Brandon McIlwain 100 percent Gamecocks, but there’s still baseball
Unlike some South Carolina fans unhappy over the loss to Kentucky last weekend, Gamecocks quarterback commitment Brandon McIlwain of Newtown, Pa., is not considering abandoning the ship.
If anything, he’s more solid with the Gamecocks than ever before, if you can be more than 100 percent certain about something. He’s looking at making his official visit with the Gamecocks for the Clemson weekend, and that will be the only official visit he takes.
McIlwain is, of course, keeping a close watch on his future team and is a little more forgiving than some fans about a single loss.
“It’s tough when your guy can’t stay healthy and you’re switching quarterbacks,” McIlwain said. “It’s hard to get in a true rhythm. But I think they are figuring stuff out.”
McIlwain has seen the Gamecocks’ offense score 39 points in the first two games and he watched them struggle in the red zone last weekend. But he remains confident that Steve Spurrier has not lost his offensive touch and will have the USC offense humming once again this season.
“I have no doubts,” he said. “Coach Spurrier is such an awesome offensive mind. He’s known for that. And the recruiting class they are building, we’re going to have some amazing athletes, so we’ll be good. I have no worries about our offense.”
McIlwain said he’s been in touch with a few of the Gamecocks’ recruiting targets such as Pete Leota, John Simpson and Kelvin Harmon.
McIlwain also is a pro baseball prospect. He had said he would enroll at USC in January, thus taking himself out of the 2016 baseball draft. But right now he’s not 100 percent certain he will enroll early.
“I have the potential to have all my credits done, but I’m still going to talk it over with my family to make sure it’s the best decision for all of us,” McIlwain said. “It’s not a definite (enrolling early) but I’m pretty sure. Between 90 to 95 percent.”
McIlwain works on baseball every Sunday with his head coach at Council Rock North High, going to a batting cage and getting in his swings.
“A Texas Ranger scout stopped by and he was talking about how the whole process works,” he said. “The (scouts) tell me I’m a very interesting prospect because I kind of came out of nowhere. They didn’t watch me until this summer, so it’s been kind of interesting. They watch your progression through the spring. If I have good progression like they expect I could be included in the draft. If I kind of back up and it looks like I can’t really handle the football and baseball, then I won’t be.”
McIlwain reiterated that he is planning to enroll at USC to play both football and baseball.
Thus far this season McIlwain has passed for 500 yards and four touchdowns and has rushed for 300 yards and four scores. He also returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown.