The Recruiting Impact of Steve Spurrier Resigning from South Carolina

With legendary South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier’s decision to resign immediately, per the team's official website, the future of the Gamecocks program is somewhat of a mystery.

Nowhere is that sentiment more evident than on the recruiting trail. The fallout from Spurrier’s exit from the Gamecocks program has already sent tremors through South Carolina’s 2016 recruiting class.

In spite of the news surrounding Spurrier, the Gamecocks did land a commitment from 3-star Alabama defensive tackle Darius Whitfield, according to Andrew Bone of Rivals.com. Still, some lean months appear to be ahead on the recruiting trail.

One player, 4-star Alabama linebacker P.J. Blue, has already decommitted from the Gamecocks.

There’s no getting around the fact that in the short term, South Carolina’s recruiting efforts figure to take a hit.

In addition to the loss of Blue, a handful of other stars in the class are taking a wait-and-see approach with regard to who will be the next leader of the Gamecocks program.

Bryan Edwards, a 4-star in-state receiver, took to Twitter to state that he remains committed but plans to contemplate his future in the coming weeks.

"

What I have to say about the situation. pic.twitter.com/Qnor3RxoF6

— Bryan Edwards (@Edwards_Bryan4) October 13, 2015"

Perhaps the centerpiece of the Gamecocks' 2016 class, 4-star quarterback pledge Brandon McIlwain appears to be sharing a similar approach to Edwards', according to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.

Keeping the core of the 2016 class together is pivotal, and doing so would go a long way toward helping the new staff hit the ground running when trying to close out the 2016 class on a strong note.

That responsibility falls on interim head coach Shawn Elliott, who was previously the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach under Spurrier.

However, accomplishing that task is easier said than done.

The main factor most recruits seem to cite when making a decision on a college is the relationship with the school’s coaching staff. With Spurrier now gone, the future of his assistants who will finish out the season figures to also be cloudy at best.

It will be hard to lure recruits to Columbia when they won’t know if the guys who are recruiting them will be there when they arrive on campus.

Furthermore, the coaching stability at recruiting rivals such as Clemson and Georgia gives recruits an alternative to the uncertainty in Columbia.

Replacing Spurrier, who single-handedly raised the standards in Columbia and turned the Gamecocks into perennial contenders in the SEC East, won’t be easy.

But while Spurrier was a legendary figure, he was never lauded as an ace recruiter.

Despite the short-term obstacles facing the Gamecocks until a new coach is hired, they can look at programs such as Florida and Michigan, who were in a similar predicament last season. Those schools made great hires and now appear to be on the right track on the field and the recruiting trail.

Plus, regardless of whom the Gamecocks hire, there’s always a jolt of energy that comes into a program when a new coach takes over.

In a league where the recruiting battles are as intense as the matchups on the field, South Carolina will face an uphill battle in keeping its recruiting class together until a new coach is hired.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani