ‘til it’s over, even after Saturday's announcement. USC’s Chances: 10 Percent.

Justin Parker (LB): Most recruiting analysts are skeptical of his recent comments that LSU is the current leader after months of saying USC was in front. Heck, even his coach acknowledged the Gamecocks are the leader. He’s also seriously considering Clemson and is scheduled for an official visit to the Upstate this weekend. Right now, those are the main schools in contention. He will visit LSU on Jan. 22 and Georgia Tech on Jan. 29. He took his official to USC in November for the Florida game. USC’s Chances: 60 Percent.

Kendall Moore (LB): He flirted with USC last summer (he made multiple unofficial visits to Columbia) before finally committing to Notre Dame. However, the ouster of head coach Charlie Weis has the Raleigh, SC native looking around. Brad Lawing has been after this guy for a while and is trying to get him to visit on Jan. 15. He’s been offered by most ACC and several SEC schools. If USC can convince him to visit, they have good shot. Until then, it’s unlikely he’ll be a Gamecock. USC’s Chances: 20 Percent.

Eric Mack (OL): Gamecock Nation was thrown into a panic when he was photographed wearing an Auburn hat over the weekend. But now it appears it was a cruel joke by someone connected with a Tigers web site. I was confident all it would take to smooth things over was a visit from new OL coach Shawn Elliott. Elliott met with Mack on Monday along with Shane Beamer and RB coach Jay Graham. Sure enough, Mack exited the meeting still committed to USC with an official visit planned to Columbia for Jan. 15-17. Considering he has a infant child in Orangeburg, he’s unlikely to leave the state. USC’s chances: 90 Percent.

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