Luke Doty helping at a new position. Muschamp breaks down QB performance in scrimmage
Four-star South Carolina freshman quarterback Luke Doty caught some attention with the way he’s balanced two positions in his first camp with the Gamecocks, splitting time between signal caller and receiver.
He appears to have added another role to the mix.
USC coach Will Muschamp said on his weekly radio show Thursday that Doty is chipping in at a new spot: special teams. The well-built passer is a dual-threat player and seems to have a high enthusiasm level.
“He came up to me on Monday, said, ‘You keep worrying about the gunner position on punt. Put me at gunner,’” Muschamp said. “He goes, ‘I’m one of the fastest guys on the team.’ So he’s a gunner now, too.”
Gunners are the edge players on punt who race downfield to ideally be the first tackler on a returner. Deebo Samuel put his considerable talents to use at gunner during his time as a Gamecock.
A few days before volunteering, Doty also got in his first work in garnet and black at Williams-Brice Stadium in the team’s first scrimmage. Muschamp said incumbent starter Ryan Hilinski was the player of the day at the scrimmage, contributing some nice explosive plays.
The coach also gave a breakdown of each passer.
▪ “Ryan did some really good things for us Saturday. His experience last year certainly has paid off as he continues to improve and get better.”
▪ (Colorado State transfer) “Collin (Hill) is very comfortable in the system. He feels very comfortable in the run game, the protections, different things we’re doing, route concept-wise and throws the ball extremely well. He’s got a Sunday arm, no question.”
▪ “I’ve been so proud of Luke and how he’s played and how he’s contributed playing two positions. Played some receiver, played some quarterback. ... He was on the field a bunch.”
Former Gamecock QB Todd Ellis, who hosted the show Thursday, was at the scrimmage and lavished praise on Hill and his arm, comparing the ball he throws to Anthony Wright, who went on from his time in Columbia to a decade on NFL rosters.
