2017 Gamecock Signing Class: The Backs
Will Muschamp’s Gamecocks seem to be set for the foreseeable future at quarterback and running back, so the coaching staff seems to have decided they would focus on other positions for this signing class. However, they did still manage to sign a QB, as well as lure in two running back transfers.
Quarterback: Jay Urich
Urich is a 3-star QB hailing from Wren High School in Piedmont, South Carolina. The 6-4 quarterback has been committed since last May. His notable offers outside of South Carolina were from Duke, Harvard, Southern Mississippi and Tennessee. In his junior year, he passed for 2,758 yards and 21 touchdowns, and he rushed for nearly 1,031 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Running backs: Caleb Kinlaw and Ty’son Williams
Neither of these running backs are technically signing with South Carolina on Wednesday, but both are returning to the home-state school after originally signing with Wisconsin and North Carolina, respectively. The running back core already has proven, young talent in Rico Dowdle and AJ Turner, but, as all football fans know, you need at least three running backs to keep everyone as fresh and healthy as possible.
Williams is the player with the highest upside. There’s been a lot of buzz coming from the football program regarding his play on the practice squad this past fall. He was a 4-star recruit per the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and he held offers from Clemson, Georgia, Michigan and Notre Dame, among others.
Kinlaw was not quite as heralded coming out of high school, but he still had some good offers, notably from Tennessee, Clemson, Wisconsin and Arizona. After leaving Wisconsin, he spent this past season at Pearl River Community College.