5 Gamecocks who stood out in South Carolina’s spring game
A subtle excitement crept around the grounds at Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday morning.
While the Cockabooses remained parked and tailgating was kept to a minimum, 13,225 fans matriculated into the metal bleachers scattered throughout the Gamecocks’ home field as South Carolina capped off spring practices with its annual Garnet and Black spring game, albeit a day later than initially scheduled.
In one half of scrimmaging and a second filled with situational drills, onlookers received their first tangible glimpse at the 2021 Gamecocks under first-year head coach Shane Beamer. These players stood out in Sunday’s scrimmage:
RB ZaQuandre White
Beamer and offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield have spent weeks raving about senior tailback ZaQuandre White, who occupies an already crowded backfield alongside junior Kevin Harris and freshman MarShawn Lloyd.
But with Harris and Lloyd both sidelined Sunday, it was White who kept his hype train rolling with 95 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in the scrimmage portion of the spring game.
White opened Sunday’s scoring with a one-yard touchdown plunge just under four minutes into the first quarter. He finished the day with rushes of 22, 16 and 11 yards. White later added a 19-yard reception when he corralled a slip screen pass from quarterback Luke Doty and navigated through a mess of bodies for another long gain.
In all, the former Florida State signee accounted for four of South Carolina’s eight chunk plays on the afternoon and continued to look the part of a dynamic piece out of a backfield not lacking for talent.
Edge Kingsley Enagbare
With just 30 defensive players suited up during Sunday’s scrimmage on a unit that’s already lacking for playmakers, senior edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare wreaked havoc on the South Carolina backfield.
Facing an offensive line that returned four starters from a season ago — though Jakai Moore was sidelined due to injury Sunday — Enigbare finished his afternoon with a pair of sacks and three solo tackles overall.
The Atlanta native also forced a handful of quarterback hurries during the non-scrimmage portion of the day and should be among the most noticeable playmakers along a deep defensive line come fall.
DL Zacch Pickens
Alongside Enagbare, Pickens notched the lone turnover of the afternoon.
Leaping on a fumbled exchange between White and Doty in the first quarter, Pickens set up a 47-yard field goal by Mitch Jeter on the ensuing Black possession. A former five-star recruit, Pickens received recognition as the most improved Gamecock defensive player this spring and looked to have carved out a prolific slot along a loaded defensive front.
Should Pickens be able to complement what Enagbare brought on the outside, the Gamecocks should create problems along the interior.
QB Jason Brown and WR/TE E.J. Jenkins
Teammates at FCS Saint Francis in recent years, receiver/tight end E.J. Jenkins and quarterback Jason Brown provided a downfield spark on an otherwise slow passing day in Columbia.
Brown connected with Jenkins in the corner of the end zone for a 11-yard touchdown in the waning minutes of the scrimmage portion of Sunday’s spring game. The pair later hooked up for another score near the front left pylon that saw Jenkins toe-tap his way for six points during red zone offense drills.
Brown has sat as the fourth quarterback in the rotation this spring, but his connection with Jenkins Sunday gave glimpse of an intriguing one-two punch moving into the summer.
This story was originally published April 25, 2021 at 4:13 PM.
