Chapin standout Chase Sweigart talks South Carolina commitment
Chapin (S.C.) class of 2022 three-star offensive lineman Chase Sweigart could have gone to any number of other schools on a guaranteed scholarship, but instead he decided to bet on himself and accept a preferred walk-on opportunity with South Carolina football.
“First of all, I really enjoy Coach (Shane) Beamer, Coach (Greg) Adkins, and the rest of the Gamecock staff,” Sweigart told Gamecock Central. “They’re really good people and I feel like they’re going to turn this program into something good. I feel like they’ve got good stuff coming along. It’s close to home. It’s a great environment. I went and visited practice and it was the most energetic practice I went to. All the guys were happy just to be at practice.”
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Sweigart announced his commitment to the Gamecocks on Saturday, choosing the hometown team over offers from South Florida, Western Kentucky, Charlotte, Liberty, ECU and Old Dominion.
Adkins, the Gamecocks’ offensive line coach, helped Sweigart feel comfortable with the situation at South Carolina where he’ll be joined on the football team by 2022 signee and three-star ATH Zavier Short, who also starred at Chapin.
“There are great people there that I enjoy,” Sweigart said. “I have plenty of friends there. Most importantly, Coach Beamer and his staff, how they’re handling things, I like how it is and how they treat players. It’s pretty awesome. I really feel like they’re going to do great things there. Great opportunity for me there, learning from the older guys and stuff like that and hopefully, maybe, even getting to play earlier.”
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While Sweigart will join the program as a preferred walk-on — meaning he is guaranteed a spot on the team and can participate in all team activities just won’t have a scholarship — he sees an opportunity ahead to possibly earn one.
“I’ve talked with Coach Adkins about that,” Sweigart says. “They have seven seniors on the offensive line right now and they’re going to be losing those seven seniors after this year. He said it was a great opportunity and that’s great to hear. It’s really up to me. My plan is to go in there and work harder than everybody else and do my best to earn a scholarship.”
Sweigart, who will start his career at right tackle, talked a bit about how he sees his skillset.
“Right now, I talked to him, he said he’s looking at me at right tackle just because young guys, still getting in the swing of things, start off at right tackle,” Sweigart said. “It’s a little more comfortable, then work from there.
“What I feel like I do well the most is finishing blocks and being really aggressive. I feel like I’m good with pass pro and I know the game of football pretty well. I can learn schemes and see how a play is supposed to fold out.”
Sweigart will officially join the South Carolina football team this summer.
