Top 50 Gamecocks of all time: 40-31

By David Cloninger

dcloninger@thestate.com

Updated July 10, 2015 4:08 PM

How to determine the best?

Is it career honors, career records, that one standout performance that keyed a crucial victory? Is it a banner or retired jersey hanging in the stadium? Is it because those are the names answered when asked, “Who was the greatest?”

Research plus interviews with former players, staff and fans have yielded a list of the top 50 South Carolina football players of all time. Be sure to weigh in on where you agree or disagree with our list.

Note: Professional careers were not taken into account. The list reflects what each did at USC. We will reveal the next 10 in the list each day this week.

Top 50 Gamecocks of all time: 50-41

40	DEL WILKES, OL, 1980-81, 1983-84 A backup who became a starter in 1983, Wilkes was described as “just now figuring out how good he can become.” That was apparent in 1984, when Wilkes posted a consensus All-American senior year as part of the “Black Magic” squad. The Gamecocks’ multitude of veer-offense running backs knew all they had to do was follow No. 62 into the hole and voila – wide holes and a clear path to the edge would appear. Wilkes wasn’t credited for any of the 2,761 yards the Gamecocks piled up that year, but perhaps he should have been.
39	ALEX HAWKINS, RB, 1956-58 One of only two Gamecocks to ever be named conference player of the year, Hawkins took the ACC’s prize in 1958 and was also named a third-team All-American. He ended with 1,490 career yards and led USC to 19 wins in three years – at the time, it was the second-most successful three-year period in program history, behind 20 wins from 1924-26.
38	KEVIN LONG, RB, 1973-76 One of the few 1,000-yard rushers in program history, Long was a pulling guard in high school and was brought to USC as a linebacker. Desiring to be like Jim Brown and not quiet about it, Long finally earned his shot in Jim Carlen’s split-veer system. Still ninth in career yards (2,372), Long’s greatest accomplishment was his 1,000-yard season in 1975. He and Clarence Williams toted the ball so much throughout that year that the two became interchangeable. Speaking of …
37	CLARENCE WILLIAMS, RB, 1974-76 Long did it first, breaking 1,000 yards in the 10th game of the 1975 season. Williams followed him a week later and ended with 1,073 for the season (60 behind Long) and 2,311 for his career (61 behind Long). Why, with lesser numbers, is Williams ahead of Long? Because of a lesser number – Williams had seven less career carries but still the same yards per carry average (5.3) as Long.
36	FRED ZEIGLER, WR, 1967-69 The Gamecocks’ first great receiver, Zeigler finished his career as the program leader in receptions and yardage. He caught a pass in 29 straight games, a record that stood until a Sharpe-er talent came along. Still ninth in history with 1,876 yards and seventh with 146 catches, Zeigler was a two-time all-ACC pick and helped win USC’s only conference title.
35	FRANK MINCEVICH, OL, 1952-54 An all-ACC guard his final two years and an All-American as a senior, Mincevich paved the way for 13 wins in 1953 and 1954. Helping Clyde “Mule” Bennett get loose or protecting Johnny Gramling (USC’s first 2000-yard passer), Mincevich seemed as immovable as a chunk of granite.
34	ROBERT BROOKS, WR/KR, 1988-91 One of the most graceful and versatile athletes in school history, Brooks came along at a period of air-it-out offense and superior playmakers – yet still made his mark right away. As a freshman against Georgia, Brooks hauled in a one-handed touchdown pass without the kind of stickum-laced gloves that are standard equipment these days. He went on to a solid four-year stint as kickoff returner and an outstanding career as a receiver, posting 2,211 yards (sixth) and 19 touchdowns, a record that stood until 2006.
33	WILLIE SCOTT, TE, 1977-80 Regarded as the best at his position in program history, Scott could catch – but he could also block, which came in handy in a backfield anchored by a Heisman Trophy winner. Scott caught 70 balls for 896 yards and seven touchdowns in a four-year career. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Newberry native provided a punishing presence when clearing lanes over marauding defensive linemen and a perfect safety net for a quick-strike first-down pass.
32	STEPHON GILMORE, DB, 2009-11 A standout talent who posted nearly 200 tackles, eight interceptions, four recovered fumbles and 17 broken-up passes, Gilmore helped lead the defense in a period of prosperity. The Gamecocks won their only SEC East championship and posted their first 11-win season with him in the secondary, but they also became much more than a slight consideration for high-school recruits. Once Gilmore, a player that could have gone anywhere, committed to USC, it opened the door for other recruits, in-state and otherwise, to look the Gamecocks’ way. Some were the spine of future success.
31	THOMAS DENDY, RB, 1982-85 How’d he stand out among a roster stocked with running backs and an offense designed to run with anyone that could get the ball in their hands? By being the best of them. Dendy logged 2,767 yards at an eye-popping 5.6 yards per (the best since Carl Brazell had 5.7 in the early 1950s, and Brazell had less than half as many attempts), anchoring every team he played for, including the 1984 “Black Magic” season. Dendy led the team in rushing in all four of his seasons and still ranks fifth on the career chart.