Markee Anderson hopes to make early impact for South Carolina football program
Dustin Curtis didn’t think Markee Anderson was playing to his full potential early in the season.
So the first-year Dorman High School head coach challenged his star offensive tackle a couple games into his senior year. The talk worked as Anderson had a strong finish to the season in helping the Cavaliers to nine wins and a trip to the second-round of the Class 5A playoffs.
“He got more and more physical as the year went on,” Curtis said. “We challenged him a lot early. We don’t think he was playing bad. We just felt on film he didn’t look like a dominant lineman. Once he embraced that, he played loose, had a lot of fun and played with a lot of aggression and passion. That is what you want from an offensive lineman. If they don’t play the game with passion, they probably won’t be any good.
“He became a really good player for us.”
Anderson is the South Carolina Gamecocks’ highest-ranked commitment in their 2023 recruiting class. The 247Sports Composite considers him a four-star prospect and the nation’s No. 128 prospect.
USC will officially add most of its recruiting class Wednesday when December’s early signing period begins. But first, Anderson is wrapping up his high school career with a pair of prestigious all-star games before enrolling at South Carolina next month.
He was set to play Saturday in Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas along with teammate and North Carolina commit DJ Geth. He will play in the Under Armour All-American game in Orlando on Jan. 3. The next day, he will report to USC to begin his college career.
“I am going to work my butt off and plan to be a starter as a true freshman,” Anderson said this week after Shrine Bowl practice.
Offensive line will be a position of need this year for the Gamecocks, so Anderson will have a chance to contribute right away. Starters Eric Douglas and Dylan Wonnum are graduating and Jovaughn Gwyn, another starter, has one more year but took part in USC’s senior day festivities this year.
With Anderson enrolling early, Curtis said having a chance to get with strength coach Luke Day and playing in spring practice definitely will help him get adjusted to college football.
“From a maturity standpoint, a leadership standpoint, a family values standpoint, he is going there ready to play and give it everything he got,” Curtis said.
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Anderson in considered the second-best prospect in the state for the Class of 2023. He graded out as 86% for the season and earned several postseason awards including all-state and Class 5A Upper State Lineman of the Year.
Anderson also showed his versatility with a touchdown run on a two-point conversion against Spartanburg, which Curtis said was one of his favorite moments of his season.
Curtis also praised Anderson for his leadership and motivational skills on the sidelines this year.
Anderson also has been vocal in trying to help recruit other USC targets to be part of this year’s class and was impressed with the Gamecocks’ finish to the season, which included wins over Tennessee and Clemson.
“It is amazing I could wear that name with pride,” Anderson said. “I always could, but beating Clemson and Tennessee is a great feeling. It is something different.
“I went around telling people this is a great place, had a good vibe here. So if they are looking at you, come on down, they are family.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2022 at 6:03 AM.
