Three under the radar Gamecocks who USC needs to contribute at Missouri
South Carolina’s teetering toward a postseason berth.
A month ago that might’ve seemed crazy, yet here USC stands at 5-4 and 2-4 in Southeastern Conference play with three games remaining. South Carolina has perhaps its best shot at getting that elusive sixth win Saturday against Missouri.
The Gamecocks will need its stars to shine bright on what should be a chilly day in the other Columbia. But big afternoons from a few under-the-radar guys could go a long way:
RB MarShawn Lloyd
MarShawn Lloyd has been slightly less prolific than we might’ve expected in his first full season in Columbia. Perhaps that’s unfair given Lloyd is coming off a major knee surgery that can take up to two years to find full comfort after.
That said, the dynamic second-year tailback looked the part of his top-50 recruiting ranking when he ripped off a 40-yard run in the third quarter of last week’s win over Florida.
Lloyd finished the day with 46 yards on seven carries as he ditched the brace he’d been wearing on his left knee for the first time in a game this season. He’s been mostly relegated to third or fourth fiddle behind Kevin Harris and Juju McDowell. Former Florida State running back ZaQuandre White’s recent emergence crowds the backfield some.
If Lloyd can come on strong Saturday and late this season, he sets up another uber talented backfield for Shane Beamer’s second season.
CB Darius Rush
We heard plenty about cornerbacks Cam Smith and transfer Karon Prunty in the preseason. With Prunty not lasting much more than a month in Columbia and Smith having battled injuries, Darius Rush has seen a little more game action than we might’ve expected coming into the fall.
Rush has been susceptible in coverage a handful of times — including when he was burned for a deep touchdown at Georgia. However, there have been some bright spots as well.
The converted receiver recorded a sack during the win over Florida on Saturday. He also has 17 tackles, and his two pass breakups rank tied for third on the team.
Missouri’s defense has been a mess this season, but the Tigers have still managed to put up prolific numbers offensively. While it’s unclear who might actually start at quarterback for Eli Drinkwitz’s squad, Missouri is still averaging 265.3 passing yards per game — good for fourth in the SEC.
The Gamecocks are going to get tested in the secondary regardless of who starts under center for the Tigers. A strong day by Rush would go a long way.
TE Nick Muse
I wrote about the tight ends at length the other day, but Nick Muse had one of his best games of the season against Florida when he recorded four of South Carolina’s 14 receptions on the day.
Muse hasn’t quite replicated the form that saw him record 425 yards on 30 catches a season ago, but his blocking has significantly improved amid a muddied tight end room that also includes Jaheim Bell and recent revelation Traevon Kenion.
Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield echoed Beamer’s sentiments from the summer on Wednesday that USC wants and needs to include its tight ends in the offense going forward. It only stands to help receivers get open on the outside and create mismatches on the inside.
Bell has been a monster when called upon this season. His 286 yards are almost double that of anyone else on the roster that’s not named Josh Vann. Throw Muse — who has a track record for making plays in the passing game — alongside Bell, and South Carolina can create all sorts of problems for a Missouri defense that’s allowed double as many passing touchdowns as it has recorded interceptions in 2021.
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 12:00 PM.
