Why the first Gamecock 2019 signee felt USC ‘was worthy of staying committed to’

It’s been more than a year since Rodricus Fitten announced his commitment to South Carolina football.

And in the world of recruiting, those 14 months between his announcement and the early signing period last month were an eternity in which other schools could attempt to pry him loose from his commitment and flip him to them.

They tried, but nothing shook the Atlanta three-star defensive end, who was the first confirmed USC signee Dec. 19 and is set to enroll this month.

The key, he told The State, was South Carolina’s continued dedication to him, even after he had committed. In fact, he said his relationship with the coaching staff only grew after his decision, rather than declining as they pursued uncommitted prospects.

“The relationship, it started to get even stronger than what it was at first. I started to bond more with different players and more coaches on the coaching staff,” Fitten said.

“In the early part of my recruitment, they played a big role, coming in early, then just being there from the get-go. They could have stopped talking to me like other schools once certain offers came in, but they stuck with me, and they stuck with me when I had my knee surgery and stuff like that. It really showed me that they were really here to stay and was worthy of staying committed to.”

That knee surgery came this April, after months of him being committed, and South Carolina’s unwavering confidence in him and his ability left a lasting impression on Fitten.

As one of the longest committed members of the 2019 class, Fitten has also had the chance to build relationships with his future teammates. He mentioned quarterback Ryan Hilinski, defensive lineman Zacch Pickens and defensive back Cam Smith as three guys he has spoken with frequently, especially as they prepare to arrive on campus in January and get to work.

“Rodricus is a twitch guy on the edge. He’s very similar to Bryson Allen-Williams,” coach Will Muschamp said. “He gives you a faster twitch on the edge. He was our first commitment in this class. He had an outstanding senior year. We think he has a

tremendous upside as a mid-year enrollee here on campus in January.”

Fitten’s high school career ended in the first round of the playoffs this November, but because he committed so early, he had time to talk to USC coach Mike Peterson and get tips about what he needed to work to get even more of a jump start on his college career.

“I was just trying to improve on shooting my hands more often, my hand placement, mostly just my hands in general,” Fitten said.

Fitten played defensive line in high school and was announced by USC as a linebacker. He will likely find most of his time with Carolina in the Buck role of a hybrid lineman/linebacker who will sometimes have his hand in the dirt and sometimes stand. Whatever name or stance he plays with, however, he has a simple goal.

“Just let me rush the passer most of the time,” Fitten said of his role. “I’m going to fit into the system they have.”

This story was originally published December 19, 2018 at 7:36 AM.