Short Yardage: Mack visits Gamecocks

Just a couple of notes to get us started, with more to come later today:

*Calhoun County OL Eric Mack is taking an unofficial visit to South Carolina today, accompanied by his head coach, Walter Wilson, and his mother. It’s expected to be an all-day session, planned in part to give mom a closer look at the university, since she hasn’t visited yet. Mack, who is 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, had planned to camp at Alabama last weekend but skipped that trip.

He is The Observer’s No.3-ranked member of our S.C. Top 25 Prospect list and being recruited by virtually every area school.

*North Carolina and South Carolina have lost out to Florida State in the recruiting battle for Tavaris Barnes, a 6-5, 260-pound DT out of First Coast High in Jacksonville, Fla. At one time, the Tar Heels were believed to be in the lead for the athletic Barnes, and the Gamecocks were in his top four all along. He finally decided on the home-state Seminoles after also considering Florida.

--Stan Olson