A big Fourth of July for Will Muschamp and his South Carolina program was capped by a commitment from running back Lavonte Valentine of Melbourne, Fla.
Valentine (6-0, 188) is a track talent and one of the fastest running backs in the country, and it was the persistence and approach of Muschamp and Bobby Bentley that won him over.
Bentley, Valentine’s USC recruiter and future position coach, impressed upon him early in the process the Gamecocks’ need for his speed and the opportunity he’ll have at USC to run track. Valentine also has much of his family in South Carolina and that, too, was a major attraction for him.