Pee Dee trio playing for USC football scholarship offer

By Chris Fischer

Published: July 17, 2008

Tomorrow’s South Carolina elite camp will prove to be a big day for three Pee Dee football products. The in going seniors will hit the field in Columbia vying for a scholarship offer to play in the Palmetto state capital.

Cheraw running back Travis Small will be attending his second USC camp since June. Small has been garnering interest from all over the nation and as close to home as Coastal Carolina.

Cheraw Alum and CCU Head Coach David Bennett had even spoken with him about heading to Conway in the fall of 2009. Small rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and scored 22 touchdowns during his junior season for the Braves.

Yet South Carolina could be the team to beat in the Small sweepstakes. S.C. State and Duke already have offers on the table, with Liberty, East Carolina and N.C. State also expressing serious interest.

“If they (South Carolina) make an offer, they would probably be at the top of my list,” Small said.

Coastal and Duke have also made offers to West Florence offensive lineman John D. Coleman.  The 6’5 280 lb right tackle is leaning toward the Blue Devils according to Knights’ Coach Trey Woodbury. If Coleman was to attend USC, he would become a second generation Gamecock.

Marlboro County’s Kinsman Thomas said last month he wanted to accept the offer to play at South Carolina. But the offer had been retracted following the wide receiver’s poor time in the 40-yard dash at the June camp.

“Kinsman was battling an injury during the camp, and he really didn’t perform at his best,” said Bulldogs’ Coach Dean Boyd. “I suspect he’ll perform much better tomorrow.”

Gamecocks Recruiting Coordinator David Reaves had extended an offer to Thomas in the spring. Now USC wants Wide Receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. to get a good look at Thomas before making another decision on a scholarship offer.