Breiner Breakdown: More changes, clarity from second week of South Carolina practice
South Carolina is early in its third week of preseason football practice and coming off its first full scrimmage.
While the 2020 season draws closer, things seem to be settling out to a degree for the Gamecocks. But there were a few interesting tidbits from the last week as the picture comes into sharper focus.
1. Changes could be coming on the offensive line
There were already a few rumblings, but in video the school released there was a little shuffling at crucial positions on the offensive line. Longtime right tackle Dylan Wonnum was working at left tackle, in place of junior college transfer Jazston Turnetine. Sophomore Jaylen Nichols was working at the right tackle spot, which he had been backing up.
This is notable because Wonnum has long been considered an anchor, and at times it seemed curious he wasn’t moved over to the more important left tackle spot. Nichols showed well early last season and was forced into the lineup for five games, looking like a freshman at times. That said, he and fellow backup Jakai Moore are talented and were expected to push the veterans.
2. Still no bend in the perception of the quarterbacks
Players and coaches were still very careful when talking about the battle at the starting quarterback spot. Collin Hill and Ryan Hilinski are splitting reps for the most part, and did so though the Saturday scrimmage.
The fact we haven’t heard about Hilinski making a push might point to Hill remaining in pole position. He already knows the offense as well as anyone, and the reviews of his physical skills are pretty good as well. In theory that latter part should be to Hilinski’s advantage.
3. A chance for USC to be explosive?
Will Muschamp and several players were talking up the explosive plays in practice, which makes that a notable thing to watch. Muschamp and South Carolina have long made explosive plays an emphasis on both sides of the ball, and those were a key to the best offense of his tenure in 2018.
Even as Colorado State’s offense was inconsistent last season, it did manage a slew of explosive plays, ranking 13th nationally in plays longer than 40 yards. Some of that is baked into a play-action passing game that generates some deep looks, but if South Carolina can find that kind of production, it’s a game-changer for the beleaguered offense.
4. Luke Doty still hanging in
At times, a storyline in the vein of Luke Doty working at wide receiver is just that, an early camp storyline that just fizzles out. But Doty’s pass catching hasn’t.
Even as he’s not in the top group of wide receivers, he’s firmly on the second unit, ahead of players such as Josh Vann and OrTre Smith. Even if he’s No. 6 on the list, that would mean getting in on some plays, not to mention perhaps a change-up package on offense. The staff has remained high on Doty’s passing skills.
He’s not played receiver since his sophomore season of high school, when he moved there to catch passes from a more veteran QB.
5. Clarity in Gamecocks secondary, maybe less so at linebacker?
Building a defensive backfield is usually about plugging holes first and then figuring out what depth can come together. Simply put, a team needs at least five players with some level of reliability. The Gamecocks knew Jaycee Horn, Israel Mukuamu and Jammie Robinson would provide that, and all indications have R.J. Roderick at least holding his own.
And when they need to get to five defensive backs, it appears Cam Smith is the leader on that front. When he goes in, Mukuamu slides over to safety. Someone else’s emergence might change that, but for the moment that looks like the top group.
Linebacker is less certain, as top middle ‘backer Ernest Jones has been out with an appendix issue and a quad put Rosendo Louis on the shelf. Damani Staley has stepped up in the middle, moving over from the weakside. The most logical trio at the top remains Jones in the middle, Sherrod Greene on the weakside and Brad Johnson on the strongside, but there seems to be more to shake out around them.
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
