OL Will Endicott (6-4 280) of Prosper, TX, made the long drive with his family from the Lone Star State to the Palmetto State to watch South Carolina practice on Saturday, and to meet up with Gamecock head coach Shane Beamer and offensive line coach Randy Clements. The visit went so well, the thought of committing to the Gamecocks flashed through Endicott’s mind. He held off for now.
“After this visit, it definitely puts them at the top of my list,” Endicott said Saturday night. “I had a great time connecting with all the coaches, seeing all the facilities. They are at the top of my list for sure. They are number one. I thought about (committing), but I want to take a step back and not commit too spontaneously. I want to take a step back and feel the rest of my recruiting process, but they are number one, for sure.”
Endicott is a tackle in high school, but Clements is recruiting him to play center for the Gamecocks. The fact that the two have a prior relationship from Clement’s time at TCU is a plus for the Gamecocks.
“Whenever I was getting recruited by TCU, Coach Clem was there, recruiting me and coaching me up there,” Endicott said. “There was definitely a sense of being comfortable with Coach Clements.”
That feeling of being comfortable in his surroundings is an important factor for Endicott in his recruiting, especially since USC is far removed from his comfort zone of the Southwest.
“My biggest takeaway was how family-like the atmosphere is,” Endicott said. “The coaches and the players, they all love each other, and it’s a family thing. Being that far away from home, that would be a big need for me, and they’ve definitely got that for sure. Also, Coach Clem and Coach (Jason) Smith, the O-line coaches, are really good at what they do, and I really like them, too.”
Clements and Smith apparently see in Endicott a prospect who can be a leader in the middle of their offensive line.
“They felt that I move really well. I’m explosive, powerful. That’s kind of how I play the game,” Endicott said. “They are looking for more dudes like that. There were some dudes on the visit, along with me that were really good O-linemen. I feel like they are trying to build a good O-line in this next class. I feel like I would fit pretty good in this class they are building.”
Endicott plans to return to USC for an official visit the weekend of June 5th. Between now and then, he has other unofficial visits planned with Oklahoma State, Kansas, Baylor and SMU.