Another Gamecock moving to safety to bolster depth

Another young South Carolina cornerback is going to start training camp at safety.

Redshirt freshman Tavyn Jackson will be playing safety when the Gamecocks begin practice on Friday, South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp told Teddy Heffner and Rick Sanford on Talking Sports on 620-AM in Columbia.

“Tavyn Jackson is a guy we are going to look at safety,” Muschamp said. “We have to be able to find some more bodies there that can play championship football.”

Jackson earned rave reviews from the coaching staff when he arrived on campus last year as a cornerback, but a hamstring injury cost him the entire season. He joins sophomore Jamyest Williams in making the transition to safety this fall. Williams started at nickel back last year but will also take snaps at safety this fall.

Steven Montac is the Gamecocks only proven returner at safety. Javon Charleston, who exited spring practice listed as a starter alongside Montac, was charged with assault and burglary in June, and Muschamp has yet to update his status with the team.

Nick Harvey, a graduate transfer from Texas A&M, will start the fall at cornerback, said Muschamp, who referred to Harvey, Keisean Nixon and Rashad Fenton as “the three corners.”

“Keisean will probably end up playing the nickel for us, but we need some other guys to step up in a two-deep role,” Muschamp said.

This story was originally published July 31, 2018 at 9:04 AM.