What getting receiver Jalen Brooks eligible could mean for South Carolina’s offense
One could probably overstate the impact Division II transfer wide receiver Jalen Brooks could have on South Carolina’s offense, now that the NCAA has made him eligible.
But if things go as expected, he’ll give the Gamecocks an enormous boost for the rest of the season.
One of the weakest points for South Carolina has been receiver depth. Shi Smith has more than triple the targets of the next closest wide receiver. Brooks, by all accounts, is at least one of the three best receivers on the roster, and considering the inconsistency Xavier Legette has battled, it would probably be fair to place him at No. 2 behind Smith.
“As far as Jalen’s attributes are concerned, he can win in man coverage. He is a guy that can get on top of the coverage in man coverage and he can finish down the field,” coach Will Muschamp said. “And if you just kind of ask me what are the important qualities of any good receiver in our league and moving on for when you get to the National Football League, you got to win first man coverage. You can’t win in man coverage, you will struggle to play. And I feel strong that Jalen can win in man.”
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has been doing yeoman’s work, running the passing offense through Smith, tight end Nick Muse and USC’s running backs, but that’s a hard way to live schematically. Having Brooks could allow for less pressure on them, the ability to attack second corners more and some flexibility with tempo — Muschamp explained motion, which runs counter to high tempo, was key in getting Smith in good spots.
It also could mean an increased presence of something all Gamecocks fans want to see: the deep ball.
In the offseason, Bobo was asked about using Smith as a speed sweep player, and the former Colorado State head coach said he wasn’t sure he could afford to not use the speedster to stretch the field vertically. Instead, Smith has been more of a short- and mid-range receiver, acting as a de facto running back through the air to keep the chains moving.
Overall, the Gamecocks have been one of teams most reliant on short passing in the country (and one of the teams that has gonne deep the least), in part because of inconsistent tackles and in part to cover for some deficiencies at the playmaker spots.
Brooks was a speedster at his last school and a big body downfield. If he can bring that kind of play to the SEC level, he opens things up for the Gamecocks in a different way.
He’s also reportedly been going right at Gamecocks star corner Jaycee Horn in practice and holding his own. Horn is coming off a dominant day against Auburn that might well launch him into the All-American discussion.
South Carolina faces LSU this weekend. The Tigers have one of the worst pass defenses in the country.
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 22, 2020 at 9:55 AM.
