The area around Indian Land High School has grown tremendously in recent years as folks from the Charlotte area have crossed the border. The football program has benefited in a big way, starting with head coach Andy Hastings, who was hired in 2020 after successful tenures at two Charlotte schools, including winning a state championship. The Warriors are 9-1 and will face Hillcrest Friday night in the second round of the 5A-D2 playoffs after getting a first-round bye.
As the program has improved, so has the development of the players. Evidence of that is senior DE Michael Foster (6-3 230). East Carolina as his top offer in the summer, and he committed to the Pirates in July. But last week, things changed in a big way for Foster. He got a call from Clemson recruiters Nick Easton and Chris Rumph, and they offered him.
“It was a surreal moment,” Foster said. “Everybody knows, Clemson is my dream school. I’ve been working hard, doing what I can in the classroom, and doing what I can on the field and in the weight room to get this offer.”
Not only that, Foster had some connections to Clemson that no doubt helped get his name and information in front of the Clemson recruiters.
“My dad has helped me in this process to put me out there to Clemson,” Foster said. “We have a restaurant down there, Nick and Mike Bar and Grill (on Tiger Boulevard). My dad (Russell Foster) played at Western Kentucky and was a two-time All-American, and ended up going to Dallas and the World League. And in the World League, he ended up playing against my coach now, the DC at Indian Land, Coach Otis Moore. His alma mater is Clemson. He was pumping my name out there. All I’ve been doing is trying to hustle and keep my head down and grind, and sure enough, the offer game.”
It also helped that Eason and Rumph have seen Foster up close in camp settings.
“I’ve been to their three-day camp every summer for the past three years,” Foster said. “At the camp, they watched me. I had put out some senior tape, and Coach Moore sent that to them. I guess they looked at that, they liked it, and Coach (Nick) Eason came out for the Northwestern game.”
From there, Eason reported back to Rumph what he saw in person. All of that information added up to the big phone call from the Tigers.
“I ended up getting on the phone with Coach Rumph,” Foster said. “He told me that the athletic pieces are there. The hustle is there, and the heart is there, but that wasn’t the part that impressed them. They said it was more my ability to lead and the energy that I bring out there. That was the part that was most impressive to them.”
Still, there’s the little matter of Foster having committed to East Carolina last July, when the Clemson option didn’t exist.
“I am a Pirate. I’m an ECU commit,” Foster said. “As of right now, I’m just really focused on the playoffs. Don’t get me wrong, getting the offer from Clemson, I’ve been waiting ten years to receive an offer from Clemson. Like I said, it’s my dream school. It’s an honor and a testament to the hard work I’ve put in. But right now, I’m just focused on Indian Land starting the playoffs. I’m so grateful for everything.”
Foster visited East Carolina last Saturday for Homecoming. He has not been to a Clemson game this season, but he might make it for the Furman game in two weekends. West Virginia has also offered him, and he has interest in the Mountaineers as well.
There’s really no rush for Foster because he is not going to be an early enrollee and won’t sign until February.
Going into the playoffs, Foster has registered 103 tackles with 25 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.