5-hour focus: Will Muschamp putting the Gamecocks on the map

One of Will Muschamp’s recruiting strategies in building South Carolina’s football program is that there is enough talent within a five-hour radius to be successful in the SEC.

It doesn’t mean the Gamecocks are limited to that five-hour mark, but it’s a starting point and a foundation.

Why five hours? It’s easier for families to attend games and not hard for a student-athlete to go home when the need arises.

While Muschamp has said he considers that five-hour radius “instate,” the Gamecocks are expected to sign at least nine from the state of South Carolina in the 2017 class. It’s the most from the Palmetto State since the 2011 class that included Jadeveon Clowney, the Dixon brothers and Brandon Wilds.

Of the Gamecocks’ in-progress 20-member class, 17 are from within a five-hour footprint, and that number is expected to grow Tuesday and Wednesday. A look at where those 17 live in relation to Williams-Brice Stadium (with junior college prospects listed with their original hometowns).

Passing the five-hour test

Ranked by closest to USC:

Damani Staley, LB; Columbia, SC

22 miles (29 minutes)

Dennis Daley, OL; Columbia, SC

22 miles (29 minutes)

Will Register, TE; Chapin, SC

25 miles (31 minutes)

Summie Carlay, OL; Laurens, SC

76 miles (1 hour, 18 minutes)

Kaleb Chalmers, DB; Greenwood, SC

85 miles (1 hour, 35 minutes)

Shi Smith, WR; Union, SC

77 miles (1 hour, 25 minutes)

Davonne Bowen, LB; Piedmont, SC

96 miles (1 hour, 35 minutes)

Jay Urich, QB; Piedmont, SC

111 miles (1 hour, 50 minutes)

Eric Douglas, OL; Charlotte, NC

113 miles (1 hour, 45 minutes)

OrTre Smith, WR; Mt. Pleasant, SC

122 miles (1 hour, 57 minutes)

Jaylin Dickerson, DB; Southern Pines, NC

141 miles (2 hours, 43 minutes)

MJ Webb, DT; Madison, GA

160 miles (2 hours, 26 minutes)

Zay Brown, DB; Athens, GA

175 miles (2 hours, 53 minutes)

Jamyest Williams, DB; Loganville, GA

204 miles (3 hours, 18 minutes)

Jordan Rhodes, OL; Fairburn, GA

234 miles (3 hours, 35 minutes)

Sherrod Greene, LB; Rocky Mount, NC

256 miles (3 hours, 42 minutes)

Chad Terrell, WR; Dallas, GA

259 miles (4 hours, 4 minutes)

This story was originally published January 31, 2017 at 10:41 AM with the headline "5-hour focus: Will Muschamp putting the Gamecocks on the map."