COLUMBIA – A no-nonsense Alshon Jeffery left the Proving Grounds, the University of South Carolina football practice facility, Monday night.

The freshman wide receiver who originally committed to Southern California prior to switching to South Carolina on signing day, caught five passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in the USC’s first five games.

Since bursting onto the scene with three touchdown catches against Kentucky, Jeffery has been as hot as any receiver in the Southeastern Conference.

The 6-3, 217-pounder enters Saturday’s game against Clemson with 39 catches with 670 yards and six touchdowns. In Carolina’s last six games he has caught 34 passes for 609 yards and five scores.

Included in Jeffery’s total is the Gamecocks longest pass play of the season an 80-yard touchdown aerial from quarterback Stephen Garcia against Arkansas.

Jeffery isn’t thinking about the past or any postseason honors that may come his way. The only thing on his mind is helping the Gamecocks find a way to defeat the Clemson Tigers on Saturday.

“Growing up I always rooted for USC over Clemson because it was closer,” said Jeffery. “I don’t really remember anything about Clemson, though.”

It is a good bet the Tigers will spend a lot of time coming up with ways to stop the player many have compared to former Gamecock All-American and current Minnesota Vikings star Sidney Rice.

One of those will be Clemson defensive ends coach Chris Rumph, Jeffery’s cousin.

Although saying the two are close, Jeffery says there has been no communication since the start of the season.

He also would not comment on whether or not the Tigers recruited him and, if they did, how hard.

Several other colleges across the country did recruit Jeffery, however, and the Gamecocks were excited to get him.

“The night before signing day I remember he called me two times,” said USC recruiting coordinator Shane Beamer. “He called me at 12:30 at night and called me about 1:30 in the morning just to talk.

“When I went to bed that night, before signing day, I felt good about things. He told me he wasn’t taking any more calls. Then I wake up the next day and I find out he was on the phone with Tennessee and Southern Cal until late, too.”

Jeffery called Beamer on his way to school at about 7 a.m. on signing day to tell him he was switching from USC West to USC East, but swore him to secrecy until the he held a press conference at his school at 9 a.m.

Beamer respected that request with one exception.

“I made sure I told Coach (Steve) Spurrier,” Beamer said. ”I wasn’t going to keep it a secret from him because he kept saying ’you’ve got to get him, you’ve got to get him, you’ve got to get him.’”

Jeffery faxed in his grant-in-aid papers to USC at 8 a.m., an hour before his press conference.

“As soon as it came through, I made sure I told (Spurrier), then I kept it in my back pocket. I didn’t give it to anybody.”

Now that Jeffery has established himself on the field, he is ready to help the Gamecocks reverse recent fortunes against Clemson.

“It is going to be a great game,” Jeffery said. “I am looking forward to the excitement. I have been waiting for this for a long time. Everyone (on the USC team) knows what is at stake. I am just looking forward to the great show we are going to put on.”

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