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South Carolina’s roster has an increasingly East Coast look. Since Shane Beamer was hired as head coach in December 2020, the Gamecocks’ staff has made heavy inroads recruiting the Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, also known as the DMV. That’s included signing five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor (D.C.) and four-star defensive end Desmond Umeozulu (MD) in the 2023 class, among others. The State spoke with high school coaches and recruiting analysts who work in the DMV to understand how and why South Carolina has been able to sign and/or land commitments from six players from the region in the 2023 and 2024 classes. The group polled included:
Bill McGregor (head coach, DeMatha Catholic High School): longtime head coach at Maryland powerhouse DeMatha College High School. Coached 2023 four-star OT signee Oluwatosin “Tree” Babalade. Randy Trivers (head coach, Gonzaga College High School): coached 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, former Holy Cross player with a winning percentage over 70% in nine years at Gonzaga. Andy Stefanelli (head coach, Our Lady of Good Counsel): coached NFL Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs as an assistant coach, been on staff at Good Counsel since 2007 and replaced the school’s all-time winningest head coach in 2017. Daemon Powell (head coach, C.H. Flowers High School): Coached 2023 four-star Gamecocks DE signee Desmond Umeozulu, walk-on tight end Maurice Brown II and currently has 2024 four-star USC DB commit Brayden Lee. Adam Friedman (national recruiting analyst/rankings director, Rivals): Covers recruiting up and down the East Coast. Based in the DMV and has worked with RIvals in varying capacities for over a decade Brian Dohn (national analyst, 247Sports): Covers recruiting nationally for 247Sports following time at Scout.com and the Los Angeles Daily News. *Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length* BP: South Carolina seems to be making a more conscious effort to recruit the DMV, are you feeling that in practice? Andy Stefanelli: “Yeah, I think certainly since Shane Beamer has taken over, there’s definitely been more of a presence. We’re attracting a lot of interest from a lot of schools, but South Carolina has made, it appears to me, a concerted effort to really hone in on the top players in our area and certainly the top players on our team. And not just a cursory pop in, make your presence known and then out. They’re here consistently, every opportunity.
Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/article276402581.html#storylink=cpy
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