What Beamer, USC are telling Coastal Carolina football commitment
North Myrtle Beach High School defensive end Chase Simmons, who has been committed to Coastal Carolina with a blueshirt offer, continues to hear from a number of Power Five programs that are hinting at an offer.
Tennessee, Ole Miss, Auburn and Syracuse have been in touch. And so has South Carolina. Simmons (6-4, 250) has talked with new head coach Shane Beamer. Former linebackers coach Rod Wilson also made contact, and he hears as well from director of player personnel Drew Hughes.
“I’ve been talking to Michigan State, Tennessee and them and just staying in contact,” Simmons said. “If nothing works out, you know, I’m staying home, and that’s a good thing. Coastal is a great spot and I’m excited about that. Just taking one day at a time and that’s about it.”
“South Carolina has kept in contact as well,” Simmons said. “And like I said with everybody else, just evaluating. They love the film. I’m still going to have have my heart at Coastal, but you know it’s going to be some decisions.”
Simmons said he last talked with the Gamecocks before Christmas and he continues to get a positive vibe from them.
“They love me as a defensive end,” Simmons said. “They just see the dog I have in me. They know a lot of big-time defensive linemen come to South Carolina. You know, I look like one of them. That’s what I am and they believe that as well.”
Simmons committed to Coastal on Nov. 19. A blueshirt offer means he’d enroll as a walk-on with the promise of going on scholarship early in his college career.
Recruiting will take a back seat Monday for Simmons as he has surgery to repair a torn labrum. No one can question his toughness. He said he tore the labrum during his junior season of football and then went through wrestling season with it. He played with it again this season but it became bothersome to the point he felt he needed to be checked, and a 180-degree tear was discovered.
Simmons played with the injury and still managed over 50 tackles and 11 sacks this season.
Recruiting notes
▪ Michigan offered Class of 2022 dual-threat QB DeQuandre Smith (6-2-210) of Spring Valley. That was his first Power Five offer. FAU also has offered. He’s also drawing interest from USC and Coastal Carolina among others. He was named All-Region and All-State this season.
▪ USC made the top 10 with 2022 OG Qae’Shon Sapp (6-5 310) of Leesburg, Georgia. He also listed Kentucky, Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida among his favorites.
▪ USC Class of 2022 safety target Jihaad Campbell of Sicklerville, New Jersey announced he will play his senior season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
▪ 2022 Dutch Fork WR Antonio Williams was offered by Oregon, Arizona State and Mississippi State.
▪ 2023 OL Markee Anderson of Dorman was offered by Virginia Tech.
This story was originally published December 28, 2020 at 8:08 AM with the headline "What Beamer, USC are telling Coastal Carolina football commitment."