Justin King a big boost for South Carolina recruiting

South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp pointed out a common thread with many of the videos made by new athletic department staffer Justin King.

“Right now our attention span as human beings is very short,” Muschamp said. “You notice they're only 8 to 10 to 12 seconds.”

But in those short spurts is the transition of the Gamecocks’ social media efforts to a more modern stage. King, the department’s associate athletics director for new and creative media, and his staff create videos that show Gamecocks sports with a touch of grandeur and majesty.

Schools have been investing more in that kind of content, and the appeal targets a few groups. So how much does Muschamp think King has benefited his program in a short time?

“Tremendously for our fan base and in recruiting,” Muschamp said. “It's all about those videos that captivate you a little bit.”

King first drew attention for the videos he made when he was a student, during the team’s run of success in the early 2010s. Some fans at the time went as far as creating an online petition for him to be hired back then, but he spent time in marketing and social media roles, plus a stint producing content for AL.com.

He was officially hired in February to oversee graphic and video content for USC recruiting and direct Gamecock Football social media.

“He has a very good imagination,” Muschamp said. “He's got some guys working under him. I credit coach (Ray) Tanner in making that move and making that happen.”

This story was originally published May 19, 2017 at 9:23 AM with the headline "Justin King a big boost for South Carolina recruiting."