Five South Carolina football players who are headed for breakout seasons in 2021
South Carolina is in rebuilding mode.
After the ousting of Will Muschamp in December, the Gamecocks are heading toward their first season under the direction of head coach Shane Beamer. Still not far removed from three consecutive 11-win seasons under Steve Spurrier, it’s on Beamer to help return USC to its not so distant past.
With that in mind, these five Gamecocks could be poised for breakout seasons in 2021:
Colten Gauthier/Jason Brown
Initially, this spot was going to be reserved for quarterback Luke Doty. Life comes at you fast.
After Doty went down with a foot injury Friday that Shane Beamer later described as a “sprain,” South Carolina suddenly looks to be in need of a new man under center. Enter Colten Gauthier and Jason Brown.
Brown came to USC after a largely effective career at FCS school St. Francis (Pennsylvania). He finished his career with the Red Flash completing 253-of-411 passes for 3,124 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions over 18 games (12 starts).
Gauthier’s high school numbers were middle of the road for a player of his caliber in Georgia private school ball, but the freshman has been lauded for his maturity and grasping of the playbook since arriving on campus in January.
It’s unclear which of Brown or Gauthier will get the chance to be QB1, but whichever does will be thrust into an immediate impact role.
Zacch Pickens
Will Muschamp had his faults, but landing Zacch Pickens was as big a recruiting win as South Carolina has had in years.
The former five-star recruit has progressed nicely since arriving on campus and is slotted for a major role in this year’s retooled defense. Pickens has appeared in all 22 games the Gamecocks have played the past two seasons and that shouldn’t change this fall.
Slotted alongside senior Rick Sandidge on the interior, he’ll be part of a ferocious Gamecocks defensive line.
MarShawn Lloyd
With Kevin Harris’ bill of health still slightly uncertain, MarShawn Lloyd has an early chance to cement himself as the top tailback in Columbia.
Lloyd’s hype train has grown increasingly loud as the offseason has rolled along. The former top-50 recruit came to South Carolina as an expected immediate contributor but a knee injury last fall camp sidelined him the whole year.
Lloyd has looked dynamic through the first practices this fall and should be a major factor in the Gamecock offense assuming he recovers to 100 percent.
Cam Smith
With Karon Prunty headed for a new destination, Cam Smith should now become the most important defensive back on South Carolina’s roster in 2021.
Smith has shown bits and pieces of being a lockdown corner and playmaker at the Southeastern Conference level over the past two seasons. The problem? He gave up just a few too many big plays.
The Columbia-area product is currently rehabbing from a broken bone in his foot, but is expected to be back in time for the Sept. 4 opener against Eastern Illinois. If Smith comes back fully healthy and gets a touch more consistent in coverage, he’ll be one of the better defensive backs in the league this fall.
Josh Vann
Josh Vann arrived on campus with mammoth expectations. The Gamecocks landed the one-time four-star recruit over Georgia, Vann’s hometown team. But in four years in Columbia, the former prized recruit has been largely uninspiring.
Vann has been running with the first-team offense to open camp alongside Wingate transfer Jalen Brooks. With Shi Smith off to the NFL, the Gamecocks will need to replace his 57 catches from a season ago. Vann should be a guy that directly benefits in an offense hunting for playmakers at receiver.
