South Carolina using a veteran to fix hole in its line for bowl … or a true freshman

At times, South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp will hint at things with the way he phrases them.

In mid-December, he was asked how his team would fill the hole left by injured guard Zack Bailey for the Belk Bowl against Virginia, namely would Donell Stanley slide over from center, with veteran former walk-on Chandler Farrell stepping in. Muschamp said that was the plan to start, but also mentioned true freshman Hank Manos.

And early in bowl practices, both guys are involved.

“At the beginning of the week, I started with the first team,” Farrell said “And now we’re shuffling in Hank Manos. We’re going back and forth. We’ve both taken two days of the starting reps.”

If Manos does find himself starting, it would represent a big step for a player near the end of his first season on campus.

The Chapin High School product and former state wrestling champion came to campus with a little bit of buzz, but spent spring practice bouncing between guard and the center position he grew up playing. The Gamecocks had five veterans on the line, and most freshman offensive linemen don’t contribute much (right tackle Dylan Wonnum did work his way into the lineup).

Manos played in one game all season, getting garbage time snaps against Chattanooga at guard.

And now he’s in the mix with Farrell to snap in USC’s bowl game.

“Him and Hank Manos have done a great job of stepping in,” quarterback Jake Bentley said. “Donny is still right beside them to help them out whenever they need it. It’s really no change.”

Farrell is in Year 3 with the program. He was given a scholarship at the start of this season. He played with Bailey in high school.

He spoke highly of Manos and his future, especially his athleticism.

As Manos was coming to campus, one of his bigger transitions was from wrestling, where he had to cut weight, to bulking up to play SEC football. Nearly a year into that, he’s made a kind of progress that surprised at least one veteran.

“What’s crazy about it is, it doesn’t really look like he’s gotten fat,” Farrell said. “He’s like 295, maybe 300 some days, but he’s really solid. He’s at the bottom of the body fat percentages among the offensive linemen.

“He’s solid as can be.”