Carolina QB commits

Summerville (S.C.) quarterback Reid McCollum got the offer he'd been waiting on. McCollum picked up an offer from South Carolina today and joined head coach Steve Spurrier's program immediately following the Gamecocks' one-day prospect camp Saturday.

"(After the camp), we went up and had lunch at The Zone (an area in the end zone of Williams-Brice Stadium, the Gamecocks' home field)," McCollum said. "After lunch, coach Spurrier came over to where my parents and I were sitting and he told me he wanted me to be a Gamecock. He said they were only going to sign one quarterback this year and he wanted it to be me.

"I told him that there was no place that I would rather play and I committed on the spot."

McCollum is happy with his decision.

"I think it's going to be fun," he said. "I am very excited. I've been dreaming about this for a while. Hopefully, I make my way there and compete for the starting quarterback job."

McCollum, who also was being recruited by Wake Forest, North Carolina State, Duke, Tennessee and others, hasn't rule out heading to other prospect camps this summer.

"I'm really not sure yet," he said. "I have to sit down and talk to my parents about it, but more than likely probably I will not be (heading to other camps)."

McCollum added that his parents were supportive of his decision.

"They completely supported anything I wanted to do," he said. "They knew coming into today that (South Carolina) is where I wanted to be."

As for the camp, McCollum thought he performed well, just as he has done during all of his camp stops this spring (he was named the quarterback MVP of the Athens NIKE Camp and also was one of the better prospects at the Atlanta Elite 11).

"I thought I threw the ball well," he said. "I'm just glad they could see me throw a bit. I was pretty happy that I went to the camp."

During the camp, he got to work closely with Spurrier, who coached quarterbacks along with quarterbacks coach David Reaves.

"It was a lot of fun (to work with Spurrier)," he said. "He just moved the ball back in my form a bit. Little things like that make a big difference and it feels good to work like that."

McCollum said he will try to be helpful to his future team when he speaks with other recruits.

"If they want me to (contact potential targets), I can," he said. "But I don't really think coach Spurrier needs my help. He does pretty well on his own. He already has a top 10 recruiting class heading in next season."

South Carolina ranked No. 6 overall in the final Rivals.com team football recruiting rankings for the Class of 2007.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder is the fourth verbal commitment in this year's class for South Carolina, joining Jacksonville (Fla.) First Coast linebacker Shaq Wilson, Greenwood (S.C.) athlete Jay Spearman and Georgia Military College defensive end Jarriel King. He is the first verbal commitment for recently-hired assistant coach Shane Beamer, who joined the Gamecocks' staff shortly after National Signing Day.

As for McCollum's high school team, they have a tough opener next season. Miami's Booker T. Washington High School, which features four-star cornerback Brandon Harris, wide receivers Thearon Collier (a Miami commit) and Davon Johnson and quarterback Sancho McDonald, among others, will travel to the Charleston, S.C., area to face Summerville in one of two Florida-South Carolina matchups. Wilson and First Coast will face Moncks Corner Berkeley and Clemson running back commit Andre Ellington in the other.

"We are working out all together (McCollum and his Summerville teammates) four days a week," McCollum said. "We throw during the week as many times as we can."

McCollum passed for nearly 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns during his junior year.