DT D’Andre Martin of Durham, NC and Life Christian Academy in South Chesterfield, VA will be among the recruiting guests at USC this weekend for the Auburn game. Martin visited USC unofficially twice in the summer. This visit with his dad will be an official visit. Martin sees the visit as a chance to get a real feel for life around the football program and the campus.
“Just want to come and see what the environment is like,” Martin said. “I’m really just coming down to see how they move and operate on a daily basis as far as football-wise during the season and game week. Really just trying to see how it is that they treat their guys during the season and how South Carolina moves on a game week at home.”
USC defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey has been the front man for USC with Martin. The two talk regularly including Wednesday night.
“He wasn’t saying too much on the phone, just saying he can’t to get me down there so we can really talk some more,” Martin said. “I think our conversation is really going to start when I get down to South Carolina. He wasn’t really trying to talk my head off.”
What he hasn’t heard from Lindsey or head coach Shane Beamer is how quickly he might be able to work his way into the defensive line rotation.
“As of right now I haven’t heard that from the coaches, so as of right now I don’t know,” Martin said. “I’m really just trying to get into a school where I can get in the game early and really understand what I’m doing verses me trying to get in late and then have to learn on the fly. For me it’s how fast they can get me in the game so I can learn the game and be a successful player. They told me I’m an athletic type of D-lineman so they could really put me anywhere on the D-line.”
Martin had a chance to commit to the Gamecocks in early August, but he chose to make a pledge to Virginia Tech. Despite that, he’s never lost his strong feeling for the Gamecock program, especially Lindsey.
“South Carolina and coach Lindsey are always going to have a special place in the heart,” Martin said. “Their plan is really good. Me and coach Lindsey communicate very well, communicate often. Me and coach Lindsey are pretty tight. I can almost call coach Lindsey about anything and just rap to him about, hey coach, I need some help, or hey coach, can you help team me this, and we can chop it up.”
Martin also is keeping a close eye on the Virginia Tech situation where Justin Fuente was fired earlier in the week. Wednesday night he and other Hokie commitments were updated on the situation.
“We had a meeting tonight at 8:30 with the coaches at Virginia Tech about what’s going on,” Martin said. “Our offers still stand. They are trying to find a new coach, but they still want us as players to keep our faith knowing they are going to find the right guy. We’re just holding on to make sure the person they pick is real good. They have not given us an idea when it will be. As of right now I still am committed to Virginia Tech.”
The Gamecocks are sitting on 18 high school commitments for the 2022 class and four are on the defensive line.
