The recruiting of OT Keyshawn Blackstock (6-5 315) of Coffeyville JC, KS and Covington, GA has taken off like an Artemis moon rocket. From nowhere to national recruit at the speed of light. Blackstock is finishing his second season at Coffeyville and recently learned he is academically set to play at the next level. The major schools know that too, and the offers have been flowing in.
Count USC among those offers. Gamecocks offensive line coach Greg Adkins has been on Blackstock for a long time, but he couldn’t offer until he know he could get him into school. The offer came earlier this month, and Blackstock is leaving Kansas Thursday and flying into Columbia for an official visit on which he’ll be joined by his family.
“We’ve been talking for a while before he even offered me,” Blackstock said. “He just told me that whenever he found out I was eligible to come to the SEC, he said he was coming to get me regardless of whatever it takes. He said he was coming to get me and he wants me to play for him at South Carolina. It took weeks and weeks and weeks to see that I was a qualifier out of high school, so that was big for me, opened things up to the schools in the SEC. He was a man of his word. He offered me as soon as he found out, and we’ve just been chopping wood ever since.”
It’s apparently a complicated story for why Blackstock ended up in junior college, but he said he’s put in the work on and off the field and he’s proud of the fact that he can now write his ticket anywhere.
“I did what was I supposed to in the classroom,” Blackstock said. “Not only that, I can ball on the field. On and off the field I take care of my business. I’m hungry and I won’t it all on and off the field. I don’t want nobody give me no handout, no nothing. I’m hungry and I demand my respect on and off the field.”
The Gamecocks have emerged as a major contender for Blackstock. Their needs along the offensive line are great, and the coaches have made a concerted effort to let Blackstock know how much he’s coveted in Columbia.
“The relationship that I have with the coaches, that’s what sticks out the most,” Blackstock said. “That’s big to me. A big part of why I’m coming down there to see them is the relationship with my coaches. I feel like I’ll get money anywhere I go. I know I’m going to get paid. It’s going to come down to the relationship I’ve got with my coaches. I’m ready to see what they’ve got for me. I’m ready to visit and put on a show. I’m ready to meet to new people, meet some of the players and build my relationship and get to chopping wood. That’s the biggest thing right there.”
Blackstock said he was on the phone with USC head coach Shane Beamer Wednesday night finalizing plans for this weekend.
“He’s fired up to see me,” Blackstock said. “I’m a big time for them to come in and get from junior college. They want me heavy. He said I’m a physical offensive lineman and all he’s been hearing is that I like to work hard, that I’ve put in the work. He said he’s heard that from my head coach, my DC, and my O-line coach, that I put in quality work not only on the field but in the weight room and film room. I’m a fan of the game too, so I learned that you’ve got to do what everybody else has got to do.”
Blackstock has already taken an official visit to Illinois and is scheduled for one to Penn State on December 10th. He also plans to visit Florida State unofficially for the Florida game. He also has offers from Oklahoma, Temple, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Houston, UCF, Kansas, West Virginia, NC State, Florida, Tennessee, Florida, TCU., Michigan State, Florida State, Louisville, Oregon and others. He will sign in December and enroll in January.
