Florida offensive lineman locks in official visit with USC

South Carolina’s former staff offered and worked offensive lineman Jordan Johnson of Jacksonville, Fla. It didn’t go all that well for the Gamecocks because Johnson committed to Georgia Tech in July.

But former USC assistant Steve Spurrier Jr. never stopped recruiting him. When Johnson (6-3, 275) decommitted in November, the Gamecocks were right back on his list. The new staff, especially offensive line coach Shawn Elliott, has continued the relationship now that they’ve had a chance to sort through some things in recruiting.

“When they changed coaches I went like a week without talking to anyone and then (earlier this week) Coach Elliott reached out to me, and he was like, ‘Oh yeah, we’ve just been trying to get everything situated,’ and that’s why they didn’t come see me,” Johnson said. “I basically asked him where I stood with them because I had gone awhile without talking to him, and I said, ‘Am I still on the board at South Carolina? I thought I was going to take an official visit up there.’ He was like, ‘Are you still interested in South Carolina?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah.’ And he was like, ‘That’s great.’ He said he was going to call me, and he did, but I was busy.”

Johnson and Elliott set up an official visit to USC for Jan. 29. He also is looking at official visits with Central Florida and Georgia Tech. Those are the three schools he’s eyeing at this point with no favorite.

He said coaches from Miami, Mississippi State, Duke, Virginia Tech, Louisville and Georgia Tech were in to see him during the live period.

As for what he sees for USC with Muschamp, Johnson expects positive things.

“I feel like they have a legitimate chance to be a powerhouse in the SEC,” he said.