USC's commitment total builds to seven

South Carolina popped two more commitments just before the Fourth of July holiday break, pushing the Gamecocks' total for the 2009 football recruiting class to seven. Linebacker Matt Coffee (5-11, 210) of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and defensive end Aldrick Fordham (6-4, 237) of Timberland both committed last Tuesday.

Coffee had visited USC the weekend prior and that visit sealed the decision in his mind. "I felt it was a good fit and I had fun," Coffee said.He also had offers from Mississippi, N.C. State, Maryland, Illinois, Southern Miss, Marshall, Iowa State and Mississippi State. Coffee had 60 tackles in just five games last season.

Fordham picked the Gamecocks over Tennessee. "It was close to home and I grew up rooting for them," Fordham said. Fordham, who also plays tight end, had 60 tackles and five sacks last season.

In other football recruiting news:

LB Daniel Mack (6-0 198) of Miami made an unofficial visit to Clemson Thursday while on his way to visit family in Holly Hill. "Clemson is one of my top schools right now," Mack said, "along with Boston College, Wake Forest, Central Florida and West Virginia." He also has an offer from USC.

ATH Justin Wray (6-2, 205) of Covington, Ga., attended Clemson's camp in June and continues drawing interest from the Tigers as a safety. He has an offer from Central Florida and also is hearing from Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Georgia, Auburn and Middle Tennessee. Wray plays quarterback and last season he passed for 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 750 yards and five scores.

DE Anthony Orr (6-5, 260) of Harvest, Ala., is looking at a possible visit to USC this month. He has camped at Auburn and Alabama, and also is looking at visits to Tennessee and LSU. USC and Clemson are among his offers and he is still interested in both. Orr also has offers from Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Central Florida, Mississippi State and UAB.

Orangeburg-Wilkinson OL Thomas Hart (6-4, 290) has not been to any camps this summer but might get to one at USC this month. Hart has not been offered but thinks USC is close. Recruiters want to evaluate Hart early in his senior season since he missed all of his junior season with a torn ACL in his left knee.

Greer TE Desmond Parks (6-6, 215) is favoring Florida after landing offers from the Gators and Clemson late last month. "I've just seen more there and I know more about them than the other schools," Parks said of Florida. He camped at both schools in June and plans to return to both this month. Parks, who says he grew up a USC fan, might visit USC as well this month. Parks also has offers from North Carolina, Presbyterian and Western Carolina.

Clemson and USC are in the final eight with QB Morgan Newton (6-2, 215) of Indianapolis. He also has Indiana, Purdue, Kentucky, Illinois, Florida and Miami on his final list. This summer. Newton has visited Illinois, Purdue, Kentucky and Indiana, and he plans to get to Florida and Miami later this month. He visited Clemson and USC in the spring. Newton said Clemson and Florida are showing the strongest interest right now.

Clemson also made the cut with RB Lonnie Pryor (6-1, 195) of Okeechobee, Fla., along with Florida State, LSU, Florida, Georgia and Auburn. Florida State is his leader with LSU second, but Clemson will get a chance to impress Pryor this week as he makes a swing through LSU, Georgia, Florida State and Clemson.

WR Jamal Patterson (6-3, 200) of McDonough, Ga., is one of the top prospects who has not cut his list. He has over 40 offers, including USC and Clemson, and he's keeping in touch with his recruiters from both. Patterson recently visited Stanford, and he's been to Kentucky. He will visit Oregon, Notre Dame and West Virginia later in the summer. Patterson said he will attend Clemson's home game against Georgia Tech, and he also plans to take in a game at USC.

Clemson, Auburn and Florida remain the top three with LB Corico Hawkins (6-0, 225) of Milledgeville, Ga., with no leader. He plans to take official visits to those three, and he'll announce a decision on Halloween, which also is his birthday.

DE David Gilbert (6-4, 215) of Oakland Park, Fla., counts USC among his offers, and he cites former Gamecock John Abraham as his favorite defensive player in football. Gilbert said he's in regular contact with Gamecock recruiter Robert Gillespie. Some of his other offers are Louisville, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Purdue, Wisconsin and Vanderbilt.

USC leads for LB Jonathan Davis (5-10, 205) of Tucker, Ga., ahead of Georgia, Auburn and Miami. He has visited USC, Florida, UCF, Auburn, Alabama and UAB. Clemson also is an offer and he plans to visit there this summer. Last season, Davis had 223 tackles, nine sacks and two interceptions, and he rushed for 1,100 yards and 17 TDs. ATH Stephon Gilmore (6-2, 195) of South Pointe is focused on USC, Clemson, Alabama, Tennessee and Ohio State, according to his coach, Bobby Carroll.

USC recently offered South Pointe WR Charles Holmes (6-3, 210). He also has offers from Buffalo and Akron, and Southern Cal has inquired about him. And N.C. State is close to offering South Pointe LB Devin Wherry (6-0, 220). He has offers from S.C. State, Liberty and Western Carolina.

Basketball news

6-5 Lakeem Jackson of Arden, N.C., is down to USC and Georgia Tech but is not sure when he'll make a decision. "I'm almost there," he said late last week. "I really don't know which one yet. They are equal." Jackson's coach has advised him to go with the Gamecocks. Jackson said he'd like to make a commitment before the end of summer.

6-4 Kenny Manigault of Pinewood Prep recently visited Wichita State and was offered. And he thinks USC, VCU and Virginia are close on offers. Recruiters plan to watch him in tournaments this month. He is also hearing from the College of Charleston, Charleston Southern, Georgia Tech, Georgia, James Madison, Presbyterian and Radford.

Former Memphis reserve guard 6-5 Doneal Mack is transferring to the University of New Orleans. Clemson was one of the schools he considered.'

6-3 Stacy Wilson of Mullins has offers from S.C. State, Francis Marion and Coastal Carolina. He's also hearing from Radford and Gardner-Webb.

Earl Ware and Deion Jones of Ridge View recently signed with USC-Salkehatchie.