This true freshman ‘expected to play’ in 2018, Gamecocks assistant says

South Carolina freshman tailback Deshaun Fenwick will have to do a lot to earn carries in the 2018 season.

The team returns its top three backs from 2017 (the trio of A.J. Turner, Rico Dowdle and Ty’Son Williams), and the No. 4 back (Mon Denson), and even the No. 5 option (Wisconsin transfer Caleb Kinlaw, who got carries in garbage time). But USC’s staff is confident he’ll make it on the field this fall.

“He’s expected to play,” Gamecocks running backs coach Bobby Bentley said. “It’s just up to him how much he plays and what his role will be.”

If he’s really good, that could mean toting the ball, as he impressed the Gamecocks staff at points in spring. But at 6-foot-1 and a robust 225 pounds fresh out of high school, he might find another spot to contribute.

Special teams.

“That’s the reason we signed him,” Bentley said. “You talk with coach (Coleman) Hutzler and you think what coach Hutzler likes at certain positions. I’m in those special teams meetings, and I think we could plug him in at this position, plug him in here on kickoff return, punt and punt block without a doubt.”

Special teams coaches are always looking for big players who can run. That often means packing the groups with tall tight ends, but a tall running back would certainly do.

At Braden River high school last season, he had 1,401 rushing yards and scored 17 total touchdowns. He averaged 8.6 yards per carry and 18.6 per reception.

At his size, the biggest question is turning a big, athletic kid into a college-level running back. Bentley said that means developing more toughness, among other things.

But he’s showed something so far.

“I expect him to be a good player,” Bentley said. “That’s why we signed him.”

This story was originally published July 25, 2018 at 6:14 PM.