Will Muschamp, Gamecocks might have found the right combination at a crucial position
The hype that builds around offensive lines in college football is seemingly a constant around programs, and the phenomenon seems to happen often at South Carolina.
Lines usually have some starters back. Some of the reserves have experience. Each year projects as the one when things come together.
This offseason certainly had those overtones, with junior college transfer Jazston Turnetine slotted in at left tackle to complete the group. Only he didn’t make the opening day starting lineup, and the team struggled along the outside.
But after he worked himself back into condition, he got the start last week. Things weren’t perfect, but USC coach Will Muschamp thinks the team might have its group for the rest of the year.
“Moving Dylan (Wonnum) back right tackle is his natural position, no question,” Muschamp said. “I think we’ve got our best five out there right now. I think it is time to get to that point, sometimes for some different reasons and I think I’ve explained some of them.”
He mentioned that COVID-19 layoff cost some linemen between 12-16 pounds of muscle and some conditioning. He’d already noted that it left Turnetine out of shape.
The 6-foot-7 junior college All-American couldn’t hold that job, which moved Wonnum, a former four-star recruit, to the left side and created a carousel of younger players on the right side.
The inside has been more stable, with Sadarius Hutcherson as a veteran anchor, Eric Douglas showing well as a first-year starter and Jovaughn Gwyn working to get his power back after the layoff.
But Turnetine seemed to complete things to a degree in the start against Auburn.
“Jazz did some good things,” Muschamp said. “He got a lot of displacement in the run game. I think the thing that Jazz continues to find is a consistency of play.
“Continue just to make sure that we’re assignment-wise, technique-wise we’re more consistent and that’s something he’ll continue to to grow into as he plays more and more.”
The offensive line has been a problem area for much of the Muschamp era. The groups his first two years were inconsistent, though the 2018 unit was probably a high-water mark.
A poor opener in 2019 led to several benchings and younger, more raw players getting thrown in. Then Wonnum was out of the lineup, forcing true freshmen to start.
In the new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo’s scheme, the group is being called upon to execute more downhill running and thus far has shown promise. If Turnetine’s arrival can get the pass blocking in order, it could mean the kind of group the program has been looking for the past few years.
The changes certainly have the attention of LSU coach Ed Orgeron, a defensive line coach by trade whose defense has to deal with the group this coming week.
“They’re very good on their double team blocks,” Orgeron said. “They’re very well coached. Their center can handle a nose tackle one on one, he can reach him and in our game the nose tackle can’t get handled by a center, he’s got to get a double team. I think that they are better run blockers right now than they are in past protection. They’ve struggled in past protection. That’s why they made a change. I think they’re getting better at it, but their quick game enables them to hide maybe a guy that is not as strong and pass protection.”
South Carolina (2-2) at LSU (1-2)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
TV: ESPN
Line: LSU by 7
This story was originally published October 20, 2020 at 5:10 AM.
