Gamecocks lose tight end from '09 class

USC LOST A TIGHT END from its commitment class while another instate player accepted an out of state offer.

Coming off the Gamecocks’ commitment list was tight end Will Middleton (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) of Marietta, Ga. He had committed May 9, but after seeing him in camp earlier this month, Middleton said the coaches were not sure how he would fit in with the offense. He is looking at Akron, Maryland and Rutgers.

South Aiken offensive lineman JerQuari Schofield (6-6, 298) committed Saturday to Tennessee, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Schofield was offered by the Vols at their camp Thursday. He also had offers from Gardner-Webb and Charleston Southern.

USC will try to fend off Tennessee for Timberland defensive end Aldrick Fordham (6-4, 237) after offering him at camp last week. Fordham said he will choose either the Gamecocks or Vols after visiting both schools in July. Fordham said USC has the edge because of location.

The Gamecocks also lead for defensive end Euclid Cummings (6-3, 228) of Roswell, Ga., who picked up a USC offer at camp last week. North Carolina is second on his list, and he also has offers from Duke, Indiana, Maryland, Central Florida, Middle Tennessee State and Richmond.

Linebacker Matt Coffee (5-11, 210) of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., will visit USC on June 28 with his mother. The Gamecocks currently lead, and Coffee might be ready to commit on the visit. Coffee attended a seven-on-seven camp at Auburn last week. He also has offers from Mississippi, N.C. State, Maryland, Illinois, Southern Miss, Marshall, Iowa State and Mississippi State.

Clemson holds the edge for wide receiver Jheranie Boyd (6-3, 185) of Gastonia, N.C., after he spent three days there for camp last week. USC, North Carolina and N.C. State are tied for second on his list. Boyd will camp at North Carolina on Friday.

Defensive back Branden Smith (5-11, 165) of Atlanta also spent three days at Clemson last week observing camp. Smith has not trimmed his long list of offers and said he does not have favorites. He also has been to Georgia and will go to Auburn this week.

Columbia defensive back DaMario Jeffery (6-3, 211) attended a camp at Auburn on Sunday where he worked on one-on-one drills and pass coverage. Jeffrey said USC, Oklahoma, Alabama, Auburn, Michigan and Tennessee are at the top of his list. Jeffery attended a seven-on-seven camp at USC recently where he talked with coaches David Reaves and Ron Cooper. He is no longer considering Clemson.

Athlete David Sims (6-0, 215) of Calhoun County has cut his list to USC, Tennessee, Georgia Tech and N.C. State, according to his coach Walter Wilson. Sims has visited all of the schools except N.C. State, and he plans to get there this summer.

Daniel defensive back Jerrodd Williams (6-0, 185) of Daniel, who committed to Virginia Tech last week, attended a half session of camp at Clemson on Thursday and a seven-on-seven tournament Saturday. An offer from the Tigers might cause him to rethink his Hokie pledge. He also has an offer from USC. He will camp at North Carolina later this week.

Athlete Marsalis Teague (5-11, 170) of Paris, Tenn., recently visited Clemson and is strong on the Tigers. He was scheduled to be at Miami over the weekend. He is also considering offers from Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Memphis, Mississippi and Duke.

Timberland offensive lineman Quinton Washington (6-4, 315) is not attending camps this summer. From his nine offers, USC, Clemson, Tennessee, Alabama and Miami are the ones “he feels good about,” according to his coach, Art Craig.

USC got a look at tight end Jim Teknipp (6-6, 230) of McDonough, Ga., in camp and is waiting to hear back on an offer. He has offers from Central Florida and Akron. He is scheduled to camp at Alabama today and also plans to camp at Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Michigan.

Cheraw running back Travis Small (5-10, 183) was offered by Duke last week, his first official offer. Small camped at USC, but the Gamecocks did not offer because of concern about his speed, something he will try to improve over the summer.

South Pointe linebacker Devin Wherry (6-0, 220) attended USC’s camp earlier this month, and he favors the Gamecocks, but he has not been offered by them. He has offers from S.C. State, Liberty and Western Carolina. He also has camped at Wake Forest. He will be at North Carolina today and N.C. State on Tuesday.

Athlete Victor Marc (6-0, 205) of Hollywood, Fla., plans to visit USC and Clemson this summer. He has 17 offers and will trim the list to five by the end of summer. He said the Gamecocks and Tigers will be in the final group. Some of his other offers are Ohio State, West Virginia, Boston College, North Carolina, Florida and Auburn.

Linebacker Daniel Mack (6-0, 198) of Miami also plans to visit USC and Clemson this summer. Among his other offers are Mississippi, Purdue, Wisconsin, Auburn, West Virginia, Boston College and Florida.

Clemson and USC have offered linebacker Frankie Telfort (5-11, 205) of Miami, and he said he hears more from the Tigers than the Gamecocks. He has not cut his list of 32 offers and is not attending any camps. Some of his other offers are Alabama, Tennessee, Oregon, Southern Cal, Notre Dame, LSU, Florida and West Virginia.

Offensive lineman Bobby Massie (6-6, 340) of Lynchburg, Va., now favors Alabama after a recent visit to Tuscaloosa. He also has offers from Clemson, North Carolina and Georgia. He will attend Hargrave (Va.) Prep this fall.

Defensive end Justin Anderson (6-6, 260) of Blythewood attended a USC camp last week. Blythewood coach Geremy Saitz said Anderson has offers from Georgia Southern, Newberry and Presbyterian, and verbal offers from Maryland and Georgia Tech. Anderson visited Georgia Tech about a month ago and plans to camp at Maryland and Virginia Tech.

Defensive end Chris Crenshaw (6-2, 235) of Louisville, Ga., camped at USC last week but did not receive an offer. He visited Georgia Tech on Saturday, was offered by the Yellow Jackets and committed on the spot. He also had an offer from Mississippi State.

Richland Northeast athlete Derek Frost (6-1, 180) has an offer from Newberry.

Air Force has offered punter/kicker Grant Clayton of A.C. Flora, who camped last week at Western Kentucky and Kentucky.

Newberry has offered A.C. Flora athlete Carlos McCoy (5-8, 160).

Basketball news. USC has re-established contact with Matt Wilson of Raleigh, and he might visit this week after making stops at UNC Wilmington and The College of Charleston. Wilson was offered by the previous staff but only recently began hearing from the new staff.

Clemson, Wake Forest and LSU are three of the possibilities for Doneal Mack of Charlotte, who announced last week he was leaving the Memphis program after two seasons as a backup. Mack’s father, Greg, played at the College of Charleston.

Former USC guard Trevor DeLoache was scheduled to visit Monroe (N.Y.) JC over the weekend. He also visited Chipola (Fla.) JC. He will decide between those two schools.

Kenny Manigault of Pinewood Prep was a recent visitor to USC and is waiting to hear back on an offer.

Baseball news. Clemson added a late signee for 2008 in right-hander Thomas Cruz (5-11, 180) of Sewart (Kan.) JC. And for their 2009 class the Tigers have pledges from third baseman Richie Shaffer (6-4, 195) of Charlotte, right-hander Madison Younginer (6-4, 180) of Mauldin, and right-hander T.J. Wofford of Richmond.