The one thing Will Muschamp wants from newcomer Javon Kinlaw

Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and the South Carolina football team had to wait an extra season to be united.

Kinlaw is already on campus, and his new coach, Will Muschamp, had early advice for him.

“Just be in shape,” Muschamp said. “That’s the biggest thing right now. You can’t learn anything when you’re bent over gasping for air. So you need to get in the best physical condition you can be.”

Kinlaw had gone up to 340 pounds on signing day, but said he was down to 320 in his last week at Jones County Junior College. Although some projected the former defensive end/tight end as a massive run plugger, he said his goal was to get to 305 or 300 pounds to be more disruptive.

Muschamp declined to prescribe a particular weight for Kinlaw until he and the strength staff get more hands-on work with the Goose Creek product. There are factors that include hydration, body fat and how well he’s moving the staff wants to take into account.

Kinlaw did arrive a little early, ahead of the team’s full summer program, and that is something Muschamp liked to see.

“Obviously, being here in May, you’ve got a whole ’nother month to train,” Muschamp said, “along with the eight-week program in June and July. That’s the most critical thing right now is to get in the best physical condition you can be in, to sustain, especially a big body, early in the season.”

This story was originally published May 17, 2017 at 4:28 PM.