Chris sits down with Gamecocks four star quarterback commit Luke Doty to discuss the Elite 11, goals for the upcoming season and more:

Q: You recently participated in the Elite 11. Talk about that experience and what did you learn most from it?

LD: “The Elite 11 experience is one that I will never forget. The relationships I made and the bonds that were created will definitely last a lifetime. One of the main focuses of the week was having emotional intelligence, and having the capacity to handle tough situations. I think it elevated all of our games and helped us get better throughout the week.”

Q: You’ve been 100% committed to the Gamecocks since the start. What’s the biggest reason for that and what do you like most about USC?

LD: “USC is home to my family and me. The coaching staff has always been very honest and up front with us and they have always followed through with everything they’ve said. With it being our state university, the connections I can make once I get my degree are endless. I’m eager to start learning from Coach Werner (the QB whisperer) as well!!”

Q: What do you feel your biggest strengths and weaknesses are as a QB right now? What are you working on hardest to improve?

LD: “My biggest strength as a quarterback is my confidence in my ability to both run and pass the ball down the field; I can sit in the pocket or extend plays with my legs. One of the things I’m really working on is engaging my hips when I throw. This will allow me to deliver a more controlled and accurate ball that has an increase of velocity.”

Q: What are your goals for your senior season at Myrtle Beach?

LD: “Every year at Myrtle Beach, we always have the same 3 goals: beat Conway, win the region, and win the state championship. All of them are important, but we’re always striving for that last one; winning a state championship. We’ve got a good group of guys coming back this year so I feel confident that we’ve got another shot at it.”

Q: You’ve appeared to develop close relationships with some other members of the 2020 recruiting class. Talk about some of those guys and the chemistry you all have.

LD: “Throughout this whole process, I’ve definitely gotten pretty close with a lot of the guys that have committed and are close to it. Mike Wyman and Daqon Stewart are two guys that I talk to a lot, and they both do a great job of recruiting as well. Tyshawn Wannamaker is also a guy that I’ve gotten close with. I know he’s gonna have my back and protecting me for the next 4 years so I’m definitely gonna have to take care of him!! Everyone is just really excited to get to USC and get to work; this is a special class!!”

Q: Simply put, you’re a guy that will be coming to USC with a lot of hype and expectations. How do you handle that?

LD: “I’m not really a guy that listens to the hype and expectations. My job will be to compete my tail off, get better, and learn as much as I can every single day; I’m fired up about it!!”

Q: With yourself, Ryan Hilinski, Dakereon Joyner and others, South Carolina should have one of the best quarterback rooms in the country in 2020 and beyond. Talk about your relationship with those guys and how excited you are to get the chance to compete with them.

LD: “I’ve developed a close relationship with all of the quarterbacks in the room. Dakereon and Ryan have both helped me out a lot. Whether it be giving me advice or tips on how to balance a busy schedule, or walking me through a play during practice; I know they’ve got my back and I can’t wait to continue to learn from them in a few months. Jay Urich is another guy who I’ve gotten close with. We both train with Ramon Robinson so it’s pretty fun pushing each other during drills and stuff like that.”

Q: What are your goals when you get to South Carolina?

LD: “A goal of mine when I get to USC is to be the best quarterback and player that I can possibly be. I’m going to put my head down and compete every single day, no matter what. I’m excited for what’s to come!!”

Q: What are you most looking forward to about being a Gamecock?

LD: “Being a Gamecock is special, especially in the state of South Carolina. Playing at Williams-Brice in front of 80,000 fans, running out of the tunnel to 2001, and seeing the sea of white towels during Sandstorm just gives me chills!! Like I said earlier, the connections that I’ll be able to make at USC will help set me up for my future career and my life after football.”





