Ritchie commits

South Carolina's 2014 recruiting class has grown by one. Goose Creek (SC) TE Kalan Ritchie is the latest prospect to join the Garnet and Black.

The 6-foot-5, 215-pounder is the third verbal commitment in USC's 2014 recruiting class, joining Dillon (SC) athlete Joe Blue and Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove LB Bryson Allen-Williams.

Ritchie has been a longtime lean to the Gamecocks and most recently said he was considering waiting until signing day to make his choice. However, he reversed course on that fairly quickly by making his choice on the final night of April.

"I talked to Coach Spurrier Jr.," Ritchie told GamecockCentral.com. "He was just fired up for it. I told him I put a lot of thought into it, that it was a big choice in my life and things like that. I started asking questions, making sure it was the right choice. After I thought about it and after I talked to my mom and she said it's a go, so I went ahead and did it."

Ritchie discussed why he decided that South Carolina was the place for him.

"It was a pretty good Division I school close to home. Every time I think about a new college, I think about it in my head and think if I could see myself playing there and if I couldn't I rule it out. When I think of South Carolina, I always think of myself playing at that school."

What will the Lowcountry TE bring to the table in Columbia once he enrolls?

"I'm going to come into South Carolina as an aggressive, hard working tight end that plans on improving his senior year and improving during his college career."

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