Jadeveon Clowney Announcement: 10 Reasons He's Bound For South Carolina
In the latest development in the Jadeveon Clowney recruitment, it looks as if Alabama is just about out of the hunt. Clowney wants to stay pretty close to home and Tuscaloosa is a stretch for him. Now he is down both in-state schools in South Carolina and Clemson.
Clemson is riding a late surge to find itself as a top finalist while South Carolina has been the main constant with Clowney since all this began. Yesterday we gave you 10 reasons he could become a Tiger. Today we're going to give you 10 reasons he could become a Gamecock.
Ah yes, the Palmetto State rivalry is a nasty one.
10. Big Time Headline Status
1 of 10
The Gamecocks signed some nice players in their recruiting class, but clearly Clowney would be the head honcho. In fact Clowney signing with South Carolina would be a bigger deal than Marcus Lattimore or Demetrius Summers becoming Gamecocks.
He would be the biggest recruit to sign in South Carolina history. That's some serious attention, and if he heads to Clemson, sure he'll be on the marquee yet the Tigers also signed 5-star recruits Tony Steward, Sammy Watkins, Mike Bellamy and Stephone Anthony.
Clowney would command all of the spotlight with South Carolina.
9. Gamecocks Rising
2 of 10
The Gamecocks parlayed an appearance in the SEC Title game into a solid recruiting class. They have gotten a good amount of talent over the years which includes receiver Alshon Jeffrey and running back Marcus Lattimore.
Stephen Garcia, a quarterback that is maturing, is poised for a solid senior season too.
The Gamecocks are a darkhorse BCS bowl team and could make another run at the SEC Title. This has to appeal to Clowney.
8. Marcus Lattimore
3 of 10
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, a fellow Palmetto Stater.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. SEC East Play
4 of 10
Clowney has grown up in South Carolina watching the Gamecocks compete in the SEC East Division, which they won last year.
The SEC is a tough conference but the East is an easier path to get to the SEC Title game and perhaps the BCS National Championship Game.
With Florida going through a change, Georgia rebuilding and Tennessee also rebuilding, South Carolina could be poised to have a tremendous amount of success in the SEC for some time.
6. Clemson Vs. South Carolina Palmetto Bowl
5 of 10
The Clemson vs. South Carolina rivalry is one of the most special in all of college football.
It's called the Palmetto Bowl and the rivalry dates back to farmers in the 1800s in the state of South Carolina. The game is special to the people within he state and Clowney certainly is one of them.
He's grown up watching the game and what better way to play in the contest than with the state namesake school and Carolina across his chest?
5. Steve Spurrier
6 of 10
A national championship? Check. 8 SEC Titles? Check. Seven time SEC coach of the year? Also check.
Steve Spurrier is the most decorated coach in Gamecock history and will continue to add to his legend in years to come. Clowney has grown up hearing about how much Spurrier has won at Florida and how he doing big things in South Carolina.
But another aspect is that Spurrier has a swagger that trickles down to his players, which could bode well with Clowney.
4. South Caolina's 4-2-5 and 4-3 Defensive Schemes
7 of 10
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. He's very strong against the run and can anchor well vs. blockers.
At South Carolina he will be able to play this way, as they employ a 40 front in their 4-2-5 scheme. The back seven alignment really is almost like a 4-3 with the Gamecocks calling their "Rover" or strong safety/outside linebacker hybrid player a "Spur."
This really doesn't affect Clowney much as he be asked to play just like a defensive end in a 4-3 defense as he wishes.
3. Gamecock Pipeline
8 of 10
Talk about a feeder program. Clowney's South Pointe high school has only existed for seven years and already has four players on the Gamecock roster. While the number may not be big yet, it's tough to open up a new program and get college prospects, as it usually take years for that to become a constant.
Yet the Rock Hill area is a rich area in talent and produces some top notch athletes that usually wind up a Gamecock, perhaps including Jadeveon Clowney.
2. Bobby Carroll
9 of 10
As mentioned before, South Pointe High School head coach Bobby Carroll is leaving the pregame for York, but he is one of the trusted people in Clowney's cabinet.
Recently, Caroll has stated his own gut feeling says Clowney already knows where he wants to go and he thinks it is indeed South Carolina.
This has to speak volumes about Clowney, as he has leaned on Carroll a great deal throughout this process. So if Carroll is saying he thinks its South Carolina, then there is a very large chance that it probably is.
1. They've Been the Main Constant the Whole Time
10 of 10
When we first heard about Clowney a few years back, the first school that was linked to him was South Carolina. Schools have come and gone like Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, North Carolina and Florida State.
Other schools like Clemson have a made a powerful surge to get in the race too. But the Gamecocks have always been mentioned by Clowney and all those around him from the start. The school is close to home and has a pipeline to his high school.
Why would Clowney mention South Carolina for so long only go somewhere else at the very last minute?
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
