South Carolina defensive line coach Travian Robertson offered DT Darius Simmons (6-3 306) in January, but at that point he had not had the chance to see Simmons perform in person. So, Robertson apparently wants to check that box before moving forward with the recruitment of Simmons for the Gamecocks.
Simmons, who made a visit to USC in March for a spring practice, said he and Robertson last communicated a couple of weeks ago. The interest in still there, he said, but with a caveat.
“He was basically saying he needs big guys like me in the middle and stuff like that,” Simmons said. “He wants to get me back on campus sometime in the summer. They assigned me a camp date. They want me to come to a prospect camp.”
And Simmons said that’s fine with him. He’s more than happy to go and compete and show Robertson, Clayton White and Shane Beamer what he’s got.
“I’m just going to have to go there and prove myself just a little bit more,” Simmons said. “Don’t get me wrong, I get why they want me to go up there and prove myself a little bit more. You don’t want to just offer a kid, and you haven’t really seen him in action like you want to. I get it. I love a challenge. I feel myself on challenges. That’s what I love.”
Last season Simmons recorded 50 tackles with five sacks, ten tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and five recovered fumbles.
Cincinnati is his only other Power 4 offer along with the Gamecocks. He has scheduled official visits to Western Kentucky June 6th, South Alabama June 13th and Cincinnati June 20th.
Simmons said this spring coaches from Georgia, Virginia, Western Kentucky, Mississippi State, FIU, FAU and Tulane have been by to check in on him. Tulane is among his most recent offers along with Florida A&M and Howard.