Quarterback scraps plans to visit Gamecocks

The college football recruiting dead period is over and coaches can hit the road. New South Carolina offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper headed to Columbia, Tenn., on Thursday to meet with a quarterback.

Tylin Oden of Columbia, Tenn., had set an official visit with South Carolina for this coming weekend, though he had not been offered by the Gamecocks. The Louisville commitment was thinking an offer might come Thursday when he met with Roper for the first time.

The 6-foot-5, 180-pound Oden said the meeting went well, but no offer was made. Oden has decided not to visit USC for now.

“It just wasn’t any reason to go if I wasn’t getting an offer,” Oden said. “It would have been a wasted official. I’m not sure if I will reschedule.”

Oden is scheduled to visit Iowa State next weekend. Tennessee and Rutgers also have offered him.

Oden is a dual-threat quarterback. This season, Oden passed for 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns.

South Carolina already has one quarterback in the class in Brandon McIlwain, who has enrolled and started classes this week. The Gamecocks are interested in taking a second quarterback.

Another possibility is quarterback Steven Duncan (6-5, 233) of Ashley Ridge High in Charleston, who said he expects Roper and offensive line coach Shawn Elliott to visit him on Friday. Duncan is a Western Kentucky commitment.

This story was originally published January 14, 2016 at 10:55 AM.