Productive in-state tailback still talking to Gamecocks coaches
First Baptist running back Michel Dukes opened his season last Friday night rushing for 178 yards and three touchdowns. He spent much of his summer in AAU basketball but his focus is back on football now and recruiters are picking up their intensity with him.
Dukes, who was offered by Virginia earlier in the week, continues to talk regularly with South Carolina running back coaches Bobby Bentley and Tony Elliott of Clemson. USC has offered, Clemson has not. Both coaches plan to scout him once the dead period ends.
“They want me,” Dukes said of the Gamecocks. “He’s just telling me to be patient,” he said of Elliott.
Dukes said he’s also now hearing from Syracuse, Tulane and Tennessee and starting to build a relationship with recruiters from those schools.
He has set his first official visit to East Carolina for Sept. 7, the weekend of the North Carolina game. The Pirates are making a strong play for him.
“Every day, they’ve been contacting me almost every day,” he said.
Dukes said he plans to set an official visit with USC for later in the season. As for next Saturday’s opening games at USC and Clemson, he said because of the early kickoffs he did not think he could make it to either.
Dukes said right now the schools recruiting him the hardest would be USC, Clemson, East Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Virginia. There is no leader at this point.
Notes:
▪ Porter Gaud 6-foot-7 point guard Josiah James has the following dates set for his four official visits: Tennessee on Sept. 7, Clemson on Sept. 14, Duke on Sept. 27 and Michigan State on Oct. 5. USC was left off of his official visit list but the Gamecocks continue to communicate with James.
▪ Dorman 2020 6-foot-8 forward PJ Hall was offered by Kansas State. USC and Clemson are also among his offers.
▪ Latta recevier Deonte’ Stanley is the next in-state prospect set to come off the board with a commitment announcement Friday. UCF is thought to be the favorite though he also has offers from East Carolina, Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern. Stanley is the brother of USC center Donell Stanley. He also was a standout on Latta’s 2A state championship baseball team last spring.