Garrett ready to embark on visits

The mid-majors are hot after Georgia big man Darrius Garrett. The 6-foot-8, 195-pound forward McEachern High School is set to embark on his official visits.

Garrett, a three-star prospect, will travel to East Carolina this weekend for his first official visit of the fall. College of Charleston head coach Bobby Cremins stops by the Garrett home for an in-home visit on Monday. Richmond is the day after with an in-home visit.

Garrett will visit Richmond on Sept. 14 for an official visit. He has already visited the Atlantic 10 school unofficially. A trip to Rice is in the works, too, Garrett said. Winthrop, Clemson and Central Florida are also in the picture. He is taking notes along the way, too.

"I'm researching the graduation rates and finding out whether or not it is easy to get into and hard to get out of," Garrett said. "I don't really want to go to a small school. At (my high school) McEachern, we have something like 3,000 students so I wouldn't mind going to a good-sized school. I'm looking at everything. I want to see their records, their exposure, if their games are televised. Stuff like that."

East Carolina gets first crack on the visit trail and Garrett said he likes what he has seen so far from the school.

"They are changing their program and I think that is what I like about them," Garrett said. "Their record and their coaching situation is really the only negative but I like change. I like the coaches that are there now and I like what direction they are going with everything."

Richmond, like ECU, has its positives, too, he said.

"They have been real persistent, probably the most persistent of all of the schools recruiting me. I went up there for an unofficial visit and liked what they have to offer," Garrett said. "The only thing I'm not sure about with them is their style of offense. I am not sure how well it fits me."

Rice has had success with players from McEachern in the past, too. The program's most prolific scorer, Morris Almond, is a McEachern grad. Rice has struck a chord with Garrett in the process.

"Academically, they are obviously nice. My mom loves that part. They really do a good job of focusing on making their players live the true student-athlete lifestyle," Garrett said. "That's the perfect fit really in that regard."

Taking all three of his planned visits is his plan but Garrett said he isn't ruling out making a decision shortly after a visit either.

"It is a great possibility," Garrett said. "I could get out there on a visit and be happy with the situation and feel like it is the place I'd want to sign with. If I find a place that I'm leaning to, I could very well commit right then and there. But I don't want to close the window, too. I'm open to all ideas."