Gamecocks being his hometown team is ‘huge advantage,’ recruit Channing Goodwin says

South Carolina has moved into the competition for Class of 2024 receiver Channing Goodwin of Charlotte, and it makes sense for the Gamecocks to be heavily involved for reasons other than Goodwin’s athletic skills.

His dad is Jonathan Goodwin. His uncle his Harold Goodwin. Both were stars at Lower Richland High and later at Michigan and in the NFL. Plus, his mother is from Saluda and is a USC grad.

The fact that Goodwin (6-1, 165) lived a good portion of his younger days in Irmo and would have attended Dutch Fork had his family not moved to Charlotte makes USC his hometown team — and that’s a bonus for the Gamecocks.

“This whole recruiting process thing has definitely been picking up a little bit,” Goodwin said. “USC is definitely up there. That’s the hometown team for me, so that’s a huge advantage for them already.”

USC secondary coach Torrian Gray likes Goodwin for one of his spots, and he was the one who offered him on behalf of head coach Shane Beamer.

“Coach Gray came to our game last Friday. He had told me an offer could be on the way pretty soon and things like that,” Goodwin said. “I guess I was able to perform well enough last Friday and I was blessed to get the offer from the Gamecocks. They like my length and my body. They just think I’ll be a great fit there, especially for me being originally from Columbia and familiar with the area.”

Goodwin plays some safety for Providence Day, but he’s primarily a receiver, and a lot of schools are recruiting him for that position. Last season he caught 42 passes for 690 yards and eight touchdowns. Thus far this season he has 23 catches for 286 yards and three scores.

As for a college position, receiver or defensive back, it doesn’t matter to Goodwin.

“Anywhere I can help the team out as much as possible,” Goodwin said. “If DB ends up being the best for me, then so be it. I just want to get there and help the team win.”

Goodwin has kept a close watch on what Beamer has been doing in Columbia, and he believes things are moving the right direction.

“I see pretty bright things,” Goodwin said. “Coach Beamer, second year, seems like they are starting to change the culture there a little bit. After being in the building a couple of times, I definitely think it’s going in a pretty positive direction. Once they get the right guys in there, I think the sky is the limit for them.”

Goodwin was in Williams-Brice Stadium last season for the Vanderbilt and Florida games. He also recalls going to a game when he was younger, and the Gamecocks won that one, too.

“Every South Carolina game I’ve been to, they’ve won,” Goodwin said. “I’m some type of good luck charm, I guess.”

This season Goodwin has been to games at N.C. State and Michigan. He might go to Kentucky this weekend. His offer list also includes Boston College, Maryland, Missouri, Western Kentucky, Duke, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Pitt, Louisville and Bowling Green.

Nyckoles Harbor update

DE/TE Nyckoles Harbor of Washington, DC made his second official visit of the month last weekend with a stop at Michigan. The visit came two weeks after Harbor and his parents spent the weekend at USC. He came out of that visit with the Gamecocks excited about the possibilities for him in Columbia. Likewise, he came out of his visit with the Wolverines excited about his opportunities in Ann Arbor.

South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer, of course, is keeping in touch with Harbor. There’s not been a lot of updates from the Gamecocks’ standpoint, Archbishop Carroll head coach Robert Harris said.

“I guess he and the family are still processing both of the visits and weighing it all out, so he hasn’t said anything else,” Harris said.

With two visits done, the plan now is for Harbor to focus on the rest of his season and put off all other official visits until after the season, according to the coach. He also has LSU, Southern Cal, Miami, Maryland and Georgia on his short list. Harris said Harbor will work in his last official visits around the two all-star games he will play in after the season.

News and notes

• USC commitment DE Monteque Rhames of Manning, formerly of Sumter, has set his official visit to USC for Nov. 18.

• USC 2024 DT target Hevin Brown-Shuler of Atlanta was offered by Oregon.

• 2025 ATH Chanston Crosby of Bamberg-Ehrhardt plans to be at USC vs SC State Thursday night.

• USC offered 2024 DT D’Nas White (6-6, 315) of Concord, North Carolina, who visited Saturday night. He also has offers from East Carolina, Florida State, Michigan, Georgia and Virginia Tech.

• USC offered 2024 WR Rico Scott (5-11, 185) of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

• USC offered 2026 WR/DB Aaron Gregory of Augusta.

• USC target WR Daidren Zipperer of Lakeland, Florida committed to Pitt Saturday night.