Recruiting: Rivals battle for defensive back recruit

THE OFFERS ARE piling up for defensive back Bashuad Breeland (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) of Allendale-Fairfax, but this still looks like a Clemson-USC battle. He attended junior days at both and found something to like at each place.

"I liked talking to the coaches at Clemson,” he said. “They seem like the could be father figures to me. USC, I really like coach Spurrier. He’s a cool guy. He always seems to be shooting straight with you. I’m considering them both. I could see myself playing at either. I can also see myself leaving the state. It doesn’t matter. I’m going to find the school that’s best for me.”

Breeland said the Tigers are the Gamecocks are his top two right now with no leader. He also has offers from Tennessee, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia Tech, N.C. State and Wake Forest.

Dillon wide receiver Antuawn Blue (6-1, 185) is a strong lean to Clemson right now but doesn’t have an offer from the Tigers. “I get the feeling they might offer,” Blue said. “Maybe it will happen at the spring game.” Blue plans to be at Saturday’s game. He’s also getting some interest from USC and Louisville.

Defensive end Justin Henderson (6-4, 242) of Bamberg-Ehrhardt was at USC and Clemson’s junior days, and the Gamecocks are stronger with him than the Tigers. “I don’t feel like I got the attention at Clemson that I did at Carolina,” Henderson said. “USC showed me a lot of love. I’ve decided to focus on the schools that show me they want me.” USC has not yet offered Henderson but has told him they will re-evaluate him. He has offers from Tulsa, Colorado, Michigan State, Syracuse, Kentucky, Duke, Maryland, Penn State, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and Appalachian State. Henderson said his top five, in no order, are Penn State, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Maryland.

Byrnes running back Marcus Lattimore (6-0, 210) has gotten back on the road to check out schools. He took in a Clemson practice early last week, and late last week he made an unofficial visit to Georgia. Lattimore was scheduled to be at Florida State’s spring game Saturday. This Saturday he plans to be at USC’s spring game, and he plans to go to LSU’s spring game on the 18th.

Defensive lineman Ego Ferguson Jr. (6-3, 260) of Fredrick, Md., plans to revisit USC and Clemson this summer. Ferguson was scheduled to visit Tennessee and Florida State over the weekend, and he’s scheduled to be at Florida today. He will soon visit UCLA, Southern Cal and Cal. He’s also been to Maryland and North Carolina.

Offensive lineman Kolton Houston (6-5, 265) of Buford, Ga., picked up recent offers from N.C. State and Georgia. USC and Clemson also are among his offers. He attended a recent USC visit and made an unofficial visit to Georgia last week.

USC commitment offensive lineman Kelcy Quarles (6-5, 270) of Greenwood was scheduled to visit North Carolina over the weekend but did not make the trip. He does plan to visit Chapel Hill at some point. Quarles said he will be at USC’s spring game this Saturday. The following weekend he plans to visit LSU, and he will go to Florida State the weekend after that. Quarles said he remains a USC commitment but does plan to look closely at other schools. He said three of his official visits will be North Carolina, LSU and Alabama. And he said he might visit Southern Cal.

Running back Mack Brown (5-11, 192) of Atlanta is on spring break this week and plans to make an unofficial visit to Clemson. He’s also planning to visit Tennessee. Brown has been to USC, Florida and Georgia. LSU offered him late last week pushing his total to 22. He does not have a favorite.

Defensive lineman Brandon Willis (6-4, 250) of Byrnes visited Tennessee late last week and was scheduled to be at North Carolina over the weekend for a leadership camp. Some of his recent offers were Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan, UCLA, Wisconsin and Duke. Clemson and USC also have offered. His top five right now are Florida State, North Carolina, LSU, Georgia and California.

Wide receiver Tehvyn Brantley (5-10, 175) of Durham, N.C., says he talked recently with Clemson recruiter Danny Pearman and the Tigers remain interested. “He said they are only taking one more receiver,” Brantley said. “They are not trying to pressure me into a decision, but they want me to be a Tiger.” Clemson has not yet offered. Brantley said USC also has been in touch with his father and remains interested. Brantley has an offer from Central Michigan and said West Virginia, Washington and Arizona State loved his tape and are considering offers.

USC has offered defensive back David Amerson (6-3, 182) of Greensboro, N.C. He also holds offers from Duke, Wake Forest, Maryland, North Carolina, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Louisville, Texas Tech, Kentucky, Stanford, East Carolina and Virginia Tech. He’s also hearing from Clemson and went to a junior day there. He plans to attend the Tigers’ spring game as well as Notre Dame’s.

Running back James White (5-10, 190) of Jacksonville, Fla., is hearing from Clemson and is interested in the Tigers. He has offers from Tulane, Princeton, Boston College, Rutgers, N.C. State, Iowa, Michigan State, South Florida and Wisconsin.

Linebacker Chase Williams (6-3, 240) of Leesburg, Va., has visited several schools, including USC. He has offers from West Virginia, Marshall, Miami, New Mexico State and SMU. He’s also hearing from LSU, Miami, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Michigan and Michigan State.

Calhoun County offensive lineman Eric Mack (6-4, 310) attended a USC practice last week, and he plans to be at the spring game Saturday. He was going to visit Florida and Florida State over the weekend but didn’t make those trips. He does plan to visit Auburn today and Tuesday, and he also will stop by Georgia Tech. Oklahoma recently offered Mack.

Sumter quarterback Stephen Curtis (6-3, 220) has been hearing from USC, Clemson, Duke, N.C. State, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia Tech. He attended junior days at USC, Tennessee and Duke. Curtis also is a baseball prospect and has talked with Gamecock coach Ray Tanner. He has an offer from Furman.

USC has joined the offer list for running back Maurice Hagens (5-11, 220) of Tampa. He also has offers from Connecticut, Kansas, Purdue, Wake Forest, LSU and Tennessee.

Linebacker Ty Linton (6-2, 210) of Charlotte recently picked up an offer from Vanderbilt. That was his 8th offer. Clemson and USC have shown interest but have not offered.

Defensive lineman Chase Rome of Columbia, Mo., who made an unofficial visit to USC last week, committed to Oklahoma State.

Former Laurens quarterback Bo Whitney (6-4, 220) will enroll this fall at Hargrave Prep, Va., where he will play tight end.

Basketball news. The USC women last week gained a commitment from McDonald’s All America Kelsey Bone (6-5) of Sugarland, Texas. She picked USC over Illinois, Texas and Texas A&M.