Former walk-on makes heads-up play; Muschamp calls it ‘fantastic’

The last time South Carolina was highlighting Javon Charleston, it was for the wide receiver-turned-safety positional nomad receiving a scholarship.

He’s stayed his course, not playing defense and still contributing on special team. There, he earned praise from his coach for one key moment that helped open up Saturday’s win at Missouri.

“Javon Charleston, what a fantastic play he made, a heads-up play,” Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp.

That play came on a punt return, when Charleston was battling with one of Missouri’s gunners. They were close to the returner, and Charleston basically chucked his man into the returner.

The ball hit the returner, skittered away, and Charleston dove on it, USC ball.

“Takes their gunner and throws him into the returner,” Muschamp said, almost gleefully. “Therefore, it’s not catch interference. A heads-up play by that guy.”

That set South Carolina up on Mizzou’s 44, and seven plays later, Hayden Hurst plunged in to put the game just about out of reach.

This story was originally published September 11, 2017 at 10:16 AM with the headline "Former walk-on makes heads-up play; Muschamp calls it ‘fantastic’."