Local star AJ Brand previews South Carolina official visit, updates commitment timeline

South Carolina’s football program will commence official visit season this coming weekend. Among the prospects who plan to be in attendance is Irmo High School QB/athlete AJ Brand. The short ride to the USC campus will be his first official visit.

Gamecocks receivers coach Mike Furrey and secondary coach Torrian Gray went by Irmo last week to visit with Brand (6-1 200) during a spring practice. His conversations with the Gamecocks have been more about playing receiver or in the secondary, he said, with a little quarterback talk thrown in for good measure.

“Whatever they want me to do I’m totally opened to, and I don’t have a problem with it,” Brand said. “I think we’ll do a little bit more talking at my official visit. They are all just super excited and can’t wait for me to get up there. I’m the same way with them.”

Brand said Clemson offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Garrett Riley and receivers coach Tyler Grisham also stopped in for a practice last week, as did coaches from Memphis and Oregon.

Along with the official visit to USC, Brand has one scheduled the following weekend to Virginia Tech, and he’s also planning to take one to Oregon State. The Hokies and Beavers are recruiting him strictly as a quarterback.

On these official visits, Brand said he wants to get clarity on what it would be like to play for that particular staff.

“I want to get a feel for the coaching staff in their natural element,” Brand said. “Get in there with less guys so it will be a little bit more one-on-one time. Just seeing how everything is around the program, how the players are, how the staff is. Just get an overall view. If you do go to that school, what will you be getting out of it?”

Brand originally thought he could wrap up recruiting by the end of spring, but at this point he’s not close at all on a decision.

“Originally it was going to be during the spring or before the spring,” he said. “But some of these college coaches came through while we were practicing and it was hard to make a decision. I don’t know exactly when. I’ll talk a little bit more with my parents when we really want to decide on a school. Whenever as a family we decide to sit down and have that talk — Where do you really want to go? — I think that’s when I’ll make the decision.”

Brand was one of the state’s top quarterbacks as a junior, passing for 2,932 yards and 45 touchdowns while rushing for 1,113 yards and 17 touchdowns.