Coaches gearing up for National Signing Day

The dead period for football recruiting ended Sunday and coaches are back on the road full force. With the exception of a break during the coaches' convention in Orlando, which starts Jan. 10, recruiters will be on the move from now through the end of the month. National Signing Day is Feb. 3. And South Carolina will attack the final weeks with a full staff now that Steve Spurrier has hired Shawn Elliott as his new offensive line coach. Elliott is a Camden native and recruited the state during his time at Appalachian State, so his experience there and contacts will be beneficial starting with the next class. His immediate task is to shore up the offensive line commitments the Gamecocks already have, and perhaps try to make a move with offensive lineman Morgan Moses of Richmond, who said last week he was still interested in the Gamecocks but wanted to see who they hired before moving forward with them.

In other recruiting news: The number of uncommitted major prospects in the state was reduced by one Saturday when DB John Fulton of Manning announced a commitment to Alabama over USC. Manning made the call during the telecast of the Under Armour All-American Game on ESPN.

Another USC target, WR Kenny Shaw of Orlando, Fla., announced a commitment to Florida State during the game.

This weekend it's the U.S. Army All-American Game in San Antonio. Players in the game of local interest are Clemson commitment WR Martavis Bryant of T.L. Hanna, USC targets DE Ego Ferguson Jr. of Hargrave Prep, Va., DB Victor Hampton of Darlington, RB Marcus Lattimore of Byrnes and Byrnes DE Brandon Willis.

Ferguson is looking at a visit to South Carolina on Jan. 15, while Hampton is expected to announce a commitment to the Gamecocks during the game.

Lattimore will visit USC on Jan. 15 and Oregon on Jan. 22. He was scheduled to visit Georgia on Jan. 29, but has dropped the Bulldogs. He has visited Auburn and Penn State. South Carolina and Auburn are the frontrunners. Lattimore will announce a decision Feb. 2 at his church.

And Willis, who de-committed Saturday from Tennessee, will announce during the game for either North Carolina or UCLA.

DL Sharrif Floyd of Philadelphia, who was strongly pursued by USC, said in San Antonio on Sunday that he's down to Ohio State, Florida and North Carolina. He will announce his choice during the game.

At one time or another, Beaufort LB Justin Parker has been favoring USC or Clemson. Most recently he had the Gamecocks out in front. But in his newest recruiting diary published last Wednesday in the Beaufort Gazette/Island Packet, Parker wrote that LSU is now the leader ahead of USC, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Tennessee.

"I know some people will question that because they feel like I'm set on a school already," Parker said. "But where I spend the next three or four years of my life is important to me, so I'm trying to consider everything. It's still pretty close between the top schools."

Parker has taken his official visit to USC and is scheduled to visit Clemson on Jan. 8, LSU on Jan. 15 and Georgia Tech on Jan. 29. He plans to announce on signing day.

Clemson will have its biggest recruiting weekend of the month this weekend with 15 official visits scheduled, most by committed prospects. Besides Parker, other non-committed prospects scheduled for visits are DE Tavaris Barnes of Jacksonville, Fla., DL Ethan Farmer of Tabor City, N.C., ATH Darius Lipford of Lenoir, N.C., and RB D.J. Howard of Lincoln, Ala.

Barnes has been committed to Florida State but he's taken an official visit to USC and is set to visit North Carolina on Jan. 15.

Farmer will visit N.C. State on Jan. 15, North Carolina on Jan. 22 and Duke on Jan. 29. He's been favoring the Tar Heels.

Lipford is a North Carolina commitment and will visit Chapel Hill on Jan. 15. He's also taken an official visit to Duke.

Howard has been committed to Auburn but has some doubts as to whether Auburn will let him be a full-time running back. Clemson has told him he will be strictly a running back there. Howard is now the only running back target on Clemson's board since James White of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., committed to Wisconsin over the weekend.

OL Morgan Moses of Richmond said last week he was recently contacted by USC recruiter Jay Graham.

"If I don't qualify in January, I will consider them. Right now, it is either Florida or Virginia," he said.

If he does not qualify in time to enroll in January, he will enroll next August, allowing USC back into the mix. He says if would be between USC, Florida and Virginia.

"I feel pretty good about my chances of qualifying," said Moses.

WR Jeremy Deering of Tampa has set a Jan. 8 visit to Florida State to go along with the Jan. 15 visit he set with USC. Deering has visited Purdue and Illinois. He said he does not have a fifth visit and he doesn't have a favorite right now. He's planning a signing day decision.

TE Mychal Rivera of the College of the Canyons JC, Calif., plans to take an official visit to USC either Jan. 15 or Jan. 22. He's expecting a visit from Gamecocks assistant coach Jeep Hunter this week. He also plans to visit Utah State, Kansas State, California and Syracuse.

USC commitment OL Trammell Williams of Jacksonville has been contacted by Oregon and is looking at a possible visit there Jan. 22. He is set to visit USC on Jan. 15. Williams said his USC commitment remains strong.

Manning Shrine Bowl DE Dexter Morant has been a Georgia commitment since July, but he said last week he'd like to take official visits to USC and Clemson.

Morant had around 80 tackles this season, including 25 for loss. He had nine sacks, four caused fumbles and he blocked three field goal attempts.

DL Jeffery Whitaker of Warner Robins, Ga., was down for an official visit to USC on Jan. 15. But in an interview last week with Scout.com, Whitaker named a final five that did not include the Gamecocks. Whitaker said he's down to California, North Carolina, Georgia, Auburn and Miami.

DL Ainsley Miller of Concord, N.C., is still hopeful of an offer from Clemson at some point.

Miller is also hearing from New Mexico, Nebraska and West Virginia but has not been offered. He has scheduled an official visit to New Mexico for Jan. 29.

DL Eric Humphrey of Dallas landed an offer from Clemson late in the season, but he says the Tigers have not followed up with him. Humphrey has taken official visits to Oklahoma and Texas Tech and is scheduled to visit Arkansas, Wake Forest and Baylor in January. He has no favorite.

Chester OL R.J. Canty said he will visit East Carolina and William and Mary this month. He's hoping some other major programs will show interest based on his Shrine Bowl performance.

Lake City ATH Sheldon Robinson has been offered by Butler County JC, Kan., and he's also heard from Georgia Military JC.

Junior LB Lateek Townsend (6-3, 208) of Marlboro County has a half-dozen offers right now with many more to come in the months ahead. USC, Clemson, East Carolina, Illinois, N.C. State and Maryland are the offers and he's also hearing from LSU, Georgia and Georgia Tech. Townsend said he's gathering information on the schools and hasn't formulated a favorites list. However, he did indicate the decision, eventually, could come down to the Gamecocks and Tigers.

Townsend had a tremendous junior season with 191 tackles, 13 sacks and an interception.