USC special teams coach Pete Lembo is looking to add a kicker in the 2024 class and one candidate is Kieran Corr (6-2 175) of Winchester, MA. Corr visited last Saturday, the first time he had the chance to meet Lembo since the two connected via Twitter a few weeks ago.
“I didn’t have much history with South Carolina, and I followed Coach Lembo on Twitter and after a couple of weeks he followed me back,” Corr said. “I asked him if he would be willing to have me up for a visit and he said that would be great. A couple of weeks ago I booked a flight and I flew there by myself to Columbia. I took the visit and it was fantastic. It was my first SEC-Power Five visit and it just exceeded all of my expectations. It was spectacular.”
Corr said Lembo explained to him the kicking situation the team will be facing in 2024 after Mitch Jeter departs after this season and said there could be a spot for him with the Gamecocks.
“They did just take a class of 2023 kicker as a PWO and they are looking to take another PWO or potentially a full scholarship kicker in the class of 2024. He told me that,” Corr said. “He wants me to come back to camp in the summer so I can kick against other kickers to compete for the spot and to show my talents in person. Those are the steps before he’s going to offer another specialist for the class of 2024.”
Kicking for an offer during a summer camp has got to be a pressure-packed moment, but Corr said he understands the process kickers have to go through and just takes that in stride.
“It’s a little nerve wracking,” Corr said. “At the end of the day as a kicker, you’ve got to be able to do it under pressure. That’s going to be a much harder scenario in front of 75-thousand fans screaming at you. Doing it in a camp in front of the coaches is kind of a preliminary thing to prove yourself. I feel like if you want to be able to succeed on the field during games, you should be able to do that in front of coaches. I’ve been preparing all spring for it, lifting, training two three times a week on the field, keeping my leg strong. I should be good to go. I’m planning on doing a few camps, but I can’t wait to go to the South Carolina camp and continue talking with Coach Lembo and furthering our relationship.”
C0rr has not yet been offered. He said Duke has been showing some good interest as well as Boston College. He’s also visited Yale, Harvard and Villanova. The visit to USC last weekend, however, was his first at a major level program.
“It’s definitely one of the schools I’m seriously considering as of right now,” Corr said. “The facilities were the best I’ve seen. The coaches were fantastic. The hospitality was spectacular. It’s an amazing place to be. As we were going around campus, we could see all the students walking around getting ready for parties on St. Pattie’s day. It looks like a great place to be and all the players seem to have great relationships with one another. I would definitely consider it as one of my favorite schools that I’ve visited so far.”
Corr competed at a Kohl’s Kicking Camp in Florida for underclassmen in January and came out of that with a national ranking of 14. He was #1 on kickoffs over both days of the camp, and he was perfect on his field goal attempts through 60 yards.
