All's fair in love, war and recruiting, right?

Not so, says an Atlanta-area high school coach, who is crying foul over South Carolina's treatment of one of his players.

Tucker High coach Franklin Stephens told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Steve Spurrier and his staff are persona non grata after the Gamecocks pulled a scholarship offer from Jonathan Davis, a linebacker for one of the metro area's traditional powers.

This is one of the ugly realities of recruiting at major Division I schools, many of which load up on early commitments, then backtrack on players when they begin pressing up against the NCAA's maximum scholarship limits.

Spurrier took responsibility for Davis' situation, Stephens told the AJC. But it sounds like it will be a long time before the Gamecocks darken the doors at Tucker.

"What South Carolina did was wrong," Stephens told the newspaper. "And the timing of it, so close to signing day [Feb. 4], is worse. It's just a bad deal."

Davis said he was told USC wanted to sign more cornerbacks. The coach said Davis' grades were fine. Spurrier can't say anything because of NCAA rules prohibiting coaches from discussing prospects before they sign.

USC is not the first school to pull an offer, and won't be the last. And while the Gamecocks undoubtedly have their reasons, they will do little to satisfy Davis or his coach.

Joseph Person covers the South Carolina Gamecocks for The State of Columbia, S.C. Read more from Person about the Gamecocks at GoGamecocks.com and his blog Joe Person on Football.

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