Jeffrey of St. Matthews, S.C., signed with South Carolina last month after an intense recruiting battle with Southern Cal and Tennessee. According to ESPN’s Chris Low, “Kiffin told Jeffrey that if he chose the Gamecocks, he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life like all the other players from that state who had gone to South Carolina.” (AJC.com)

Our Clemson buddies at Block-C are a little annoyed that Leon Mackey has de-commited from Clemson and committed to South Carolina.

DE Leon Mackey of Hargrave Prep de-committed from Clemson and committed to Sakerlina. He had signed with Virginia Tech coming out of high school, but did not qualify and therefor enrolled in prep school. According to him, Frank Beamer wouldn’t release him from his LOI to go to another ACC school, rendering moot his commitment to Clemson. The neckbubble does not forget; the neckbubble does not forgive. So, on he goes to Beamer’s son at Sakerlina.

Here’s the story as I understand it.

• 2/6/2008 – Mackey signs LOI and commits to Virginia Tech
• Mackey never files admissions paperwork to VT because he doesn’t complete a class requirement necessary for admissions.
• 1/5/2009 – Mackey de-commits from VT and commits to Clemson
• 1/29/2009 – Beamer unconditionally releases Mackey from his LOI.
• 2/1/2009 – Mackey visits and commits to South Carolina

So why the sudden change of heart from Mackey? Was it because Beamer was trying to hurt Clemson or spite Mackey? No, it was because of a little known ACC rule. 

Section VI-3. Intra-Conference National Letter of Intent Rule.

An individual who signs a valid National Letter of Intent with an ACC institution and does not satisfy the one-year attendance requirement or the Junior College Graduation provision of the National Letter of Intent may not represent another ACC institution in intercollegiate athletics competition until the individual has completed one (1) full academic years of residence at the latter ACC institution and shall be charged with the loss of one (1) season of eligibility in all sports. An individual receiving a mutual release per Item 5 of the National Letter of Intent may not represent another ACC institution in intercollegiate athletics competition until the individual has completed one full academic year at the latter ACC institution and shall be charged with the loss of one season of eligibility in all sports.

If Mackey went to Clemson he would have had to sit out a year. But because he went to a SEC school, the ACC rule’s have no jurisdiction and he can play right away.  The real question is, how did Clemson not see this coming?

*** Update – Mackey didn’t commit to South Carolina…? ***

Clemson beat writer Paul Strelow spoke with Mackey’s Hargrave Military Acadamy teammate (and Clemson commit) safety Jonathan Meeks and he says Mackey hasn’t committed to South Carolina.

“I [Meeks] said, ‘I heard you [Mackey] took a visit to South Carolina and then committed,’ and he was like, ‘Nah, I didn’t commit,’” Meeks said. “But he does want to play his freshman year. I don’t know what he’s going to do.”

If this is true Clemson may be trying to file a waiver with the ACC to allow Mackey to enroll and play his freshman year.

That joke never gets old.  The Ball Coach has named Chris Smelley his starter for this Thursday’s game against Vanderbilt.  Spurrier made Smelley his number one man after Tommy Beecher couldn’t strap it up for Monday’s practice sucked ass against North Carolina State.  Continue Reading “Spurrier Chooses Smelley Cock” »