Breiner Breakdown: What we learned from first week of South Carolina practices
One week in, five weeks to go. South Carolina’s football practices are for the most part closed, but there’s still something to take away.
Players and coaches have spoken to the local reporters, and the school’s media relations staff sends practice updates almost daily. While not giving away everything, they’ve given a bit of a peek into some key areas.
A few useful takeaways:
A star punt returner
For the past two seasons, South Carolina had a top receiver returning punts in Bryan Edwards. The year-plus before that, it was Chris Lammons, the team’s most versatile defensive back.
And defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson spoke this week about wanting it to be one of his unit’s current best players, Jaycee Horn.
“He’s focused on being a punt returner,” Robinson said. ”That’s one of the things that he needed to do a better job of. He had some opportunities last year, but just hadn’t got a bunch of reps at it and wasn’t so comfortable doing it. We put it on him this summer.
“That’s something we need him to do for this football team because he’s an electrifying athlete and can be really good with the ball in his hands.”
Horn was not listed with any returns last season, but the team had to shuffle things around after Edwards got hurt. There are always some options available, so it says something Robinson was so locked in on Horn.
QB questions remain
Early in practice, the word was equal splitting of reps between senior Collin Hill and sophomore Ryan Hilinski, the main options vying for South Carolina’s starting quarterback spot.
Tight end Nick Muse described Hill as having an NFL arm, but also described Hilinski as “creeping up” on Hill as he got healthier. There had been both reports and rumblings Hill had the inside track at that top spot through most of the summer workouts.
When asked directly, most players either fell back on the theme of equal workload or sidestepped questions. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, the man who will ultimately make the decision (with Will Muschamp), mostly spoke about the value of competition. But he did say he wanted both guys not aiming to wait their turn and he liked the way Hill was moving off a torn ACL.
Some options at tight end
The Gamecocks will be without a pair of intriguing freshman tight ends in Eric Shaw and Jaheim Bell for a while, which leaves a group of four scholarship guys, one a recently converted wide receiver, working behind starter Nick Muse.
Bobo spoke in generalities about the position, needing to figure out what those four were good at, especially with how tight ends are usually not asked in high school to do the full menu of things they’ll do in college. Muse highlighted a pair of less-used players in fourth-year junior Will Register and redshirt freshman KeShawn Toney.
“Will is looking like a new Will, more confident,” Muse said.
Register has been in the program for a while, playing every game on special teams. Toney impressed last in spring of 2019 with his work ethic, but had a lot of ground to cover coming from a smaller high school.
Muse also noted Traevon Kenion had started to step up and Keveon Mullins brings a high-speed ceiling as a recently converted receiver who bulked up to 245.
The Fenwick file
One thing that was mentioned in the spring was reinforced this week: Bobo has taken a liking to third-year tailback Deshaun Fenwick. The coach said he was the player of the day in one of the early practices and showed dedication with how he changed his body and his mindset.
If Fenwick, whose career includes two 100-yard games and almost departing the roster, can be a reliable SEC tailback, he’ll alleviate some concerns that come with the torn ACL that will sideline presumptive starter MarShawn Lloyd.
The Gamecocks have three burly scholarship backs still available, plus 6-foot-1, 200-pound and athletic junior college product Zaquandre White. Losing Lloyd lowers the overall ceiling of the group, but there’s the potential for a couple guys to step up and form a solid SEC backfield.
The people really, really like Jalen Brooks
It’s far from clear if the Wingate University transfer will end up getting a waiver from the NCAA to play in 2020, but he’s at least caught the attention of his teammates.
The set of players who mentioned him as a standout early included Hilinski, Hill, Israel Mukuamu and Horn. That would be the main set of players either tasked with defending him or throwing to him.
Considering how much of a theme receiver questions have been throughout the offseason, the early reviews make it more likely he can at least help stabilize things, provided that waiver comes through.
Freshman receiver Rico Powers also got some mention, and Bobo noted he was working with the starters with Xavier Legette sidelined by an ankle issue. To a degree that speaks to the rest of the receiver depth, but he sounds like a guy who can hang once USC transitions to real games.
More observations, tidbits
What we learned from practice video highlights that USC made available to media:
▪ Vincent Murphy, who was expected to work at center, is getting at least a little work at guard with the second team. He was there with Ryan Hilinski at QB, Kevin Harris at tailback. Jay Urich appeared to be getting some work at wide receiver, with Luke Doty also with the second-teamers.
▪ Jabari Ellis and Keir Thomas were working with the No. 1 defensive line alongside J.J. Enagbare and Aaron Sterling. Another line unit had Jordan Burch and Tonka Hemingway outside, with Rick Sandidge and Scott inside.
▪ The pairing of R.J. Roderick and Jammie Robinson appear to be at the starting safety spots when Israel Mukuamu and Jaycee Horn are on the outside.
▪ Punter Kai Kroeger is getting work as a holder, working with Parker White.
▪ The team worked on some waggle (rolling toward the left) footwork coming off under-center handoffs, hitting tight ends in the flat on the move.
This story was originally published August 24, 2020 at 9:30 AM.
