The Ryan Hilinski report: What to know about new Gamecocks starter, QB situation
Charleston Southern, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Georgia.
Assuming the six-week timetable for the injury to South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley holds true, that’s the minimum slate Gamecocks freshman Ryan Hilinski is going to have to face.
The recruit
In the 247Sports Composite rankings, Hilinski was the No. 64 player in the country in the 2019 class. He was the No. 2 pro-style passer in the nation and the No. 12 player in California.
When he committed to USC, he was the No. 308 player nationally. He jumped into the top 170 after the pick and into the top 75 after a strong showing at the Elite 11. He spent much of his senior season and a stretch after his All-Star game as a top-50 player.
The high school player
Junior stats: 3,749 yards, 36 touchdowns, six interceptions, completing 69.8 percent of his passes
Senior stats: 2,771 yards, 29 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, completing 64.2 percent of his passes
Hilinski dealt with some tough competition owing to his high school playing in one of the most talented leagues in the country. He led his team to six and five wins his final two years, playing nationally ranked competition on a constant basis.
His senior season saw him deal with a different sort of adversity. After throwing to a cast of three- and four-star receivers, injuries decimated his pass catchers and his offensive line. At the time, he said the adversity was a good learning experience.
What we’ve seen
An early enrollee, Hilinski threw for 206 yards in South Carolina’s spring game, connecting on 24-of-36 passes. He mostly worked the short passing game, but was quick with his reads and accurate with throws.
In moments of practice that have been open, his accuracy has stood out.
The young man
Through the recruiting process, Hilinski displayed an uncommon level of excitement and exuberance. He was active on social media recruiting other players, interacting with fans and sharing his own story.
His family dealt with tragedy in January 2018 when his brother Tyler committed suicide. The family has gone through a long grieving process but has not shied away from talking about it. Instead, they’ve spoken often about it, starting a foundation built to raise awareness about mental health issues for student-athletes.
Hilinski is active on that front and spoke to local children about bullying and other issues just days after USC’s spring game.
His parents, Kym and Mark, both moved to Columbia around the same time he did, as did his brother Kelly, who is trying to get into medical school at South Carolina.
Breaking down the slate
Hilinski steps in for what should be the best first-game option on USC’s 2019 schedule. Charleston Southern is an FCS program and one that hasn’t been particularly successful in recent seasons.
After that, the challenge ramps up.
▪ Alabama: Just a freshman quarterback against the defending national runner-up, a team perpetually loaded with NFL talent, run by a great defensive coaching mind.
▪ at Missouri: The Tigers got stung in their opener by Wyoming, which relied more on the run than the pass. Mizzou had a strong run in 2018, but it’s unclear if the start of the Kelly Bryant era was an aberration or a sign of what’s to come.
▪ Kentucky: This series has been an issue for USC, with five consecutive losses to the Wildcats. UK got 246 yards through the air from Terry Wilson in an opening win against Toledo, but the running game was just OK. The defense did a number on a pair of Rockets passers.
▪ at Georgia: The Bulldogs are a perpetually talented squad coached by a good defensive mind. USC played respectably close games with UGA in Will Muschamp’s first two seasons, but last year the game in Columbia was not close.
It’s worth considering Hilinski had said he potentially thought he could be the quarterback for this stretch during parts of his recruitment. In the lead-up to the 2018 season, there were expectations a good season could send Bentley to the NFL a year early, which would have left Hilinski competing to start these games. Then an inconsistent season ended with Bentley returning.
The QB situation overall
Things get somewhat tricky when one looks to the great unknown. How well does Ryan Hilinski do?
This program is no stranger to star freshmen coming on, with Bentley’s own ascent displacing a senior starter and sending an Elite 11 quarterback to the transfer market. Hilinski impressed through the offseason, and if he finds success, it could lead to holding onto the job for a longer term.
Should that happen, it would put Bentley in an odd spot. In theory, he could redshirt and become a graduate transfer. He could also end up playing four games and just departing for the NFL, or getting that redshirt and leaving for the pros anyway.
In the shorter term, it means Dakereon Joyner, who lost the battle for the backup job and played receiver on Saturday, almost assuredly returns to QB full-time.
This story was originally published September 2, 2019 at 8:11 PM.
