South Carolina Football Recruiting Central: QB Stephen Garcia Headlines Last Year's Class

As national signing day approaches and Gamecock fans anxiously anticipate Feb. 6, the usual disappointing news reports about big time possible signees ditching South Carolina for high-profile teams are rapidly spreading through the Associated Press newswire.Star in-state recruits such as DaQuan Bowers and A.J. Green have both spurned South Carolina offers for Clemson and Georgia, respectively.

 
Bowers (6-foot-4, 270) is ranked as the No. 1 prospect by ESPN and No. 7 by Rivals.com as the physical specimen at defensive end from Bamberg, S.C., registered 33 tackles-for-loss this past season and 15 sacks.

A.J. Green (6-foot-4, 184) is a tall, lengthy wideout from Summerville High School in S.C. and high school teammate of current Gamecock signee, quarterback Reid McCollum.  How fitting would it have been for the 14 touchdown receiver to hook up with his pass provider in Columbia?

The annual pipe dream awaits for South Carolina fans as barks and roars are becoming more influential than rooster calls for in-state recruits.

Heading into the 2008 recruiting class outlook, five consecutive losses to finish last season dampened South Carolina’s chances at a top-notch recruiting class this February, including a 51-31 blowout at home against Tim Tebow in November.

South Carolina's 2006 class registered in the Top 5 by most recruiting sites including Rivals.com and ESPN, as last year's lineup was headlined by a long-aired quarterback, three defensive ends and a solid linebacker who made an immediate impact in nine games.

2006 Class Coming Into Form

South Carolina’s premier signee of the 2006 class was head coach Steve Spurrier’s personal choice of Stephen Garcia, a redshirt-freshman from Tampa, Fla. who will undoubtedly compete with 6-foot-4 sophomore Chris Smelley for the Gamecocks’ starting quarterback position.

Coach Spurrier expects Garcia’s athleticism and Smelley’s knowledge of the game to play an important factor next season and has even added a few option plays in the Cock-N-Fire offense for Garcia, who expects to be a dual-threat player under center in the 2008 opener against N.C. State on Aug. 28.

“We’ve got a kid here now, Stephen Garcia, that can run with the ball,” Spurrier said in a recent interview with Joe Person of The State newspaper.

“We’re going to have a run-quarterback offense a little bit here and there. I hope Chris Smelley can run a little bit with it. But I’m convinced now that if your quarterback can’t run with it, it’s difficult back there. It’s hard.”

With Syvelle Newton playing quarterback for the Gamecocks during their 8-5 2006 campaign, South Carolina converted third downs with a 48 percent success rate; 34 percent in comparison last season as signal callers Blake Mitchell and Smelley displayed patterns of immobility and unwillingness to scramble.

 
2008’s Most Notable Recruit (thus far)

Reid McCollum (6-foot-4, 195), QB, is a pocket passer from Summerville High School in S.C.  McCollum will find himself into a five-way battle for the starting quarterback position and isn’t expected to compete for extended time under center in his first season (most likely a redshirt year).

I would list McCollum as the fourth on the team depth chart following USC’s Garnett and Black spring intrasquad game in April.

 All Gamecock fans stay tuned to bleacherreport.com on Feb. 6 as I will be updating players that have signed with South Carolina by the second.  Player bios and statistics will be available as well for readers. Until then, Fear the Spur!