With decision made, Gamecocks tailback target locks in commitment date

Running back Antario Brown of Savannah, Georgia narrowed his list to South Carolina and Virginia Tech earlier this month, and now he’s down to one.

Brown (5-11, 213) said Tuesday night that he has made his decision and will have a video release of his commitment on Aug. 5. He’s not tipping his hand, and he said he’s not told either school his decision.

And he is talking with his recruiters from each school every day. But only one offered him everything he was looking for.

“They’ve got a great relationship with me and my family,” Brown said of the program he’s chosen. “Get my family involved, meeting them. They showed a lot interest. The virtual visit. They contacted me every day, showing they really wanted me, showing me that I’m a need and a want. That was huge to me.

‘The education I can get at the school I chose is outstanding, one of the top academic programs in the nation. And just the program. I fit in on the offensive side of the ball with what they run. That’s what I decided off of.”

The Gamecocks have one running back committed in Caleb McDowell of Leesburg, Georgia. Virginia Tech is sitting on two running back commitments, one of which is Chance Black of Dorman, who was offered early by the Gamecocks but not heavily pursued by them.

Speed and size are Brown’s greatest assets. He was timed in the 40-yard dash at 4.3 at a prospect camp in February, and in the 2019 outdoor season in Georgia, he ran a personal best 11.06 in the 100 meters in the region track meet.

Brown played in seven games last season and rushed for 1,008 yards. He also had 500 yards receiving. His best game came against Benedictine when he rushed for 280 yards on 22 carries, had four catches for 119 yards and scored four touchdowns.

Brown says he has family who live about a half-hour from downtown Columbia.

“South Carolina, my first offer, I was grateful for that one,” Brown said previously. “That pushed me a lot, gave me hope because a kid like me, I never envisioned even going to college. South Carolina kind of got my heart. The videos I looked at so far on YouTube, the fans are electric. Great school, great campus, pretty big. The city of Columbia, it’s pretty big itself. I got family who live up there. Columbia as a city got my heart.”