Gamecocks fighting Noles for OL

The South Carolina Gamecocks are making a big push for three-star Lafayette (La.) St. Thomas More offensive lineman Geoff Berniard.

“The week before Christmas, I had Lou Holtz come here for an in-home visit with me and my family and a couple of coaches from our school,” he said. “That went really well. It left a big impression on all of us. He’s just a great guy.

“I told him the same thing I’ve been telling a lot of people, that I really like Florida State right now, but I’d definitely give them a visit before I made my decision. So I’m going to go there on the 16th before I take my Florida State visit on the 23rd.”

Berniard (6-8, 320, 5.4) had also been considering Tulane and Tennessee. He visited the Green Wave in December, but had not scheduled a date with the Volunteers.

“I kind of want to make my decision after my Florida State trip,” he said. “I don’t want to put it off any longer, so I didn’t set one up with Tennessee. It’s going to be between South Carolina and Florida State.”

He said an unofficial visit to Tallahassee during the season helped put the Seminoles in the driver’s seat.

“I was there for the N.C. State game,” he said. “I just loved it – the fans, the atmosphere, the facilities… everything. I like the players they have now and some that they’re going to be getting. They made a strong first impression on me.

“They will be pretty tough to beat, but I want to give South Carolina an open mind. I like a lot of things that coach Holtz had to say. I like the fact that they’re in the SEC. I like their depth chart. I feel like there’s a good chance to play pretty early. I like their business program. There’s a lot of good things to consider.”