USC’s top offensive recruit is a big fan of putting Bryan McClendon in charge

Josh Vann committed to South Carolina months ago, back when the speedy wide receiver from Tucker, Ga., thought he would be joining an offense run by Kurt Roper.

Now, he’s officially signed and even more excited about who’s going to be his offensive coordinator.

This past Wednesday, Vann, a standout at Tucker High, was recognized along with more than a dozen teammates who will play in college as part of a National Signing Day ceremony, despite the fact that he officially signed during the early signing period in December.

For the occasion, Vann wore a South Carolina tie and garnet velvet shoes, posed alongside his future teammate, offensive lineman Dylan Wonnum, and proclaimed himself “very comfortable” with USC’s recently promoted offensive coordinator, Bryan McClendon.

After all, McClendon was the one who took the lead in recruiting Vann, the 146th-ranked player in the country, according to 247 Composite. And McClendon will remain wide receivers coach for the Gamecocks as he takes on his new position.

Vann said he is a fan of that arrangement.

“It’s always good to have your receivers coach be the offensive coordinator, calling the plays,” Vann said. “They already throw the ball, and they got more talent, and I’ll have (Wonnum) blocking for me, so it’ll be good. It’ll be great. Just having a receiver as the OC, period, is a good deal.”

Vann has already said Will Muschamp and his staff gave him no advance warning this past December before Roper was fired, and he said Wednesday that he was not “keyed in” to South Carolina throughout the past season, so he did not even have a suspicion that Roper might be dismissed.

Still, Vann said his expectations of how he’ll be used at South Carolina haven’t changed — namely, he says, he’ll be doing a little of everything.

“The first time I went up there, (they said) they’re going to use me just all over, slot, outside, speed motion, just (anywhere) so I can make plays, basically,” Vann said.

That playmaking ability is something Muschamp himself has noticed, saying back in December that Vann has a “wow factor” that he’s excited about. On Wednesday, Vann compared himself to another playmaker on South Carolina’s roster that electrified fans this past season.

“Somehow be able to make plays. That’s all I’ve been able to do,” Vann said of what he’ll contribute right away. “I might be short in stature, so people take that for granted, but just being a fast, quick guy who just makes plays ... just like Deebo (Samuel) was before he got hurt. I think I can bring a lot to the table.”

This story was originally published February 12, 2018 at 8:46 AM with the headline "USC’s top offensive recruit is a big fan of putting Bryan McClendon in charge."