The top Gamecocks who would’ve benefited the most from a full spring practice
Saturday was supposed to be the day at Williams-Brice Stadium.
A month of practices and meetings culminate in a show for the South Carolina fans and recruits at Williams-Brice Stadium. Players get in reps and work, learn new schemes by doing, then launch into an offseason with plenty of work on their own.
But with the coronavirus outbreak ending spring practice, two-thirds those reps and practices were lost, though Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp was happy with what they did get in, especailly the early enrollees.
“We benefited from ... the offseason program No. 1 and then five days of practice,” Muschamp siad. “We were fortunate to where we were able to get that in before this situation occurred. That was a huge benefit for them. Now is where in a videoconference/Zoom situation, they have an idea of what we’re going through and what we’re talking about.”
Losing all that an be tough on young players. Ten who could have benefited the most from the rest of spring happening:
10. Luke Doty
The freshman quarterback is perhaps as well-positioned as anybody to not have to play next season. There is a returning starter and a graduate transfer who has years and years in the new offensive coordinator’s scheme. But Doty’s talent is such that with everything breaking right, perhaps he could’ve done something in the fall. Losing spring is an issue because quarterback is arguably the spot where there’s the most to drink up and if he were to end up a No. 3 passer, there’s not actually that much work during the fall. In game weeks, the top two passers get most of the work, so the development time lost is valuable.
9. Keveon Mullins
A former four-star receiver was transitioning to tight end, and that’s not an easy switch. The Gamecocks don’t have much in the way of proven faces behind Nick Muse, and if Mullins could harness his talents, perhaps he could make an impact there. But losing practice time doesn’t help.
8. Jaylin Dickerson
The veteran has sat through more than his share of meetings, as he has rarely been healthy through three years on camps. He’s tall, rangy and potentially has the talent to settle down the safety spot that has been a problem much of the past few years. His coordinator, Travaris Robinson said he just needs more reps, and he lost a lot without the spring.
7. RJ Roderick
Another safety with good potential and the need for more work, his situation differs from Dickerson’s because he has only been a full-time defensive back for two seasons. The hard-hitting junior moves well and has strong instincts, but his play in terms of the finer points was lacking at times through last season. Fixing that takes work and time, which will be in short supply this offseason.
6. Xavier Legette
A second-year receiver, he took on a larger role though last season and looked like a player who will be a starting-caliber player come fall. But he was still plenty raw as a small-school receiver who spent his last year of high school at corner. He drew praise from coaches and teammate early on, but is another guy who needs to learn more of the finer points of the position.
5. Jazston Turnetine
The junior college transfer could well be a starting offensive tackle in the fall opposite Dylan Wonnum. But he was all of five practices into learning South Carolina’s offense. The inability to work with teammates, to be seeped in the scheme, that could be an issue when competing with two players who have a year working with Eric Wolford under their belts. That said, offensive line play all over could be on the rocky side given the lack of offseason work.
4. Dakereon Joyner
The former quarterback can’t catch a break in his attempts to transition to wide receiver. He got all of a couple weeks last fall between being told he wasn’t the backup QB and could help at receiver, and Jake Bentley getting hurt, forcing him into the No. 2 QB role. This was a new start working full-time as a pass catcher, and coaches said he was still very much mid-transition. For now, that will be halted.
3. A running back, any running back
Freshman MarShawn Lloyd has the ability to start, but he only has five college practices and loses a large chunk of the offseason. Deshaun Fenwick was vying for time after nearly leaving the team last summer. Kevin Harris showed some flashed, and along with Fenwick was working to get established ahead of two more backs joining the room. Needless to say, it’s a spot where someone has to step up, and they all lost a chance to build a bedrock there.
2. Cam Smith
As a four-star defensive back, the Columbia-area product hardly contribute at all last season, needed to up his strength level and flat-out develop. The hope was he could get to a point where he could either rotate with the two starters and perhaps let them move around to fill other hole in the secondary. Fellow corner John Dixon is in a similar boat of needing more seasoning and work.
1. Ryan Hilinski
Coming off a freshman season that saw him battered and losing his top pass catcher, there was a lot of work to be done. Hilinski had to 1. Learn a new offense with Mike Bobo, 2. Work to fix up the footwork Bobo called “terrible” in one of their first meetings, 3. Develop the chemistry with a newer set of receivers. Losing two thirds of spring stunts all those, and the truncated offseason means no going to the facility and throwing with his guys for the foreseeable future.
