Muschamp picks out the two best Gamecocks running backs in the spring

Through South Carolina’s spring practice, there was a decent amount of talk about the younger Gamecocks backs, as USC looks for more play-making at that position.

But at the end of the day, the two healthy veterans came out on top.

Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp told 107.5 The Game’s Heath Cline A.J. Turner and Mon Denson exited spring as the top two runners who were available. The question will come with how Rico Dowdle comes back after hardly participating in full-contact play across the 15 practices.

“Rico will figure back into that in fall camp,” Muschamp said. “But right now, you would say that A.J. and Mon would be the two best players we have at the position. Rico’s been a very dependable player for us as far as when he’s on the field.

“He’s going to have to earn his opportunity in fall camp.”

Muschamp also mentioned freshman Kevin Harris and said redshirt freshman Deshaun Fenwick did some nice things in the spring.

Denson was South Carolina’s No. 2 runner last season, posting 432 yards on 80 carries. He made a pair of starts in South Carolina’s crowded backfield.

Turner battled a concussion in 2018, but managed 294 yards on 46 carries. He has nearly 1,200 career yards and has often been an option the team fell back on, a smaller runner who packs some pop. Muschamp also promised Turner will play some corner in his senior season, after dabbling there late last fall.

The Gamecocks coaches have said they want a pair of runners to separate themselves going into next season, with the idea they will get the lion’s share of the workload.

With Turner and Denson showing as well as they did, it foreshadows a potential battle with Dowdle for those top two spots. Dowdle led the team in carries (123) and yards (654) last season, which he also did in 2016.

Dowdle has been the most productive of the three, but he’s also had the most chances with 19 starts. He’s had moments where the staff demanded more of him, of his off-field habits and preparation, and he was not available this spring.

And while he might seem a shoo-in to return a prominent role, the coaches have said publicly game snaps are earned in practice, and Dowdle hasn’t done much practicing of late.

“It’s hard when you don’t go through spring,” Muschamp said. “And those guys understand that. You earn what you get around here.”

Notes:

▪ Muschamp said Kiel Pollard and Kyle Markway separated themselves from the other tight ends.

▪ The coach liked the development of the younger offensive linemen, mentioning the likes of Jovaughn Gwyn, Hank Manos, Chandler Ferrell, Jaylen Nichols and Jordan Rhodes