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Steve Spurrier “no longer welcome” to recruit Tucker prospects
By Michael Carvell | Monday, January 12, 2009, 11:00 AM
Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks are “no longer welcome” at Tucker High, one of the state’s top producers of college football prospects.
Tucker coach Franklin Stephens told the AJC of his proclamation after speaking with Spurrier on Sunday night. It had to do with Tucker linebacker Jonathan Davis, who had committed to South Carolina but was told on Friday that the Gamecocks had withdrawn the scholarship offer.
“The bottom line … what South Carolina did to Jonathan was wrong,” Stephens told the AJC. “Coach Spurrier accepted blame for the situation … [but he] is not going to do anything to fix the situation, therefore South Carolina will not be recruiting any more Tucker players.”
On Friday, Stephens had a “heated” conversation with Gamecocks assistant Shane Beamer, who ultimately said “South Carolina had to do what was in South Carolina’s best interests when it came to recruiting,” according Stephens. How did the Tucker coach respond? “I am … not even going to say. It was a heck of a phone call. I’ll just leave it at that.” Stephens held off on commenting until he heard Spurrier’s side of the story on Sunday night.
“It’s not fair what happened to Jonathan,” Stephens said. “When he committed to South Carolina, he turned down scholarship opportunities to other schools. And then those other schools moved on to fill that spot. What South Carolina did was wrong, and the timing of it, so close to signing day [Feb. 4], is worse. It’s just a bad deal.”
After being shocked by South Carolina on Friday, Davis scrambled for college options and made an official visit to Alabama-Birmingham over the weekend. When Davis committed to South Carolina on Dec. 17, he said he had also considered offers from Georgia Tech, Boston College, Central Florida, Oklahoma State, and Louisville. Stephens said he had made some phone calls, but was unaware if any of those schools would offer again.
What really went wrong between South Carolina and Davis? The Gamecocks, per NCAA rules, are not allowed to comment on prospective-student athletes. The 5-foot-7, 205-pound Davis said he was told South Carolina withdrew the offer because it needed to recruit cornerbacks. The Gamecocks projected Davis to play safety.
Everything began to unravel after South Carolina assistant Ron Cooper was hired away by LSU on Jan. 6. Cooper coveted Davis and was the catalyst behind South Carolina’s offer.
What other factors may have contributed?
Stephens said South Carolina’s switch had nothing to do with academics. “Based on his grades and an ACT score, [Davis] is on track to qualify.”
Also, South Carolina is loaded up on commitments, with 25 players saying they intend to sign with the Gamecocks, and scholarship offers still out to several elite prospects, including defensive tackle Kwame Geathers of Carver’s Bay, S.C., and Garden City Junior College wide receiver Cameron Kenney, who is from Dacula. UGA has also offered both Geathers and Kenney.
Stephens is not setting any precedents with his stance toward South Carolina. For example, Carver-Atlanta coach Darren Myles Sr. told the AJC earlier this year that he has banned one Conference USA school from recruiting at his school because it offered scholarships to two of his players last spring, then pulled them when the players were considering a commitment.
Steve Spurrier “no longer welcome” to recruit Tucker prospects
By Michael Carvell | Monday, January 12, 2009, 11:00 AM
Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks are “no longer welcome” at Tucker High, one of the state’s top producers of college football prospects.
Tucker coach Franklin Stephens told the AJC of his proclamation after speaking with Spurrier on Sunday night. It had to do with Tucker linebacker Jonathan Davis, who had committed to South Carolina but was told on Friday that the Gamecocks had withdrawn the scholarship offer.
“The bottom line … what South Carolina did to Jonathan was wrong,” Stephens told the AJC. “Coach Spurrier accepted blame for the situation … [but he] is not going to do anything to fix the situation, therefore South Carolina will not be recruiting any more Tucker players.”
On Friday, Stephens had a “heated” conversation with Gamecocks assistant Shane Beamer, who ultimately said “South Carolina had to do what was in South Carolina’s best interests when it came to recruiting,” according Stephens. How did the Tucker coach respond? “I am … not even going to say. It was a heck of a phone call. I’ll just leave it at that.” Stephens held off on commenting until he heard Spurrier’s side of the story on Sunday night.
“It’s not fair what happened to Jonathan,” Stephens said. “When he committed to South Carolina, he turned down scholarship opportunities to other schools. And then those other schools moved on to fill that spot. What South Carolina did was wrong, and the timing of it, so close to signing day [Feb. 4], is worse. It’s just a bad deal.”
After being shocked by South Carolina on Friday, Davis scrambled for college options and made an official visit to Alabama-Birmingham over the weekend. When Davis committed to South Carolina on Dec. 17, he said he had also considered offers from Georgia Tech, Boston College, Central Florida, Oklahoma State, and Louisville. Stephens said he had made some phone calls, but was unaware if any of those schools would offer again.
What really went wrong between South Carolina and Davis? The Gamecocks, per NCAA rules, are not allowed to comment on prospective-student athletes. The 5-foot-7, 205-pound Davis said he was told South Carolina withdrew the offer because it needed to recruit cornerbacks. The Gamecocks projected Davis to play safety.
Everything began to unravel after South Carolina assistant Ron Cooper was hired away by LSU on Jan. 6. Cooper coveted Davis and was the catalyst behind South Carolina’s offer.
What other factors may have contributed?
Stephens said South Carolina’s switch had nothing to do with academics. “Based on his grades and an ACT score, [Davis] is on track to qualify.”
Also, South Carolina is loaded up on commitments, with 25 players saying they intend to sign with the Gamecocks, and scholarship offers still out to several elite prospects, including defensive tackle Kwame Geathers of Carver’s Bay, S.C., and Garden City Junior College wide receiver Cameron Kenney, who is from Dacula. UGA has also offered both Geathers and Kenney.
Stephens is not setting any precedents with his stance toward South Carolina. For example, Carver-Atlanta coach Darren Myles Sr. told the AJC earlier this year that he has banned one Conference USA school from recruiting at his school because it offered scholarships to two of his players last spring, then pulled them when the players were considering a commitment.
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