Freshman Gamecock pass catcher honed ‘power and physicality’ on other side of the ball
Early on, when he saw Eric Shaw on a field, Reeltown High School football coach Matt Johnson could only describe him one way.
“He was kind of like a deer trying to walk on ice,” Johnson said.
The last time he saw Shaw on a football field, the current South Carolina Gamecock was terrorizing quarterbacks in a role he might never play on the college level.
Shaw has been on USC’s campus for nearly two months. The plan is to have him work at tight end. In high school, he was asked to do a lot of everything, and he flourished on defense.
But his coach said his wrecking-ball style on that side could help in his new spot.
“What he did on defense helped him on offense, and what he did on offense helped him on defense,” Johnson said. “His ball skills from an offensive standpoint really translated to defense, and his power and physicality on the defensive side really translated to offense in his blocking and the way he used his body.”
Shaw steps into an interesting position when it comes to the Gamecocks’ tight ends. Johnson said Shaw looked to be about 210 pounds, his playing weight, around the time he left for school. He’ll have to add some solid weight to be somewhat of a factor early, and has thus far added about 8 pounds. (Only one tight end, Kiel Pollard, has avoided redshirting in the Will Muschamp era.)
But South Carolina has only two experienced tight ends in Nick Muse and transfer fullback-tight end Adam Prentice, along with lightly used former lineman Chandler Farrell. There are plenty of athletic options who will have chances, so why not the hard hitter from Alabama?
“He’s not a kid that’s going to settle,” Johnson said. “He wants to make a difference.”
Shaw has fought through a lot already during his career.
He was such a good athlete, Johnson had to play him as a freshman, even as it was clear he was still finding his feel for the game. He could still out-jump opponents for fade balls and move well enough to be a safety-linebacker hybrid.
He grew into a key player, throwing energy into his time in the weight room. They’d play him in space and in the box on offense and in several spots on defense. Soon enough, he started to get college interest.
But on the day he received his first Division I offer as a junior, he suffered a torn ACL, ending his season.
“That set him back,” Johnson said. “It was really a battle mentally. So I think he really showed mental toughness persevering through that, an understanding of what it took, taking the steps to rehab and doing what he needed to do. He just really embraced that and working his tail off.”
Six months later, he won three small-school state track titles, two in the hurdles and one in the high jump.
As a football senior, he delivered 26 catches for 458 yards and four touchdowns along with 125 tackles, 18 for loss, three sacks and three interceptions.
The numbers on that side of the ball leave open a small question. At his build and with his hitting ability, Shaw might possess the ability to play Buck defensive end in the Gamecocks’ scheme.
“I think South Carolina could use him in either spot, wherever they need him the most,” Johnson said.
On signing day, Muschamp said Shaw to a degree preferred offense, but Johnson described him as a kid who would do whatever was asked. At the moment, the Gamecocks’ group at Buck includes Jordan Burch, Brad Johnson and Rod Fitten, and that might be a bit deeper than tight end at the moment.
But in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game, the offense didn’t need him at tight end, so he slotted in and showed out creating havoc.
Although he didn’t add much weight during the coronavirus shutdown, Shaw did work on his flexibility and speed, Johnson said. His potential remains intriguing, and it’s up in the air what he might be able to do in the short term.
But his coach thinks he’ll bring something else to the Gamecocks roster.
“He’s a very kind-spirited kid,” Johnson said. “He’s not rah-rah. He’s not really quiet. He’s just a good kid with a big smile. He’s very coachable and he’s going to do exactly what the coach tells him to do.”
