He’s trying to lead his team to a record fifth title in a row, and he’s ‘100% Gamecock’
There’s a weight of history where Trai Jones plays.
The offensive lineman at Abbeville High School is a senior this year. He’s trying to lead his team to a fifth consecutive football state championship, something no team in South Carolina’s High School League has ever done. This summer, it was a weight off Jones’ shoulders to pick the Gamecocks and commit, and even as USC went through a down season, he made one thing clear.
He’s not wavering.
“I’m 100% Gamecock,” Jones said, later adding: “I believe in the team. That’s where I’m going. So I believe in them.”
The message he’s gotten back: Don’t worry about the Gamecocks, just try to win five in a row.
The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder’s team took another step toward that last Friday. The Panthers were pushed by Gray Collegiate, but every time the War Eagles cut the lead to three in the second half, Abbeville answered with a score to stretch things back out or with a 5-minute drive to ice the game.
With Jones helping to clear the path, the Panthers rushed for 371 hard-earned yards.
He said Miami and Virginia Tech are still calling, but he’s not worried.
The offense he’s a part of offers some challenges when it comes to translating to the college level. The Panthers run on more than 90 percent of their plays, with precious few true drop backs.
“I’m on a team that barely pass blocks,” Jones said. “So I’ve go to learn more and more.”
He said the pace his team plays with could be a boost, and he’s got the raw physical ability to grow into that side of things.
And his current coaches have seen progress and growth in his last prep season.
“He’s a three-year starter,” Abbeville offensive line coach Wayne Botts said. “So coming into this year, he had a lot, with the scholarship but once he (committed to) Carolina, he has really took over as a leader and he is very, very physical. He is so athletic. He runs a 4.6. So sometimes last year, he was too quick on his his reach blocks and stuff, so he learned how to work on it and he’s really progressed there.”
The coach, who has won a case full of state titles in his time in Abbeville, explained Jones is not only strong but now knows better how to use that athletic ability.
Jones said he spent this season working on his hand placement and his feet.
Although his team had been crushing opponents as of late, it got challenged a good bit early on this year. He felt the 12-0 (so far) season hasn’t been fully smooth sailing.
“Up and down,” Jones said. “It’s been hard. Been low, been high.
“Starting to get together.”
His team faces Saluda, a team it beat by 28 in the regular season, this week, and then potentially the winner of Barnwell-Oceanside Collegiate after that.
The only other South Carolina High School League teams to win four in a row are Dillon (2012-15), Christ Church (2011-14), Bobby Bentley’s Byrnes teams (2002-5), Woodruff (1975-78) and Florence (1916-19). Former Gamecock Erik Kimrey led his team to six consecutive SCISA titles from 2006-11.
After the playoff run, Jones will start looking forward to joining the Gamecocks. He said he talks to USC offensive line coach Eric Wolford daily, just getting encouragement.
And his current line coach said South Carolina is getting more than just a ballplayer. As a senior, he never let being an SEC recruit get to his head and grew into a leader, despite a nature that wouldn’t necessarily point that direction.
“If you didn’t know Trai, he would probably never say a word to you,” Botts said. “He don’t talk hardly much but I know (committing) took a lot of weight off his shoulders. He’s a great kid, great kid in the classroom. Makes straight A’s so it just tells you what kind of kid he is.”
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 8:42 AM.
