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> THE GAMECOCK Sports February 15, 1985 ? Page 9 USC football ( From Staff Reports In what some have considered to be USC's best recruiting year in history, the football program signed 36 prep standouts Wednesday, including blue-chip recruit Todd Ellis. In contrast to the past year's recruited class, in which only two of USC's 27 signees were from South Carolina, 14 in-state players signed for the coming football season, t In addition to Ellis, a quarterback from Page High School * in Greensboro, N.C., the Gamecocks recruited 14 backs and rccievcrs, 13 linemen, seven linbackers and defensive ends. and one punier. Here are some of the top signees: RYAN BF.TIIKA ? a top local recruit from Richland Northeast High School. A 6-4, 200-pound prep All-American at running back and reciever, who caught 34 passes for 803 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. Also recruited by C'lemson and Georgia. JOHN BROWN a 6-5, 280-pound lineman from Richmond, Ind. Was named all-state by both wire services, and lop 100 in the nation. ? TODD C'OOPKR ? 6-3, 235 lineman from Rock Hill who totaled 77 tackles, three fumble recoveries and 10 sack' last season at Fork Union Military Academy. TODD KI.I.IS ? All-everything, including USA Today mini /in<> AII. A Thnnv lor V touchdowns, for 6,157 yards during high school. Page wa 3S-2-1 with J:llis as starting quarterback. Also considerei Stanford, North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana State. MARK FKYKK ? 6-4, 230 lineman from Irmo. Played ii state finals sophomore, junior and senior years. C'llARI.IK. (iOWAN ? 6-4, 250 lineman from Marion N.C. Three time all-conference, captain of all-state team, al southern. Also recruited by North Carolina State, Clemson North Carolina and Wake lorest. IUSC faces Sunb By Joe Sitarz I NK GAM10 With the Metro Conference Tourna- services of cent* metil less then a month away, USC's played sparingly men's basketball team is gearing up for tW^its last six games of the season. Guard Micha The Gamecocks, 13-8, face the 18-7 ^ points, di F lorida International Sunblazers at wen' n|nc 'or nn Carolina Coliseum tomorrow night. ''nc an^ added The match up will be the first between emerging as the ? the two. said he thought II Monday night's win against ^or 'c Tulane is any indication of how the team will play down the stretch, USC "I try to lea* could be in good shape. said. As for his ?Ms mE?~~ ^ (JSC's Duane Kendall takes the pats during the Gamecock ^ Feb. 9. Carolina takes on Florida International tomorrow Coliseum. irogram signs t KKNNV II AVINiKS ? ft-4 lineman from Holinebrnnk. 111. All-conference (offense and defense). All-Chicago, allstate. Chose South Carolina because "wanted to go to program on the upswing." Also recruited by Iowa, Iowa State,TCU and Michigan State. KKVIN JONKS 6-1, 205 back and receiver recruit from Airport High School. All-state, all-conference, Columbia TD Club player of the year. Rushed for 1,600 yards and scored 19 touchdowns senior year, 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns his junior year. Also recruited by Florida State, North Carolina, Penn State and Notre Dame. DF.RRICK I.ITTI.K ? 6-4, 225 linebacker-defensive end from Athens, (la. Prep All-American selected by Sporting \'ews and Scholastic News. Mas 4.7 speed in the 40-yard dash. Also considered Georgia, Tennessee, I.SIJ and Clemson. KEVIN ROl'KK ? 6-4, 215 linebacker-defensive end from Charleston. Palmetto Club's Defensive Player of the I Year. Made 160 solo tackles. 256 assists, 49 quarterback sacks during career. Honor Student with 3.7 CiPA. Recruited by Clemson, Florida State, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Air Force and ? Notre Dame. C,RE(, WKI.CH ? 6-4, 2(X) back and receiver from Dal/ell, S.C. Most Valuable Player in Shrine Bowl Game, ) scored winning I'D and rushed for 145 yards. Clocked in the s 40-vard dash at 4.5. Also considered by Penn Slate, East 1 Carolina and North Carolina. i PAI TI'RNKR ? 6-2, 190 back and receiver from Can ion. cia. i urcw ior j,i /u varus in mree seasons as quarterback tor Cherokee High School Warriors. Was 81 of 151 in II senior season for 1,550 yards and 15 touchdowns. Runs a 4.6 i, 40-yard clash. Also considered Clemson, Florida Slate. Georgia lech and Vanderbilt. lazers tomorrow COCKS retained the him for leadership, he added, "I'm . r Mike Brittain, who sure they do. in the contest alter a "They see me playing hard, and it lm an injurcu uiimi. gci* uicm iu uig uupu aiiu j'i?j el Foster, who scored hard," he said. splayed his talents and ,.,? u ne from the free-thr.w XVH^ *OST*R >sQnt ^d.ng by I seven assists, while example, reserve Tom Si.erle .s in. f.llteam s "1 think we do a real good job workat times the team look- . , . ... . , adership ing ,08ethcr' s,ierlc said- 1 ,ake on the duty of being the spark coming off the bench." J by example, I oster With five of the six games left teammates looking to against Metro Conference opponents, i ydBB and three of those on the road, the mpiaycit <i itum tnui i ntiuiu ii 1 ?iKSaH3r "(iood things are ahead for us," loster said. "We're coining together iB as a team. The chemistry is coming r.M ll together." use HEAD COACH Bill f oster "We were like a strange breed in the R:v j "It's not an excuse, but, I thought we blended together down at Tulanc (a 77-71 loss, Jan. 26) when we made that ^ comeback. 1 "We made it as a team. It was a lot of guys (playing together) that did it. Ny Now we've got to keep it going," if. Coach Foster said. ^2 Stierle said he sees the remaining jr games as big ones for the team. ? "I THINK if we play together and V well, with a lot of enthusiasm, I'm sure g we'll be able to beat those teams, he "As long as we have defensive intensity, we've got a chance." mSM Coach Foster said the team has a stigma on the road that they arc trying \ to Ke( ,-jj Qf for ,|1C fjna| three road games of (he season. "It's gelting to us," he said. "We have to live wiih it. Hopefully it jjl* doesn't happen to us again. It's no fun" 1 V '/ IIITIC L'DIIVTUiTIM/' ' -wl,lr>,l ' ?" i i auuvu jfflk* Michael Foster. . y "It's just a matter of getting one win under our belts to get the pressure off. Once we do, I think we'll be a hard team to beat. "It will help us have an impact on the Metro Tournament at Louisville." JOE RICKER / Thi Gwnwock Against Florida International, Coach Foster will be shooting for his s'98-81 loss to Clemton 400th win. His 25-year career mark is at 7:30 p.m. in Carolina 399-247 (.618), while at Carolina, he's 78-58 (.574). op recruits A'dfrtw (94, 248} fiwnwft. Bbwion, 6*. Ryan Bethea (64, 200) beck. receiver, Columbia \ 1 Ray BoJtcwi (5 U, 1881 back recoiver, Elbsrton, Ga. Mm Brooks (8-2. 2051 linebacker defensive end. JecksonviK, Fit, John Brown (6-9, 280} lineman, Richmaond. Ind. Todd Cooper {6-3, 236) lineman. Rock Hi# Todd Efts (6 3, 200} beck. receiver, Greensboro. N.C. Deron farina (6 2. 270) Bneman, McKwiport, Penn Mark fryer. (0 4, 230) lineman, Irmo Charlie Gowan (84, 250) lineman, Marion, N.C. '.Kenny Haynes (6-4, 260) Sneman, Boltnfibrook. ID. Curt High (0 2, 255) lineman. Ralegh, N.C. David Hodye (8 4, 230) Snebacker defensive end, Simpsonvilte Kevin Jones (81, 205) back.receiver. West Columbia David JoNnson (8-2, 205) linebacker. defensive and, SimpsonviNe James latimer (6-2, 245) Imam an, HinesviKe, Ga. Keilh l?wis (8-0, 1951 back.receiver, Aiken Derrick little (64, 225) linebacker. defensive and, Athens. 6a. Byron Uw (6 3, 240) Inimao, Griffin, Ga. Vic McComw# (6 1, 195) back receiver. Canton, Ga. Gary Prater (6-4. 210) back receiver, Cincinnati, Ohio Rodnay (fr1. 225)|?nb?r, Batasbwfl Robert Robinson (611, 180) back receivec, Shetby, N.C. Kevin Rourk (0 4, 215) Inebacker.defensive end. Charleston :J.Kan SaHy (9-1, 200) back.receiver, MorriStown, N-J Paul Shivers (63, 235) fineman. Waft Cetomfcia Richard Smith(8-0, 21S)b4ck tacaiver, AA?a>^'v * Stave Strewder (8-1,215) towbacker defence end, Columbia Todd Thartoo (83, 200) back.receiver, Dublin, Calif. PM Ttwner (8-3. 190) back receiver, Canton. 8a. ' Record iwt enough in recruiting game By Ray Gronberg While a 10-2 season helped, many other factors combined to convince prep All-American Todd Ellis and other blue-chip players to come to USC to play football. When he announced his intention to sign witn me Gamecocks at a press conference Tuesday, Ellis cited Carolina's coaching staff and the overall commitment of players, faculty and alumni to a winning program as his primary reasons for coming to USC. Recruiting director Ty C'oppinger said these are just two of the aspects of the Gamecock program coaches try to point out to potential recruits. The selling points "might differ a little depending on the situation," he said. "To a kid from Tampa, for example, weather wouldn't be something we'd stress." The major points, he said, are: Leadership: "Regardless of the business, it's easier to be successful if you've got good people at the top," Coppinger said. USC President James Holdcrman, Athletic Director Bob Mar'Mim onH hpaH Inp Mnrricnn ar/? all artivplv invnlvpH in recruiting, particularly during recruits' campus visits, he said. The university and its athletic facilities: "USC is an excellent academic institution," Coppinger said, adding "we don't have to take a back seat t:> anyone." In addition to academics, he said, the athletic facilities here are also among the best in the country. The city: "Most cities the size of Columbia (400,000 in the city and surrounding area) have a big part of the population that could care less if Carolina plays football," Coppinger said. "Most cities that go bonkers over football are college towns. You're talking here about a city of 400,000 that goes nuts." Support: Connected with this, he said, is the rabid nature of Carolina fans. "These people supported this place tremendously well through the bad times. We were 15th in the nation among colleges in attendence. It's a small state, but 70,000 people come in every game, and many others show their sup pori ai omer nines. "This past season was special," Coppinger added, "because the team gave them something to hang their hat on. We had people call after the Clemson game, say 'Thank you,' and hang up." Joe Morrison: The head coach is "very sellable because of who he is," Coppinger said, citing Morrison's background in the National Football I.eague and as a winning coach on the collegiate level. Schedule: "You know you'd better buckle it on if you come to the University of South Carolina," he said. "Our schedule always has intcrsectional flavor, but we also have great regional rivalries." Annual battles with Clemson and Georgia provide the centerpiece of schedules also featuring home games against Michigan in 1985 and Nebraska in 1986, serving to attract top-level talent. Weather: "It can be a factor to some people," Coppinger said. "Not to that kid from Tampa, like 1 said, but we brought about eight or 10 kids in from the Midwest in December, when it was 77 degrees outside one Saturday. That helps." The decisive help, however, may have been provided by a I A ^ ?,l rolrl I VJ'4. UUM^II IIVJUVJUJ VAJJV,V,aU, 111. 1UIU. "I look al recruiting as a snowball effect," Coppinger explained. "A good season allows you to get good players, which can lead to better seasons. See "Recruits," page 10