South Carolina practice report: Hurst drops in for NFL workout; top skill player back

South Carolina football opened the first three periods of Thursday’s practice to the media, one of the last before Saturday’s spring game. There was extra work on fundamentals, a little team offense and USC got a visit from a familiar face.

Observations:

▪ Former USC star Hayden Hurst dropped in for a workout with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints. His friend and former Gamecocks starting quarterback Perry Orth was the one throwing to him.

▪ Starting wide receiver Bryan Edwards was out of his yellow non-contact jersey and full-go. He’d been sidelined by a shoulder injury.

▪ The Edwards news was counterbalanced by Chavis Dawkins, who had been working with the No. 2 offense, sidelined with an apparent left leg injury. He was on an exercise bike to the side with other injured players.

▪ Other players out of uniform included, but were not limited to, linebacker Ernest Jones, defensive lineman Aaron Thompson, cornerback Tavyn Jackson and long snapper Ben Asbury. Bryson Allen-Williams and Jaylin Dickerson remain in yellow jerseys but participating.

▪ USC gave another look at the offensive depth chart, with a few minor switches on account of injuries. The team again showed its two-tight end set:

1ST TEAM

QB: Jake Bentley

RB: Ty'Son Williams

WR: Bryan Edwards, Darius Rush

TE: Jacob August, K.C. Crosby

OT: Dennis Daley, Blake Camper

OG: Jordan Rhodes, Sadarius Hutcherson

C: Donell Stanley

2ND TEAM

QB: Michael Scarnecchia

RB: Caleb Kinlaw

WR: Shi Smith, Darius Rush

TE: Kiel Pollard, Kyle Markway

OT: Eric Douglas, Maxwell Iyama

OG: Chandler Farrell, Will Putnam

C: Hank Manos

3RD TEAM

QB: Jay Urich/Dakereon Joyner

RB: Deshaun Fenwick

WR: Shemar Glenn, Darius Rush

TE: Will Register, Caleb Jenerette

OT: Jordon Carty, Cameron Johnson

OG: Wyatt Campbell, Christian Pellage

C: Summie Carlay

▪ In the early going, the offensive line was warming up and working on fundamentals/lateral movement. The group looked pretty loose working with Eric Wolford.

▪ The defense mostly worked though circuits, a lot of throwing off blocks and some understanding the responsibilities as an unblocked player against a zone read. Later the defense broke into position drills, interior linemen running though courses of agility and hands work, edge players batting away blockers arms and defensive backs catching different varieties of interceptions.

▪ Defensive back Keisean Nixon got a decent amount of work catching punts.

▪ QBs were working on throwing on the run, and at points Joyner looked on the raw side. His spirals often weren't that tight and while rolling he put a throw well low on a target (it bounced off the metal frame holding the net).

▪ In the late going, the offense appeared to be working on calls against exotic defense alignments, many ending with shifting toward running draws.

This story was originally published March 29, 2018 at 9:57 AM with the headline "South Carolina practice report: Hurst drops in for NFL workout; top skill player back."