South Carolina football: NCAA lifting recruiting dead period
By Jacob Elsey
The new South Carolina football staff will get their first chance to see recruits in person.
Shane Beamer was hired last December following the midseason firing of Will Muschamp in 2020. The first time head coach subsequently assembled a staff, installed new schemes, and geared up for spring practice. One thing that he couldn’t do, however, was get out on the recruiting trail, at least not in person. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA had banned in-person visits for both prospects and coaches.
After meeting last night, though, it looks like that ban will finally be lifted, allowing student-athletes to get face-to-face with potential coaches through on-campus trips and evaluation camps. This rule will go into effect on June 1st, which means Beamer and Co. will be very busy come summer time.
What’s it all mean for South Carolina football?
Firstly, they can hopefully add prospects to their official visit lists in the coming months. As of now, three recruits have set officials in Columbia for the month of June, and with the NCAA’s new ruling, that number should grow, not only for the Gamecocks, but for schools around the country.
With this being Shane Beamer’s first season with South Carolina, it will be his first opportunity to truly experience the recruiting process. While the athletic department’s creative team has done a nice job of utilizing digital and social media as a recruiting tool, having recruits see Beamer’s infectious personality and growing vision for the future of the Gamecock football program firsthand will be a little more impactful than a Zoom meeting and virtual campus tour.
The staff will soon be able to show off the first-class facilities, and recruits will be able to communicate with both potential position coaches and future teammates as they get a feel for what could be their new home for the next three to four years.
As of now, the Gamecocks have just two players in their 2022 class, safety Anthony Rose and offensive lineman Grayson Mains. Expect that number to grow quickly before the start of next season, and you can bet the South Carolina campus will be booming over the months of June, July, and August.