3 reasons for optimism, 3 reasons for concern as South Carolina opens 2021 season
South Carolina is only a few days out from its season opener against Eastern Illinois as the Shane Beamer era nears its start.
Here are three reasons for optimism and three reasons for concern heading into the 2021 campaign that starts Saturday:
Reasons for optimism
▪ New coaching staff
There’s always a level of excitement when it comes to a new staff. Shane Beamer has brought that and then some.
Beamer has spent the bulk of the offseason riling up boosters and fans with his positivity and effervescent personality. In stops around South Carolina on the Welcome Home Tour, Beamer was greeted with optimism and excitement.
South Carolina has its share of issues heading into the 2021 campaign (I’ll get to those in a minute). Beamer is also well aware he remains in the honeymoon stage until things actually kick off on Saturday as well.
That said, fans are enthused about the beginning of a new era. Time will tell if it’s successful.
▪ Talented tailback tandem
South Carolina brings back the Southeastern Conference’s leading rusher and a former top-50 recruit in Kevin Harris and MarShawn Lloyd. Combine the two and you’ve got one of the best running back duos not only in the league, but in the country.
This, of course, comes with a caveat. Harris continues to recover from a back procedure and it’s unclear whether he’ll be ready to go come Week 1 against Eastern Illinois. If he is, he’ll look to improve on his 1,138-yard, 15-touchdown campaign last fall.
Lloyd, like Harris, would be a bell cow in most every other offense in America. He’s shifty and speedy, but can pack a physical punch despite his 5-foot-10 frame.
If South Carolina can find a rhythm with both Lloyd and Harris, the Gamecocks will have a serious offensive threat in Marcus Satterfield’s first season as offensive coordinator.
▪ Defensive line depth
By now you’ve heard about South Carolina’s defensive line ad nauseam, but indulge me for a few more sentences.
The Gamecocks bring back a potential first round NFL Draft pick in defensive end Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare. Former five-star recruits Zacch Pickens and Jordan Burch are in the fold once more. So too are training camp standout Aaron Sterling and interior staple Jabari Ellis. Rick Sandidge should also be added to the equation assuming he can get back healthy, whenever that might be.
South Carolina’s defense is going through a facelift. Losing a handful of crucial secondary pieces (more on that in a second) and a new defensive coordinator will do that. If the Gamecocks are able to improve on their 10th-place finish in total defense in the SEC a season ago, it’ll start with the playmakers up front.
Reasons for concern
▪ Secondary overhaul
Jaycee Horn became just the third South Carolina defensive back since 2000 taken in the first 15 picks when the Carolina Panthers selected him with ninth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Losing Horn will have a major ripple effect in Columbia.
Heading into their first season under defensive coordinator Clayton White, the Gamecocks must improve on a secondary that allowed 256.1 passing yards per game a season ago — which ranked seventh in the SEC and 97th nationally.
Redshirt sophomore corner Cam Smith has shown flashes of brilliance, but was too susceptible in pass coverage a season ago. He has to take a step forward in limiting big plays whenever he recovers from a broken bone in his foot.
South Carolina did add Assumption College (Massachusetts) defensive back Carlins Platel and junior college transfer Marcellas Dial to the mix in hopes of patching together a leaky back end. Darius Rush should also be in the mix to start the season at cornerback.
▪ Who’s going to make plays?
Flipping sides, South Carolina will have to find offensive playmakers not named Lloyd or Harris.
Shi Smith finished his wildly productive career at USC and parlayed it into a shot with the Carolina Panthers. Now South Carolina has to replace him, too.
The Gamecocks return transfer Jalen Brooks and former four-star recruit Josh Vann, though neither has shown enough over a complete season to inspire confidence.
Redshirt junior Dakereon Joyner is also back as he completes a full transition to receiver after bouncing between quarterback and wideout the past few seasons. Joyner is an athletic freak, but he’s still learning the position and it’s unclear what can be expected of him.
South Carolina also adds St. Francis (Pennsylvania) transfer E.J. Jenkins to the mix. Jenkins is a massive target at 6-foot-7 and has split time between tight end and receiver. He ought to be a nice piece in the red zone.
South Carolina wide receivers coach Justin Stepp did wonders with an Arkansas receivers room that was a mess upon his arrival in Fayetteville in 2018. He’ll have to work a little magic in morphing the 2021 group in Columbia into a stable of reliable pass catchers.
▪ Quarterback play
When Luke Doty can actually get back to full health remains to be seen, but that may not cure all ills.
Doty, who’s currently dealing with a sprained foot, ran away with USC’s quarterback competition in the spring. He still hasn’t had a full season as a collegiate starter. Heck, he spent as much time practicing at wide receiver last year as he did under center.
Beyond Doty, South Carolina named former North Dakota State and Iowa State quarterback Zeb Noland its starter heading into Week 1. He joins FCS transfer Jason Brown, freshman Colten Gauthier and walk-ons Connor Jordan and Jake Helfrich in the quarterback room after Noland was initially hired as a graduate assistant.
Noland’s addition is a unique story, but it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence USC’s staff is thrilled with what they’ve been handed in that group.
Doty has shown enough flashes to feel comfortable with him guiding things down the road. The jury is still out on whether Satterfield can coax enough out of this room to keep the offense afloat.
South Carolina Gamecocks 2021 football schedule
- Sept. 4: home vs. Eastern Illinois, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 11: at East Carolina, noon
- Sept. 18: at Georgia, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 25: home vs. Kentucky
- Oct. 2: home vs. Troy
- Oct. 9: at Tennessee
- Oct. 16: home vs. Vanderbilt
- Oct. 23: at Texas A&M
- Oct. 30: OPEN
- Nov. 6: home vs. Florida
- Nov. 13: at Missouri
- Nov. 20: home vs. Auburn
- Nov. 27: home vs. Clemson
This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 8:56 AM.
