South Carolina still recruiting hometown QB prospect who’s committed to ACC school

South Carolina has one in-state quarterback for next year’s recruiting class. The Gamecocks haven’t ruled out adding another.

Irmo High School quarterback and Virginia Tech commitment AJ Brand still hears from the Gamecocks staff and said South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains reached out to him before Tuesday morning’s practice.

“You know Coach (Shane) Beamer is a great guy and I still stay in contact with him. Coach Loggains has been reaching out to me a good amount. It is always good to have guys like that still in your corner,” Brand said Tuesday.

“... They just keep telling me they don’t want to let in-state talent get too far from Columbia. That has been their main message.”

The Gamecocks added a QB to the class — Westside’s Cutter Woods, who committed to USC on June 24, a day after Brand committed to Virginia Tech. South Carolina currently has four quarterbacks on the roster — starter LaNorris Sellers, Robby Ashford, Davis Beville and Dante Reno. Beville is the only one in the last year of eligibility.

The Gamecocks and Hokies were Brand’s final two schools, and he took official visits to both this summer. At the time, USC was recruiting him as an athlete, likely a defensive back, but now they are recruiting him as a quarterback.

Brand said he’s not surprised that USC is still recruiting him because of the success he and the Yellow Jackets continue to have. The senior just went over 10,000 career total yards and is coming off an eight-touchdown performance last week against Chapin. Irmo faces top-ranked Dutch Fork on Friday.

The Gamecocks also are heavily recruiting Brand’s top receiving target Donovan Murph, who is reclassifying into the Class of 2025 and will announce his college choice on Dec. 4. Murph took his official visit to USC this past weekend for the Texas A&M game.

While he mulls USC’s continued pursuit, Brand remains in touch almost daily with the Hokies’ staff and plans on taking another visit to Blacksburg next week. Brand is one of two QB commitments in Virginia Tech’s class along with Kelden Ryan of Desoto, Texas.

“It is nothing that is over the top (from USC), so I’m still locked into Virginia Tech,” Brand said. “It is definitely great up there in Blacksburg.”