No. 1 Overall Recruit Jadeveon Clowney: 10 Reasons He Signs with South Carolina
Hailed as the top overall recruit in the country, South Pointe (South Carolina) defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has a tough decision to make within these upcoming weeks: choosing which powerhouse program to play for next season.
Currently being highly recruited by just about every program in college football, Clowney has been linked to Alabama and Nick Saban for some time now, and there is a swirl of speculation surrounding him.
We'll give you 10 reasons why he'll instead sign with South Carolina...
10. Marcus Lattimore
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Clowney is from South Carolina and has grown up playing with great talent around him. Lattimore is a legend in South Carolina from his high school days who Clowney heard about and witnessed the past three years.
Clowney may want to be a teammate of the former South Carolina high school Mr. Football award winner and attend the same school as Lattimore.
Look for South Carolina to use playing with Lattimore as one of their recruiting strategies on Clowney, as Lattimore knows about spurning an Alabama-based program for the Gamecocks, as he did with Auburn last year.
9. Da'Quan Bowers
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Bowers has developed into a potential top 10 NFL draft pick since arriving at Clemson with every high school football decoration possible.
Clowney may want to make a name for himself like Bowers, though do it at rival South Carolina vs. going to Clemson and living in Bowers' and the late Gaines Adams' shadows. Clowney certainly has the tools and talent to potentially rival the two Tiger defensive ends.
8. South Carolina's Program Is on the Rise
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The Gamecocks are enjoying a very solid recruiting campaign with a good class and have stockpiled talent in prior years, and besides returning running back Marcus Lattimore and receiver Alshon Jeffery, quarterback Stephen Garcia (who seems to have matured) will likely also be back.
South Carolina is poised to contend for the SEC title again next year and could make a run at a BCS bowl. This has to be extremely appealing to Clowney.
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7. SEC East Vs. SEC West
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Clowney clearly wants to compete and compete on a national level for championships. At first glance, a school such as Alabama would seem like a top choice if this is a crucial factor in determining where he wants to play.
Looking closer, however, you can see that maybe the SEC East is the way to go and the easier way to get to the SEC Championship Game.
In the SEC West, schools such as LSU, Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas slug it out year after year just to win the division.
In the East, with Tennessee being down, Georgia rebuilding and Florida enduring a coaching and offensive philosophical change, a loaded South Carolina team could have an easier path to the SEC Championship Game and perhaps the BCS National Championship Game.
6. South Carolina's Scrutiny Vs. Alabama's Scrutiny
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SEC football is probably more popular than the NFL to many fans in the region. Each school is full of passionate fans who bleed their school colors. Some programs are a bit more prestigious and scrutinized than others, such as Florida, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Auburn and Tennessee.
South Carolina's program is under heavy scrutiny and a large microscope, though it is not as large as other schools. Clowney seems like a low-key, reserved type of guy off the field and may not want to be under such a large microscope or in such a big fishbowl while he's in college. South Carolina would afford him this comfort.
5. South Carolina Vs. Clemson Rivalry or Alabama Vs. Auburn Rivalry
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Both of these rivalries are tremendous and nasty. These schools don't like each other, and the games mean everything to their fanbases.
Having said that, Clowney grew up in South Carolina. He's seen the Clemson vs. South Carolina rivalry up close and what it means playing in that rivalry.
He likely has gracious respect for the Iron Bowl Alabama vs. Auburn rivalry, but the Gamecock vs. Tiger rivalry in his home state could have more appeal to him and be more personal in meaning.
4. Steve Spurrier
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Spurrier is a legend. Granted, he's one of many legend coaches currently in the SEC, but Spurrier also has a moxie about himself. Confidence. Cockiness. Today it's called swagger. High school players sense that and always have about Spurrier, and it's a great draw to him.
Spurrier has a national championship ring, six SEC championships and eight SEC East division crowns and is a seven-time SEC coach of the year. Spurrier may be the most accomplished and decorated coach in Gamecock football history.
3. Playing in a 4-3 Defense Vs. 3-4 Defense
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Clowney likes to play traditional 4-3 defensive end with his hand in the dirt. He has an excellent burst off the snap and likes to rush the passer from a three-point stance.
At South Carolina he will be able to play this way, as they employ a 4-3 scheme, while Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide play more of a 3-4 defense.
If Clowney were to sign with 'Bama, he would likely play 3-4 outside linebacker and have to rush from standing up in a two-point stance.
At a recent all-star game, Clowney stated, "I don't like (the 3-4) defense." Could this be an indicator for South Carolina? Stay tuned.
2. South Pointe High School Pipeline to South Carolina
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In just six years of football, the Stallions of South Pointe High School in South Carolina have developed into a pipeline to South Carolina. Three players from South Pointe's 2008 squad are all at South Carolina, and many are sure to follow.
Clowney could a big piece in the continuance of the South Pointe to South Carolina pipeline.
1. It's Home
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A lot of people do not like change, and if change is an imminent occurrence, they try to arrange the situation to where there is as little change as possible.
In the case of going to college, going to the local school close to home fits that notion, and South Carolina is the local school for Clowney.
He can be near home and his family, do laundry and eat home-cooked meals almost on a normal basis. There's no place like home.
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