Mom shares strong feelings for Gamecocks as Oscar Delp picks Georgia
Oscar Delp made a commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs on Wednesday, sitting just inches from a University of South Carolina graduate.
That graduate was his mother, Mary, who offered a stamp of approval for Oscar’s decision while still sharing her feelings for Shane Beamer and USC.
“I’m very excited for his choice,” she said. “I think UGA is where he belongs.
“My heart struggles because I love Coach Beamer and I love my Gamecocks,” she continued. “I’ll just kind of be torn.”
The four-star tight end prospect picked UGA over South Carolina, Clemson and Michigan at a ceremony at West Forsyth High School.
“I feel at home there. It was a gut feeling and a perfect fit,” said Oscar Delp, a 6-foot-5, 220 pound tight end ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 3 prospect nationally at his position.
Delp’s grandparents live in the Columbia area, and he visited South Carolina on Oct. 2 for the Gamecocks’ 23-14 victory over Troy.
“My heart would’ve been so full if he would’ve chosen South Carolina,” Mary Delp told The State. “My heart is full because he chose Georgia, but you can’t choose two schools, and his heart was with Georgia.”
Mary Delp said Georgia “got a head start” on her son’s recruiting process, but the Gamecocks made a last-minute push. Oscar Delp told his mother his final choice would be Georgia last Friday. Until then, it was close between the Bulldogs and the Gamecocks.
“(Georgia) came on hard and fast,” Mary Delp said. “South Carolina came back really strong, I’m not gonna lie.”
Though he acknowledged Wednesday that he’s known he was going to commit to UGA for some time, he has publicly said positive things about the Gamecocks throughout the recruiting process.
“It was awesome,” Delp said after his USC trip. “The fans were insane. People stopped me left and right. They had my name painted on some kids in the student section, so it was crazy. I definitely felt the love. I had a good time, it was a lot of fun.”
Mary Delp told The State her visit to Williams-Brice Stadium for the Troy game brought back memories of when she was a student at USC. She said she was recognized by Gamecocks fans even when she walked around after the game without her son, calling it an “out of body experience.”
“The last weekend was amazing,” Delp said. “It pulled at all of my heartstrings. ... Being in Willy B for a game with my son as a recruit, looking at the student section with his name painted on their bodies, listening to students scream ,‘We want Delp!’ ”
Mary Delp shared positive sentiments for Beamer as he builds the Gamecocks’ football program, even without her son.
“They’re gonna move on, and they will build their program,” she said. “They will, and I hate that it’s not with Oscar. It’s just not the time.”
South Carolina still has no tight ends committed for the 2022 class.
Current South Carolina players made a final push for Delp during Tuesday press conferences. Fifth-year tight end Nick Muse made his plea for Delp after fielding questions from reporters.
“Oscar Delp, please join us,” Muse said as he stepped away from the lectern.
Instead, Delp will head to Athens and join the home-state Bulldogs. And his mom is OK with that.
“I could not be more happy,” Mary Delp said. “I agree with him. It’s felt like home since the beginning of the recruiting process. The coaches, the recruiting staff, everyone there — it was almost never a question that he should be anywhere else.”
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 7:38 PM.
