Where Will Muschamp sees the state of his program, roster heading into Year 5
At the moment the college sports world sits in a state of suspension, the South Carolina football program is at a point of uncertainty, at least from an outside perspective.
Inside the building — a theoretical building since almost no one can use the Gamecocks’ facility in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic — there’s a sense of purpose toward the variety of tasks a team is always working toward. Outside that theoretical building, the questions linger.
USC is coming off its second-worst season since the winless campaign of 1999. The team is losing a first-round draft pick (Javon Kinlaw) and its most productive receiver ever (Bryan Edwards). The schedule next year is still considered one of the toughest in the land.
The 2019 campaign ended with some unrest about coach Will Muschamp, and his contract buyout was lowered in the offseason.
But the coach, speaking with reporters from home with the sports world shut down, saw something different.
“I feel really good about where we are,” Muschamp said. “Obviously we didn’t have the season we wanted to have.”
He pointed to close-game opportunities lost, blowing a double-digit lead against UNC and a fourth-quarter lead against Florida, and not being able to score after being tied at halftime against Tennessee.
“We lost confidence offensively as the year wore on,” Muschamp said. “We had some tough breaks.”
He ran through multiple units on his team after an abbreviated spring practice. What he took away from what his team has:
Quarterbacks
“I know that Mike [Bobo] is really excited about the quarterback room. Ryan [Hilinski] had a really good first five days (of spring). Jay Urich brings some different things to the position. Obviously Mike’s got a lot of confidence in Collin Hill and Luke Doty did some great things.”
Hilinski is a returning starter who had to make some improvements. Hill was a starter for Bobo when he was head coach at Colorado State but battled injuries. Doty is an Elite 11 freshman, while Urich bounced between wide receiver and quarterback the past year.
Running backs
“Adam Prentice brings a different dimension to our offense a little bit with a two-back look. It’ll be good for us. Deshaun Fenwick was playing his best ball the first five days of spring; Kevin Harris has done a nice job for us, and MarShawn [Lloyd] was gonna be a really good football player.”
Lloyd is a highly-rated freshman who received rave reviews in spring. Fenwick and Harris are powerfully-built sophomores.
Wide receivers
“Shi [Smith] is going into his senior year. I think we always are concerned at the receiver position. You lose Deebo Samuel a year ago, who is probably the best rookie receiver in the National Football League, and you lose Bryan Edwards, statistically was the best receiver to play at South Carolina. Shi is a guy that we’re excited about, you know, at that position. [Randrecous] Davis, the guy we need to keep healthy. He had a stress fracture. He wasn’t able to partake. We need to get OrTre [Smith] back to his freshman year when he caught 30 balls and did some really good things. We need Josh Vann to step up. Xavier Legette going into his second year. ... He’s gonna make the appropriate steps he’s got to take. Dakereon Joyner playing in the slot. We’re really pleased with where he was, and as he consented to come on. But you know, obviously, we’re gonna have some young guys, we may have some opportunities there as well.”
Both Smiths, Legette and Vann have starting experience, but only Shi Smith has been a consistent target the past two seasons. Vann is coming off a broken hand.
Tight ends
“Nick Muse, he’s not going through spring because of the ACL. Got to continue to improve at tight end.”
Muse looks to be the top option here, with question marks around him. Last year’s freshmen, Traevon Kenion and KeShawn Toney, both redshirted. Jaheim Bell and Eric Shaw are intriguing incoming freshmen not yet on campus, plus former receiver Keveon Mullins just started at the position. Will Register is a veteran.
Offensive line
“Our offensive line has been the best it’s been since we’ve been here. Jazston Turnetine played really well at left tackle, moving (Sadarius Hutcherson) back inside. You got great competition when Dylan Wonnum with Jakai Moore and Jaylen Nichols at the tackle position. The guys are gonna be competing there. It’s going to be exciting. We’re more powerful inside than we’ve been. We need to settle on a center, Hank Manos, Eric Douglas. Jovaughn Gwyn — we were going to give him some reps at center when we came back from the break. He never never got that opportunity.”
The Gamecocks return four of the five most used offensive linemen, plus four other linemen who started at least one game.
Defensive line
“I feel good about where we are defensively. You look up front, I think we’ll have a good good defensive line. Jabari Ellis, Keir Thomas, Rick Sandidge and Zacch Pickens were coming along. They got to continue to do that. Aaron Sterling and JJ Enagbare are two edge guys that I’m excited about. We’ve got some good guys coming in that we feel can give us juice.”
The Gamecocks have two linemen with starting experience back in Sterling and Thomas. Sandidge and Pickens were four- and five-star recruits, respectively. USC overall has six blue-chip lineman and has three more in the coming recruiting class.
Linebackers
“Sherrod Greene and Ernest Jones, Damani Staley (were) having good springs. Jahmar Brown has done some good things.”
Jones and Greene are returning starters in the middle and weak side, respectively. Staley is a senior who could start at either the weak or strongside. Brown showed some flashes as a freshman last season, and only one scholarship linebacker is leaving the group.
Defensive backs
“I thought Jaycee [Horn] and Israel [Mukuamu] were having really good camps. And then you got Cam Smith and John Dixon, two guys we really need to come on for us. Jammie Robinson was playing well inside. Shilo Sanders has come on and done some good things. RJ [Roderick] has been a productive player.”
The Gamecocks return four starters in Horn, Mukuamu, Roderick and Robinson. The staff had hoped Smith and Dixon could come on at corner to allow Horn or Mukuamu to help elsewhere. Jaylin Dickerson, Sanders and a pair of freshmen were also in the mix at safety.
