Thompson: No pitch, just opportunities

Lance Thompson's reputation as one of college football's elite recruiters precedes him.

Thompson, who was named South Carolina's new assistant head coach for defense and defensive line coach on New Year's Eve, has made stops at Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Tennessee (among others), stock-piling top talent at every stop along the way.

Now at his fifth SEC program, Rivals.com's 2008 National Recruiter of the Year, says the so-called recruiting pitch doesn't change at South Carolina -- in fact, he says there's not even really a "recruiting pitch" at all.

"The way I recruit, it's really not a pitch," Thompson said Friday when he was introduced to the USC media. "I talk to them more about getting a chance to play college football at a special university in the elite league in college football, and getting a quality education that's going to affect the rest of their life. I don't get all caught up in the hype of all the other stuff."

Thompson, a 1987 graduate of The Citadel, points out that many prospects he recruits are on the verge of being first-generation college students, and that's invaluable to the kid.

"This is about the young man having a chance to change their future and we want the right kind of guys," Thompson said. "We want the guys that want to get an education, want to do right off the field as young men, and then obviously want to develop them to be the best players that they can be. It's really not a pitch. It's not like you're selling something. I look at recruiting as presenting an opportunity."

Thompson says he'll certainly point out the obvious perks of playing football at South Carolina. He mentions the passion of the Carolina fan base, the game days at Williams-Brice Stadium, and the city of Columbia.

"But this is bigger than that really," he adds. "And before all that takes place, you have to do a really good job targeting young men, finding the guys that are a right match, not only for the University of South Carolina, but what we're looking for as a football player in our program, and then matching that, and then saying, 'Hey, if you like us, we like you, here's the opportunity.'"

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