Shawn Elliott critical of USC’s recent recruiting production

Throughout the season, South Carolina football fans have lamented the state of the team’s recruiting results.

Thursday night on his weekly call-in show, interim head coach Shawn Elliott admitted as much, saying his team has missed on some prospects. The staff might have rested on its laurels, he added.

“I think we’ve had some misses in recruiting,” Elliott said. “You’ve got to go out and get the very best players you can. ... I think there have been some mistakes in our evaluations. You’ve got to have more hits than misses.”

He said that was partially connected to not having enough checks and balances, with only one coach in some cases watching a player and signing off instead of three or four. The Gamecocks’ recruiting rankings perpetually produced top-25 rankings and middle-of-the-SEC classes, but finding the three-star prospects that became great helped power three consecutive 11-win seasons. Those have dried up.

He also sounded less than pleased with the staff’s decision last year to put Bryson Allen-Williams at defensive end, saying there’s “no way” he should have been playing there.

Injury update

As the Gamecocks head into their final two games, they’ll get a few reinforcements off the injury list.

Elliott confirmed on his radio show what co-defensive coordinator Jon Hoke said earlier in the night that defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth will return after missing the past two games with a chest injury. Wide receiver D.J. Neal was also back after a hip/back injury.

Elliott reiterated that right tackle Mason Zandi will be out with a high ankle sprain, but the coach sounded hopeful his massive lineman could return against Clemson.

With Zandi out, true freshman Blake Camper will make his first start at right tackle. The Virginia native has played in all but one game this season.

“This guy is juiced up,” Elliott said of Camper. “I don’t think he’s slept a wink all week. So excited for him to come out and play.”

Elliott’s pitch

Elliott said he wasn’t stumping for the full-time job, but he did make a bit of a statement. After running through his background and winning pedigree in high school, as a college player and a college coach, he made his case.

“If you put my resumé, you put my passion and my energy and my effort against any one individual that is looking to come to the University of South Carolina and lead this football team, they don’t stand to it,” Elliott said.

Tricky scheme

Hoke said his unit will have its hands full with The Citadel. The Bulldogs’ triple-option is effective in straining a defense across the field, and it also learns, reacts and adjusts.

“They’ve seen it all,” Hoke said. “We’ve got to do a good job of changing up what we do and make sure our speed takes over. We have got to play fast.”

Sands flow in

The Gamecocks have someone on staff with a feel for what The Citadel tries to do, he just doesn’t happen to coach defense. Running backs coach Everette Sands played in that offense and played for The Citadel.

“He’s been helpful and we’ve had coaches talk to Everette,” Hoke said.

Feeling the burn

Elliott said he’ll take his team to the traditional Tiger Burn pep rally that will be held Monday of Clemson week.

USC will burn a nearly 30-foot tiger, built by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers student group, Monday at the Greene Street intramural fields (corner of Greene and Gadsden streets). The event begins at 5:30 p.m.

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 8:21 PM.