[fpic]http://www.sectalk.com/teams/South_Carolina.gif[/fpic]Spurrier’s first USC recruiting class not likely to match those of recent years.

By:Joseph Person
Staff Writer
www.thestate.com

Steve Spurrier needed only a month to fill out his first coaching staff at South Carolina.

Now comes the hard part: filling out the roster.

The Gamecocks’ recruiting efforts kicked into high gear this weekend with the first of four official-visit weekends leading to National Signing Day on Feb. 2. USC has received 12 verbal commitments for a class that Spurrier expects to comprise 22-23 players.

Recruiting experts say USC’s recent coaching transition will make it impossible for the Gamecocks to match the top-10 classes Lou Holtz landed in 2002 and 2003. While Spurrier all but conceded most of the top in-state recruits to Clemson during a December media briefing, the USC staff hopes to find several high-profile, skill-position players for Spurrier’s acclaimed Fun ’n’ Gun offense.

“I think we’re getting a great reception from all the skill kids,” said USC recruiting coordinator Rick Stockstill, one of three assistants retained by Spurrier.

“A running back knows in this offense he’s got a chance to catch 25, 30 balls a year, plus be a 1,000-yard rusher. ... Linemen want to be able to throw the ball, work on pass blocking, run blocking. They just don’t want to hammer away running the ball all the time.”

Jamie Newberg, a recruiting analyst for Fox Sports Net and Scout.com, said he thinks USC will be able to sign a couple of talented receivers, traditionally a deep position nationally. But Newberg believes overall it will be an uphill recruiting climb for Spurrier, who had 71 days after he was hired Nov. 23 to find players before Signing Day.

USC was scheduled to host about 19 recruits this weekend, the last before classes start Monday. Ideally, schools prefer to have recruits visit when more students are on campus. But Newberg said the Gamecocks could not be picky.

“They’re about halfway done, and South Carolina’s taking it on the chin a little bit. So they can’t afford to wait,” Newberg said. “They have to get the kids on campus and then try to close the deal.”

Out of the college game for three years, Spurrier has jumped headlong back into recruiting. The former Florida coach, who won six SEC titles and the 1996 national championship during 12 years in Gainesville, has gone after some of the nation’s top prospects.

He contacted Maryland athlete Derrick Williams (who later committed to Penn State) and tried to sway several highly rated quarterbacks late in the process. Though the Gamecocks’ commitment list lacks a five-star recruit, Newberg has been impressed with Spurrier’s approach.

“Everybody’s painted the picture that he hates recruiting and he can’t recruit. That’s just not the case,” said Newberg, one of the hosts of Fox Sports’ “Countdown to Signing Day.” “When he needed to recruit at Florida, he did.”

“I think we’re off to a great start,” Stockstill said. “Coach Spurrier has come in and for four weeks has been in a lot of guys’ homes (and) been on the road all four weeks.”

Spurrier, who was not available for comment, has tried selling offensive players on the opportunity to play early in a wide-open system. Lakewood athlete J.C. Neal, who was not considering USC while Holtz was the coach, visited this weekend and lists the Gamecocks as his third choice, behind N.C. State and Virginia Tech.

Neal, a high school running back expected to play receiver in college, called Holtz a “good guy,” but was not fond of his offensive philosophy.

“If they threw it, they threw it to Troy Williamson or (ran a) quarterback draw or something like that,” Neal said. “That’s why I didn’t consider them at first. It wasn’t much of an open offense. But now they’re planning on throwing it more. So I guess I’ll give them a look.”

Spurrier said last month that he hopes to sign three or four receivers and at least one quarterback. Tommy Beecher, a quarterback from Concord, N.C., committed to the Gamecocks in December, but Stockstill said the Gamecocks are not necessarily done recruiting passers.

“We’re not going to turn down a great player,” Stockstill said. “We’re looking under every rock, every stone every day to find the best players out there — whoever the best players are.”

Newberg doubts USC’s recruiting labors will yield a crop of blue-chip players this year but believes Spurrier will be in better shape a year from now after getting familiar with the state’s high school coaches.

Newberg pointed to Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, who “jumped on every big-name kid in the country” in 2004 after getting hired but signed only one, according to Newberg. This year the Cornhuskers are working on a top-10 recruiting class, Newberg said.

Newberg said Florida’s Urban Meyer, Mississippi’s Ed Orgeron and every new coach are in the same boat as Spurrier.

“I never remember a coach coming into a school with one month or two months of recruiting and killing it,” he said. “You need that year.”

Reach Person at (803) 771-8496 or jperson@the state.com.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate...a/10601579.htm

My Opinion: Can we say this writer is an idiot? First he says there's no way Mr. Spurrier can match Coach Holtz's two (2) Top-10 recruiting classes this year. Well, we could have figured that one out because Spurrier wasn't hired until late November. That gives him roughly 71 days to complete recruiting. Recruting is a relationship. You don't just go in and "BOOM" you have a recruit. Most of these recruits have been courted for years. Take Chris Leak for example, they were recruiting him back in middle school. Yeah that's right! Middle school for crying out loud. I am impressed however with Mr. Spurrier's determination in getting the best players he can. The recruits that are considering us now wouldn't look our way if we paid them while Coach Holtz was here. The name Steve Spurrier commands respect from QB's, WR's and players that want to win. Considering how far behind Spurrier is, having your class ranked 33rd in the nation by Rivals.com isn't too bad. Looking at the list of recruits, it is fairly apparent that Coach Holtz did not recruit very well during his last year. If everything goes as planned, USC will end up with a Top-25 recruiting class or higher. You can take that to the bank!