Recruiting: Tigers Have Ground to Make Up on Leon Hart

by TigerNet Staff - Mon Dec 01 09:47:41 GMT-04:00 2003

Leon Hart

Offensive lineman

Spring Valley High School (Columbia, SC)

6'4", 285 lbs.

SCVarsity.com #2 Player in South Carolina

Leon Hart finished his senior year by grading out at an average of 93 percent,

and tallied 90 knockdown blocks for Spring Valley (7-6), which was

eliminated in the second round of the 4-A state playoffs.

If dealing with the end of his high school football career wasn't tough

enough, Hart was dealt another tough blow just days later when South

Carolina coach Lou Holtz fired several members of his staff. One of the

men let go was the offensive line coach, who Hart thought very highly of,

and was a big reason why he was considering South Carolina.

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"When it first happened, I was pretty shook up," Hart said. "But when I

sat down and thought about it, I realized it was part of the business that is

college football. I don't hold anything personal against the school for what

happened."

Clemson was among the schools that Hart was interested in early in

the season, but currently isn't part of the list of five schools that the offensive

lineman will choose between.

"I was looking at Clemson sort of hard, but then decided it wasn't the

school for me," Hart said. "It's going to be South Carolina, Ohio State,

Virginia, Auburn, or Georgia. It just depends on how my visits go."

Among Hart's many offers include South Carolina, Clemson, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama, Duke, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Maryland, Virginia, Iowa, and South Carolina State. South Carolina's Skip Holtz visited Hart on Sunday and Clemson's Ron West is scheduled to visit this week.

Clemson recently switched from Brad Scott to Ron West as Hart's recruiter.

Other Recruiting Updates

11/30 FB Josh Smyth, Hoover, AL - No offer

11/27 WR Tremel Kline, Seabrook, SC - No offer

11/26 DL Cory Groover, Southwest Mississippi JC - Clemson offer

11/24 RB Albert Ashcraft, Monroe, NC - Clemson offer

11/23 DL Dorian Capers, Ridgeland, SC - Clemson offer

11/20 QB Jordan Steffy, Leola, PA - Clemson offer

11/19 OL James Thompson, Sumter, SC - Clemson offer

11/18 ATH Sinclair Cannon, Greer, SC - Clemson offer

11/17 WR Brooks Foster, Boiling Springs, SC - Clemson offer

11/16 DL Bryon Bishop, Union, SC - Clemson offer