DeAndre Jules gets home feeling at South Carolina
“Welcome Home” proved to be more than just a catchphrase for new South Carolina senior defensive lineman DeAndre Jules who joined the program last week after transferring in from Pitt.
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound Jules spoke for the first time since his December commitment to the Gamecocks when he discussed his recruitment in a Garnet Trust Exclusive interview this week.
“When I first got here (on my visit), there was a banner that said, ‘Welcome Home,’ and I truly felt that home mentality, that home experience,” Jules said. “They welcomed me with open arms, and once I got here, I toured the campus, facilities, and talked to the coaches, and everything felt like it came together. It felt like a home environment. I felt like I have the best opportunity here going forward, leveling up my draft stock and possibly winning a championship.”
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Jules chose the Gamecocks out of the transfer portal over finalists Florida and Southern Cal. He took visits to both Florida and South Carolina, committing to the Gamecocks while on campus and canceling a planned visit to Los Angeles.
“So when they talked to me, they basically told me, we’re going to use your full year to our full advantage,” Jules said of the discussion with the South Carolina coaches. “We’re not going to waste your year and we’re going to win the championship with that year. And that’s what I plan to do. I plan to take full advantage of my year to help better my game and go to a championship while doing that.”
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Jules, who has one year of eligibility left, played in all 12 games for Pitt this past season, starting six, and compiling 24 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, two sacks and a forced fumble.
He believes there’s enough carryover from one scheme to the next for him to make a smooth transition at South Carolina.
“It’s pretty much the same thing,” Jules said. “They run a four-man front, sometimes they run a three-man front on obvious pass-down situations, so it’s pretty much the same. The terminology is different, obviously plays are different, so I’ve got to learn that, but everything else is pretty much a carryover from what I learned at Pitt here at South Carolina.”
Check out the full interview with Jules in the video on this page and as always check out GarnetTrust.com to find ways to support South Carolina student-athletes.
