Virginia OL gets home feeling from Gamecocks
Darius Gray has now taken four separate trips to Columbia to visit Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks program.
The latest came on Thursday with another family member in tow.
“South Carolina was amazing. Every time I come down here, it’s always better,” said the Richmond (Virginia) St. Christopher’s product. “It’s just great people. The coaches here are great, the people here are great. Every time I come around, they always make it feel like I’m at home. I took my brother up here this time because my mom brags about it all the time.”
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USC’s team recruiting approach on the offensive line, one that’s led to some attention-grabbing gets at the position, is paying off with Gray.
“My relationship with Coach (Sam) Serbay is really tight. Coach (Lonnie) Teasley, Coach (Greg) Adkins, it feels like we’re almost friends, like we’ve known each other for years now,” said the 2026 lineman.
Gray noted that his high school coach and Gamecocks head man Shane Beamer are close, illustrating once again Beamer’s connections in the state of Virginia.
“My coach gives me good insights on him and tells me good things all the time about Coach Beamer. That’s great to hear, especially being the head coach. That’s who you want running the whole team, is just a great guy,” Gray explained.
The 6-foot-4, 280-pounder had an opportunity over the summer to work out during a camp session with the Gamecocks staff, but this visit represented his first time seeing their coaching style from an observer’s perspective.
“The other times I came, I never got to see Coach Teasley, Coach Adkins actually in action with their team,” he explained. “This time I got to go see a spring practice. Everything they do is really similar to what I do at my high school, so I can definitely see myself fitting in that scheme that they run. I love it.”
The South Carolina Gamecocks currently carry the lead for Gray’s services according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) with over a 56 percent chance.
Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Penn State, Texas A&M, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and others have all extended offers to him.
What is is that appeals the most to Gray about South Carolina?
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“The outside, just looking at it is beautiful,” he said. “The dorms and the academic room and the stadium, the team meeting (room) are just amazing.”
Gray will visit Maryland on Saturday, then Georgia Tech next Thursday to conclude his spring trips. He may visit a few camps over the summer.
“It’s definitely still wide open,” the Virginia trenchman said of his recruitment. “I feel like the main part for me is just progressing, becoming a better person, better player. That comes first. South Carolina’s very top tier on my list. My family loves it.”
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