How South Carolina is managing limited numbers at tight end during spring practice
Jody Wright isn’t the world’s biggest guy.
South Carolina’s new tight ends coach is smaller in stature compared with the players in his group. But given the opportunity right now, Wright can just about get his hands on every active player at the position in one swoop.
“They get a lot of hands-on coaching,” Wright said through a smirk, “because I can put my hands on all three of them at the same time.”
The Gamecocks’ tight end room profiles as a strength this fall. Oklahoma transfer Austin Stogner is on the way as soon as he wraps up classes in Norman. Newly minted wide back Jaheim Bell should also factor in at the position.
But with Bell banged up and Stogner still not in Columbia, South Carolina ran with just three tight ends during the open portion of Thursday’s practice. Wright’s taking the limitations in stride.
“We tell them every day, ‘You better hydrate,’ ” Wright said. “(They) better extra hydrate (right now), because you’re going to get a lot of reps.”
That South Carolina is as thin as it is at tight end right now is a product of roster movement over the past two years. Keveon Mullins transferred, landing at Jackson State after the 2021 season. Keshawn Toney also left the program in January, shortly after Beamer was hired.
The Gamecocks are now left with Traevon Kenion — who’s been limited by an ankle injury and required heavy taping on Thursday — third-year walk-on Jesse Sanders and receiver Chad Terrell to rep at tight end.
Kenion looked smooth in his route-running during the portion of Thursday’s practice that was open to reporters. He flashed the mitts that helped him to four receptions, 49 yards receiving and a touchdown last year in a mostly reserve role. He should still find himself onto the field behind Stogner and Bell at points, assuming he continues to progress.
Terrell, too, earned praise for stepping into the shorthanded group. The Mississippi native has struggled to stay healthy during his five-plus years at South Carolina, tearing both of his ACLs in that span. At 6-foot-3, 222 pounds, he’s got the size and pass-catching ability to give the Gamecocks depth at tight end at least until Bell gets healthy and Stogner arrives.
“Chad Terrell is a wide receiver that’s a bigger body that we put in there just to do some tight end, H-back type stuff,” Beamer explained on Tuesday. “Just trying to get (him) reps.”
“He’s really picked up (tight end) well, competed,” Wright added. “Playing a new position, there’s nothing you can do to take the place of reps when the bullets are flying.”
South Carolina won’t be shorthanded at tight end for long — at least in theory. Beamer downplayed a report last week that Bell is done for the spring and is optimistic he could hypothetically return in the near future. Stogner should be on campus sooner than later as well, though it’s still a bit of a moving target as to when he’ll get to Columbia.
USC will also add Chapin product and former Appalachian State commit Zavier Short over the summer. Short flipped his pledge to the Gamecocks late in the process and projects as an H-back at the next level.
“I need to get on his weight program,” Wright quipped of Short’s strength.
Kenion, Sanders and Terrell will continue to get their reps for now. Offensive lineman Wyatt Campbell even donned a No. 80 jersey, indicating he could receive time as an eligible receiver on the end of the formation depending on the offense’s formation.
Wright joked he told offensive line coach Greg Adkins he’d buy his entire group Chick-fil-A in exchange for letting Campbell run at tight end full time.
That offer hasn’t been accepted yet — at least publicly —but the time between now, Bell’s return and Stogner’s arrival is giving a handful of Gamecocks short on experience a chance to play more snaps than they’ve ever been required.
Sooner or later Wright won’t be able to wrap his arms around his entire position group. On Thursday, though, he only needed to stretch a touch to get a hand on Kenion, Sanders and Terrell as he coaxed the trio through positional work.
