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Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots
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Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 21, 2020, 8:13 AM

On Jan. 31, South Carolina needed to close the deal.

Jordan Burch, a five-star defensive end and the most important component of the Gamecocks’ 2020 recruiting class, was scheduled to arrive on campus for his official visit five days before the start of the February signing period.

“They really had to have him,” Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell said. “If they had lost that kid, that would have been a really big deal.”

To make sure they didn’t lose him, the Gamecocks built their last recruiting weekend of the 2020 calendar around a very Burch-friendly official visit. South Carolina hosted five players that weekend and only one (Rock Hill, S.C., wide receiver Ger-Cari Caldwell) didn’t have a direct connection to Burch. Two of them were his teammates at the Hammond School, and another was a high schooler from Virginia who is identified on South Carolina paperwork as Burch’s cousin.

“It seems like a pretty interesting strategy,” Farrell said of hosting a recruit’s relative. “It does not happen often, but it does happen and the higher the level of the prospect, usually you will see it more. I don’t know of anything against NCAA guidelines there so I guess it’s creative.”

Teams are allowed to pay for many aspects of official visits for recruits and their families, including travel and meals and snacks. In fact, the weekend of Jan. 31-Feb. 2 cost the school $30,012.61, according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. Using those documents and additional reporting, The Athletic pieced together what the weekend looked like for Burch and his fellow visitors.

There were reasons to believe Burch was going to sign with South Carolina. For starters, he made a nationally televised verbal commitment to the school on Dec. 18. He played his high school football at Hammond, six miles from Williams-Brice Stadium. The quarterback of that team was Jackson Muschamp, son of Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp.

But there was some reason for worry as well. The December signing period had come and gone without Burch making his pledge official. Then there was the fact that he had made an unofficial visit to defending national champion LSU the weekend of Jan. 24.

The Gamecocks felt good about their chances of getting Burch, but they needed to be sure. This recruiting weekend was how they planned to be sure.

“I never saw that kid going anywhere else, but LSU scared the heck out of them,” Farrell said, “and they had to pull out all the stops, and apparently this was one of those stops.”

In addition to Burch, South Carolina hosted Hammond players Fabian Goodman (son of former Gamecocks cornerback Andre Goodman) and Bradley Dunn, Caldwell and Deon Eaddy, who is listed as “Jordan Burch cousin” on South Carolina’s weekend itinerary. Eaddy is described as being enrolled at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Va. His position is listed as “ATH” for athlete. Unlike the other players on the list, his jersey number, height and weight were not listed.

Eaddy is not listed on the 247Sports.com or Rivals.com player databases as a recruit, and his name does not appear on the Forest Park football team’s 2019 roster, which appears on the school’s website. A voice message left at Forest Park High School and two email messages sent to Forest Park head coach John Robinette were not returned.

Goodman and Dunn are expected to walk-on at South Carolina for the upcoming season. Neither has a star ranking on 247Sports.com’s system, but both are listed as prospects.

Goodman was accompanied by his mother and father. Dunn brought his mother and brother. Eaddy brought his mother and two uncles. Burch brought four family members — his mother, grandmother, an aunt and a cousin. Caldwell also brought four family members — his mother, grandmother, grandfather and cousin.

This is how the players and their families spent their weekend.

Friday, Jan. 31
9:30 p.m.: Arrive and check in at the Hilton in downtown Columbia, S.C.

10 p.m.: Dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in the lobby of the Hilton.

Gifts awaited the guests’ arrival. South Carolina spent $300.24 at Sugar Stripes, a boutique cookie bakery owned by a former Gamecocks cheerleader, $286.41 at Walmart for gift basket supplies and $247.35 at Publix for cookie cakes for each official visitor.

The players arrived late because Hammond and Northwestern (Caldwell’s high school) played basketball games that night. They ate late, too, but they ate well. The bill for the 44 people in attendance was $11,607.67, including $1,160.25 worth of alcohol served at a reception for South Carolina coaches and the players’ family members. No players attended that reception or another post-dinner reception Saturday night, according to the school.

While the family members attended the reception with coaches, the player guests were given time to join their host players — Zacch Pickens, O’Donnell Fortune, Joseph Anderson, Cam Smith and Darryle Ware — out in Columbia for the evening.

Saturday, Feb. 1
8:30 a.m.-10 a.m.: The players spent time at the school’s new $50 million Long Family Football Center, where they had breakfast, met with professors, toured the team’s nutrition facilities, were examined by head athletic trainer Clint Haggard and had a photoshoot with USC new and creative media director Justin King and professional photographer James Quantz.

10:30 a.m.: A shootaround at Colonial Life Arena, home to the school’s basketball teams. The catch? This was listed as “Jordan Only” on the itinerary.

11:15 a.m.: Players met with first-year strength-and-conditioning coach Paul Jackson and toured the team’s palatial weight room.

Noon to 3 p.m.: The players and their families were allotted three hours of virtual golf action at an indoor facility in downtown Columbia. A catered meal of burgers and side dishes cost $688.60.

3:30 p.m.: The players and their families attended the South Carolina men’s 76-54 win over Missouri. The Gamecocks home crowd chanted “We Want Burch! We Want Burch!” on several occasions.

7 p.m.: Another dinner at Ruth’s Chris, followed by a reception for the parents and a night out for the players with their host athletes. The total bill came to $8,178.19.

Sunday, Feb. 2
10 a.m.: Muschamp owns a home on Lake Murray in Lexington, S.C. The final item on the players’ agenda was a breakfast there catered by the Capital City Club for $2,406.47 (including $0.65 for each of the 50 salad forks provided). The players also had individual meetings with Muschamp during this time before departing for home.

Whatever Muschamp said to Burch stuck. He signed with the Gamecocks on Feb. 6, one day after the national signing period began.



How much did bringing a big chunk of his family to Columbia for a most-expenses-paid weekend help? It’s hard to say. Burch and his mother, Henri Burch, have declined interview requests through most of the recruiting process. It’s safe to assume that and all the steak didn’t hurt, though.

“Coaches are super-creative people, and they are always going to find something that hasn’t been legislated yet,” Farrell said, “and then the NCAA will slowly react to that after the fact.”

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Phhhhhh $11,000 worth of Ruth’s Chris


May 21, 2020, 8:19 AM

Those amateurs should have called in Kevin Rathbun

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Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 21, 2020, 8:35 AM

They are allowed to wine and dine families at Ruth's Chris at will?

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Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 21, 2020, 8:37 AM

https://www.ncsasports.org/ncaa-eligibility-center/recruiting-rules/official-visits


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not to mention the take home pay he walked out of there with***


May 21, 2020, 8:38 AM



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Re: not to mention the take home pay he walked out of there with***


May 21, 2020, 8:45 AM

Exactly! They averaged 263.81 per person at Ruth's Chris. Hmmmmm... laundering at its best?

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It’s not that hard to do if you buy a lot of wine bottles


May 21, 2020, 9:01 AM

And liquor. I’ve had to sweep a big tab there before unfortunately.

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Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 21, 2020, 8:42 AM

I’m sure we and many other teams have also seemingly “overdone” it with a high level recruit or two and their family but the sheer number of people and cost fir this recruitment are sad. I had the feeling this was more about pride and saving Will Muschamp’s job because it would have looked so bad had he left Columbia.

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Does this $30K include the $5.00 tip to Ruth's Chris?


May 21, 2020, 8:48 AM

Failed to mention this.

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Would not shock me if the $5.00 tip amt is accurate?


May 22, 2020, 1:53 AM

?

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Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 21, 2020, 8:58 AM

Guess they paid the hookers under the table. If they can spend that kind of money at Ruth's Chris there's no telling how much their female companions soaked them for.

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Who would have ever thought of bringing in cousin that doesn’t play football. Brilliant!!***


May 21, 2020, 8:59 AM



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Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 21, 2020, 9:04 AM

The kid doesn’t comprehend that will probably be his best memory at u of sc. Chump will be fired in a year or two unless Tanner somehow keeps his job. Then he’s gonna loses a least half of the games he plays in while there and will probably never see a bowl game. I enjoy every L they get but if these kids really care about there future there are about 70 other schools in the country they could have a better career at.


Message was edited by: Clemson_country89®


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Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 21, 2022, 11:55 AM

Burch Official Visit???


Ha, the Gamecocks footed the bills for a big Family Reunion. None of those guys were even awarded scholarships, two are walk-ons and his cousin doesn't even play football..


2020 Burch Family Reunion, that family will never forget it!!

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Who is Burch?***


May 21, 2020, 9:37 AM



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Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 21, 2020, 9:44 AM

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

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"Smelley, Garcia, and Beecher are going to lead you to 4-8." - york_tiger


So uof6c spent in excess of $30,000...


Feb 7, 2022, 9:09 AM

over a two day period entertaining a recruit (and several members of his family) who was ALWAYS GOING TO SIGN WITH THEM.

One of the younger family members they brought-in for the visit, along with his parents, doesn't even play football.

No wonder the school is struggling financially.




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Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.


Re: So uof6c spent in excess of $30,000...


May 22, 2020, 6:07 PM

If you think about it. Maybe this is Muschamp's way to secure his job. If he continues to waste all of the school's money, they cannot afford his buyout. Ray Tanner must be a genius to have hired this failure.

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Re: So uof6c spent in excess of $30,000...


May 26, 2020, 9:33 AM [ in reply to So uof6c spent in excess of $30,000... ]

BigCUFan®
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So uof6c spent in excess of $30,000... [4]
Posted: May 21, 2020 10:26 AM
Reply

over a two day period entertaining a recruit (and several members of his family) who was ALWAYS GOING TO SIGN WITH THEM.

One of the younger family members they brought-in for the visit, along with his parents, doesn't even play football.

No wonder the school is struggling financially.

and then the president, ad and head coach took "voluntary" pay cuts. lol

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My goodness. I'm not saying this to knock South Carolina...


May 21, 2020, 10:31 AM

...but wow...$30,000 and the full weekend of several coaching staff members, students, etc. All to get one kid to come play football for you.

I am staunchly against paying players in any way, but I would love it if this whole NIL thing spun into paying players, and forced schools to choose between being academic institutions with football programs or professional sports programs named after local schools. It is sooooo out of hand anymore.

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null


Re: My goodness. I'm not saying this to knock South Carolina...


May 21, 2020, 10:40 AM

If he only had 10 more good players to play with him. The jury is still out on him too.

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So, none of the 'family' is headed there


May 21, 2020, 10:59 AM

On a 'rowing' schollie?


Oops...wrong SC! ;)

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Re: My goodness. I'm not saying this to knock South Carolina...


May 22, 2020, 3:41 AM [ in reply to Re: My goodness. I'm not saying this to knock South Carolina... ]

Yes the jury is still out on him. He may have been a backup if he had came to Clemson. I’ve heard a few people say he’s lazy and played against no competition in high school. Only time will tell?

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Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 22, 2020, 9:43 AM

Wonder if this is what Burch had in mind when he didn’t make his commitment official in December ?? -<img border=">

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If people were as good as their obituary - and products were as good as advertised - this would truly be a wonderful world !!


Re: Amazing/desperate story on Burch official visit to coots


May 26, 2020, 9:30 AM

Does make one wonder, doesn't it?

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