The quick courtship between South Carolina and transfer center Nolan Hay (6-4 300) of Incarnate Word hit the high point on Wednesday as he spent the day in Columbia on an official visit. Hay flew in on Tuesday night and will head back to UIW Thursday morning. Then it will be decision time between the Gamecocks and Oklahoma State.
“I’m going to let them know tomorrow what I end up doing, probably in the afternoon,” Hay said Wednesday night. “We fly back and land at San Antonio around 10:00. I actually have an exam for one of my classes at noon, so I’ll have a pretty busy morning, so I won’t be able to make the call until around dinner time. I think I’ll sleep on it. I don’t want to be biased towards any school because I just saw them. Get away from everything for a little bit and just recoup and think some more.”
Hay got a look at all aspects of the Gamecock program. And like any good lineman, the weight room really caught his attention.
“The biggest thing was I really like Coach (Luke) Day and the strength program, and how much the coaches really knew about ball,” Hay said. “There are coaches that know about ball, but when you really dive deep, and where they really know your strength and weaknesses, and then they go into it, and how they know how to fix it, I think that’s the biggest thing for me. I always look to improve on the little things. Coach (Lonnie) Teasley really went down and explained what I could do better and everything, and I really appreciate that.”
Hay also sat down for a conversation with Gamecock head coach Shane Beamer.
“It was really about how much he respects me as a player and how he thinks I will be a very good fit for them,” Hay said. “It was kind of funny. Most of the meeting we really talked about golf. I’m a big golfer. I’m not very good, but I love golf. He’s obviously really good at golf. We talked quite a bit about that. It was really who South Carolina is and how I can fit in, and as soon as I would come in, I would be accepted into the family. We had a really good talk. He’s an easy person to talk to.”
Hay is big on his football career, but the academic side of things also is important to him. He made sure to look into what South Carolina has to offer in his major and was surprised by what he learned.
“I’m a business finance major, and I didn’t know that South Carolina was like top ten in business in the nation,” Hay said. “That was pretty cool for me because my dad always harps on the fact that I’m going to college to get my education. The fact that this is such a prestigious business school is both challenging and pretty resourceful for me. I should get accepted. I know I meet the GPA requirement. I really love that about it. Obviously, the facilities and the whole campus are a huge upgrade from what I’m used to. I really liked the facilities, very modern.”
Like all transfers, Hay is looking for opportunity on the field. He, of course, missed spring practice at USC. But Beamer and Teasley made it clear to him he would get a full shot at earning a job if he comes on board.
“They harped on the fact that I wouldn’t be here if they didn’t think I was good enough to come in and start,” Hay said. “I only have one year left of eligibility. I have a redshirt, but they made it very clear that they do not want to redshirt me. They want me to play. That’s no knock on Bo (Stanley) who they got from Troy. They want the best five out there. Whoever that five is, it really doesn’t matter at the end of the day. They told me they are not going to promise me anything and I’m going to have to go and earn it, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I want to go out there and earn it and, and all I really asked was that they would give me the opportunity and they told me they would give me the opportunity to go win it. That’s all I asked for.”
Last season with Incarnate Word, Hay was part of an offensive line that led the way to 2665 rushing yards and which gave up the fewest sacks in their league with 21. He was named Second Team All-Conference.