Muschamp’s 1st recruiting cookout focuses on relationship-building

Will Muschamp’s prospect cookout Saturday at South Carolina produced two commitments and a lot of good will between his coaching staff and the prospects.

The Gamecocks landed Class of 2017 pledges from wide receiver Shawn Smith of Brunswick, Ga., and running back Kyshaun Bryan of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

There was little recruiting at and football talk at Saturday’s event and more socializing and relationship-building.

Wide receiver Austin Connor of Dutch Fork has been a regular visitor to USC so there’s not much more for him to see. He enjoyed the low-key atmosphere of Saturday.

“It was really fun and entertaining. It was pretty much just for fun, not recruiting,” he said.

But did the idea of committing cross his mind?

“Of course things like that stay on my mind considering USC is one of my top colleges but I haven’t been able to narrow my choices down enough to make a commitment anywhere yet.”

Connor said he has no favorite from his top five of USC, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Georgia, and he has no timetable for a decision.

Linebacker Mo Burnam of Conyers, Ga., also was among the recruits to attend the Muschamp cookout. Burnam came in with his wide receiver teammate Justin Marshall, who has a USC offer.

Burnam is a Tennessee commitment but “I still have my recruitment open for other schools. Just taking my time with everything.”

USC has not yet offered but the interest between the two is growing.

“What I saw for the most part was pretty nice,” said Burnam. “The coaching treated me pretty good, the facilities were great, and it had a real good environment around it. Hopefully I get the offer in the next week or two. Coach Thompson has been talking to me for awhile now. He likes my style of play and my size, how I get out my cuts and come down field.”

Burnam said Georgia is one of his favorites. Some of his other offers are Florida State, North Carolina and Louisville.

USC offensive line commitment Eric Douglas of Charlotte visited Saturday with teammates T.J. Moore (o-line) and Ryan Jones, a wide receiver who is committed to North Carolina. Moore has been favoring the Gamecocks.

Defensive back Lummie Young of Westside also found Saturday’s environment relaxing and recruiting-stress free.

“I saw a whole different side of it. I loved it. It was more relaxed and fun, a side opposite of football,” he said.

Duke has been his favorite over USC and NC State.

Some others in attendance Saturday were DB Tre Shaw of Ellenwood, Ga.; DE Brad Johnson of Pendleton; Wren QB Jay Urich; DL Tyrone Truesdell of Augusta; 2018 DE Xavier Thomas of Wilson; 2018 DL Josh Belk of Lewisville; 2018 OL Kavesz Sherard of TL Hanna; 2018 DL Kelijiah Brown of Saluda; and 2019 DE Zacch Pickens of TL Hanna.