As you’d expect, Clemson and South Carolina have crossed paths on the recruiting trail quite often in the past. There are a lot of players on the Gamecocks’ current roster that were interested in and considered Clemson during the recruiting process.
With the in-state rivals set to play again on Saturday, we thought it would be interesting to dig up what some of South Carolina’s players told The Clemson Insider about Clemson when they were recruits.
Dakereon Joyner, redshirt freshman QB, on one of his visits to Clemson: “I really enjoyed being back up in Clemson. It’s different. … I am very interested, most definitely.”
Jaycee Horn, sophomore DB, on Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables and what stood out to him about Clemson: “Really just the culture there. It’s a real family-type school. … I like Coach Venables. He keeps it 100 with you. He just tells you what it is and what it isn’t, and that’s all you can really ask for as an athlete is to have a coach that tells it real.”
Jammie Robinson, freshman DB: “I haven’t been up there yet, but I do like that they win. They compete for the national championship every year. So that’s how much I really know about them right now, that they’re a winning program.”
Shi Smith, junior WR, on Clemson co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Jeff Scott: “He’s really exciting. He likes to go out and he likes to work. He likes to get a lot of reps in, and he doesn’t take any junk.”
OrTre Smith, redshirt sophomore WR, on a visit to Clemson that he took: “We put on the jerseys and it was fun. I was excited about that. And how (Dabo Swinney) explained what we were going to get at Clemson, I really liked it. It just explained to me how (and) what I would get myself into. It really opened my mind on things.”
Israel Mukuamu, sophomore DB: “I like that the school is a successful program. Not only on the field, but in the classroom they are well educated and have job offers straight out of college. There is basically no choice but to be successful.”
Zacch Pickens, freshman DL, on a visit to Clemson: “It was nice. The facility was wonderful. Sliding down that slide and seeing all that was real nice.”
Jovaughn Gwyn, redshirt freshman OL: “I liked it a lot. The fans are great and the coaches are too. … Most of their coaches that I met and had time to talk to, they seemed cool, and they get personal with you. They talk to you about everything and tell you about life.”
Keshawn Toney, freshman TE: “Clemson is like a dream school. That is a dream that some people want to live, and for me to have it (a Clemson offer) would be amazing. It’s not far from home, so it would be good for my family and myself.”
Jakai Moore, freshman OL: “That was the most beautiful campus I’ve seen in my life. It was beautiful. I loved it. It was awesome. We only really toured the football facility, but that was the best football facility I’ve seen before. I went down the slide, too.”
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