Good news on defense: USC experienced and deep at linebacker

South Carolina still is looking to firm up one of its defensive tackle positions not to mention find some more defensive ends. The Gamecocks also want to get a better feel for who will be playing safety to open the game against North Carolina in the fall.

The linebackers, though? The linebackers are in good shape as South Carolina prepares for its final week of spring practice.

“That’s a strong group,” co-defensive coordinator Jon Hoke said.

And deep. The pairing of middle linebacker Skai Moore and weakside linebacker Jonathan Walton has continued the momentum it created in the final games of the 2014 season, and Bryson Allen-Williams is back in his natural position at strongside linebacker.

“We expect Skai and Jonathan to do well and they are doing well,” co-defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said. “The linebackers have a lot of experience. That group as a whole has played fairly well.”

Moore led the Gamecocks with 93 tackles last year, and Walton was second with 61.

“Me and Jon work well together,” Moore said. “We feed off each other’s energy, and we make plays together so we are just going to carry it into next season.”

They will be doing that at familiar spots while changes are going on all around them. Hoke is installing a base 4-3, which will put Allen-Williams at strongside linebacker beside Moore and Walton.

“The 4-3 is good for us because we have three true linebackers on the field when we go against two backs,” Ward said.

Allen-Williams, a sophomore, started last season at linebacker but was moved to defensive end midway through the season in an attempt to improve the pass rush. He finished the season with 27 tackles and half a sack and is much more comfortable now back at linebacker, Ward said.

The Gamecocks have been in their base defense about half the time and in nickel defense (which moves Allen-Williams off the field to make room for nickel back T.J. Gurley) half the time, linebackers coach Kirk Botkin said. Walton and Allen-Williams are working at both the weakside and strongside positions, Botkin said.

“They are picking it up pretty dang good,” he said.

Botkin also is trying to introduce two new faces into the mix this spring in true freshman Jalen Henry and junior college transfer Ernest Hawkins.

“They are young kind of feeling their way,” Botkin said. “They are doing some good things. Jalen Henry is a real smart kid. Ernest Hawkins is still kind of green and doesn’t understand the tempo and things that we want. He’s got a long way to go, but he’s doing some good things too.

“There are a lot more positives than there are negatives right now with everybody learning some new stuff.”

This story was originally published April 6, 2015 at 12:01 PM.