Chapin QB sold on The Citadel and its new staff

What a difference a few months makes for Chapin quarterback Logan Bailey.

Bailey began his senior season with no offers. But that changed after putting up one of the top individual seasons in the state this year.

Soon, the interest from colleges began to come. On Wednesday, Bailey made it known he would be headed to The Citadel after pulling out a Bulldogs hat from a bag in front of a large crowd of the Chapin student body.

“The tradition they have down there and the excellence they are building is phenomenal,” Bailey said. “They match what I wanted to do academically and athletically. I’m interested to try their offense and see how it works out for me.”

Bailey chose The Citadel over Newberry and Limestone. He made visits to all three schools but felt his visit to the Charleston school last weekend helped win him over.

Bailey got to talk with the new coaching staff, which underwent a change during his recruiting process. Head coach Mike Houston left for James Madison last month and offensive coordinator Brent Thompson was promoted to head coach.

“Logan Bailey really showed a desire to be here. When I became head coach, I made it a priority to make him a part of this class,” Thompson said Wednesday. “He’s a great young man and an excellent playmaker. I think he’s a winner on the field, and it always helps to have a finalist for Mr. Football in South Carolina in your class.”

Thompson plans to keep the Bulldogs’ triple-option offense, which helped them win a Southern Conference championship and a trip to the FCS playoffs. Bailey said the plan is for him to play quarterback but it might change.

“They want to try to get me on the field as soon as possible,” he said.

Bailey threw for 3,029 yards and rushed for 1,259 while accounting for 66 touchdowns this past season, including nine in a 63-60 overtime victory against Swansea.

For his career, Bailey finished his career with 7,501 total yards and 103 touchdowns. He was named the Class 3A Upper State Back of the Year and was a finalist for South Carolina’s Mr. Football.

Bailey was the MVP in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl after throwing for 272 yards and accounting for four touchdowns in the North’s victory.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 9:42 PM.