How White’s big moment came together; Muschamp provides clarity on AJ Turner plan
South Carolina wide receiver Bailey Hart remembers Parker White coming to South Carolina’s indoor facility to kick.
His high school teammate from Wando near Charleston was there every day as a freshman, working on his craft. White wasn’t even on the team.
White was rewarded Saturday. Just before halftime he was called over for a pressure kick toward the jumbotron. As the ball sailed through the uprights, a video started playing, letting him know he’d been put on scholarship after two years as a walk-on.
He had a sense it might be coming.
“I had a suspicion,” White said. “I had talked with (Coleman) Hutzler before and he kind of let me know that at some point they were thinking about using their last remaining one on me. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be in practice or in the summer, fall camp.
“Going out for that last one-minute kick, I had a feeling it could be (then).”
He called it a special moment, having family out there with him. He also thanked his parents and grandparents for helping him get through his first three years of college.
As Will Muschamp spoke about the decision, he kept coming back to White’s ability to stick with things. White didn’t get the starting job his first year. He had to tinker with his mechanics after Year 1, as it was a highly inconsistent campaign.
But he rounded into form last season, connecting on 13-of-16 field goals. He’s had game-winning kicks against Missouri (2018) and Louisiana Tech (2017).
Muschamp said the moment made him think back to when he got put on scholarship at Georgia.
“It was an easy decision,” Muschamp said. “A guy that went through a very up and down first year and fought through that. He had a fantastic year for us last year.”
Clearing things up
Through the offseason, South Carolina’s coaches and senior A.J. Turner have talked about him playing both offense and defense. He was forced into emergency defensive back duty last fall and had been a consistent presence in the offensive backfield across three seasons.
After the spring game, Muschamp provided some clarity there.
“A.J. Turner’s primary position next year will be running back,” Muschamp said. “But he will play corner. He is a guy that is bright enough to be able to go and handle that. … He’s proved that to us.”
Turner has run for 1,322 yards across the past three seasons. He opened 2016 as the starter, and after giving way to Rico Dowdle, he has been an oft-used backup when other runners went down.
Turner played defensive back in high school and did a little for the Belk Bowl last season. He said Muschamp’s decision came very late in the spring.
“(Saturday), at Gamecock Walk, coach Muschamp kind of told me,” Turner said. “When I play defense, it will be more situational, so whenever they need me, I’ll be there.”
Notes:
▪ A few of the players sitting out Saturday included Hank Manos and Chandler Farrell, the team’s top two centers, defensive end Tyreek Johnson, who the staff hoped to get back by the end of spring, safety Jaylin Dickerson and wide receiver Chavis Dawkins. Wide receiver Bryan Edwards dressed but did not play.
▪ Former defensive lineman M.J. Webb and true freshman Jaylen Nichols made up the right side of the second-team offensive line.
▪ The second-team defensive line included two freshmen in Rodricus Fitten and Zacch Pickens.
▪ The team’s wide receiver and secondary depth was strained to the point of having two walk-ons at corner on the second team and a lot of wide receiver-turned-quarterback Bailey Hart on offense. USC will add three more pass catchers and four defensive backs in the summer.
▪ Deebo Samuel, who will be in the NFL draft this month, came in for the annual off-the-bench touchdown pass.
▪ South Carolina’s top two receivers were former quarterbacks as Jay Urich had 130 yards on nine catches and Hart had 67 on four.
▪ Southern Cal transfer Jamel Cook had an interception on the goal line. Freshman linebacker Derek Boykins had a big tackle at the goal line late in the game to stop a score.