What was once a robust 2014 recruiting class for South Carolina could look rather sparse once summer camp rolls around early next month.
In a conversation earlier this week, assistant coach Steve Spurrier Jr. conceded to Josh Kendall of The State that eight of the Gamecocks 2014 signees have yet to meet the academic qualifications to enroll in the school. Not only that, but three of the eight -- defensive ends Dante Sawyer, Kalan Ritchie and Jhaustin Thomas -- have either already announced they are headed to the JUCO ranks (the first two) or have whiffed on signing with the Gamecocks twice (Thomas signed with USC out of high school and, after failing to qualify initially, JUCO).
Sawyer has already stated that he plans to sign with the Gamecocks again in 2015.
The paper writes that "[c]ornerbacks Wesley Green, Chris Lammons and Darin Smalls, fullback Joe Blue and defensive tackle Dexter Wideman still are trying to meet qualifying standards in time to join the Gamecocks in August.”
Wideman is the highest ranked of the remaining five, rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals.com.
“We have a plan either way with him,” Spurrier Jr. said of the defensive lineman. “There are three or four that kind of fit into that group.”