Need more reasons to be optimistic about South Carolina’s offense? Look at receivers
You can hear the excitement in Josh Vann’s voice. It’s subtle, even understated or shy, but it’s there.
South Carolina’s offense might’ve ranked among the Southeastern Conference’s worst last season. This year, though, the Gamecocks have playmakers to work with — and it starts at receiver.
“Upcoming season,” Vann said Wednesday, “it’ll be a show.”
Oklahoma import Spencer Rattler garners most of the headlines, and rightfully so. Rattler is, on paper, the most talented quarterback South Carolina has signed in the modern era.
He entered last season as a Heisman Trophy contender and a perceived top NFL Draft pick. Things went awry in Norman, but now that Rattler is in Columbia, there’s a hope he can morph back into the player who was anointed as the next great signal-caller at OU.
But as dynamic as Rattler is, it may well be USC’s suddenly deep receiving corps of Vann, Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. and Xavier Legette, among others, that can help unlock his potential and set the offense in a direction that more closely resembles what offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield wanted out of the unit a year ago.
“They all have different skill sets,” Rattler said. “Xavier is a bigger guy, so he’ll go up and get it. Real strong hands, tall, can get up there, fast. Josh is more of the shifty type. He can get open and can make some plays after the catch. And then Juice, I feel like he’s just all around. He’s fast. He can be strong. He’s got good hands. They’re all confident, all great players.”
Bringing Vann back was a big part of overhauling this year’s offense. The former four-star recruit had struggled to carve a niche over his three years with the program. But under the tutelage of receivers coach Justin Stepp, the birth of his first child and a renewed focus, Vann evolved into one of the SEC’s best receivers.
The Georgia native in 2021 led the Gamecocks in yards receiving, receptions and tied for the team lead in touchdowns receiving. Vann also ranked 10th among all SEC pass catchers in yards receiving, thrice recording over 100 yards in games against East Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
He was asked on Wednesday to put the last year into words. Vann smirked, noting the biggest difference is that he wasn’t asked to participate in many, if any, media obligations before his breakout season.
“Coming up, I was kinda a hot head,” Vann joked. “I don’t think they would’ve trusted me in front of the camera.”
That Vann is back after flirting with the NFL Draft was a coup. Coupling that with the addition of James Madison transfer Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. and the seeming emergence of Xavier Legette ought to give South Carolina a trio of pass catchers for Rattler to rely on.
Wells has been a constant mention during spring camp standouts. It’s not altogether surprising, considering he ranks third all-time at JMU in career receiving touchdowns (21), ninth in career receiving yards (1,853) and ninth in career receptions (116) despite playing just 22 games during his time with the Dukes.
His former quarterback at JMU, Cole Johnson, told The State shortly after his commitment that Wells was a player who popped almost as soon as he arrived from Fork Union Military Academy. USC will hope for more of the same.
“A big part of it was, obviously, Rattler coming in and having a quarterback that he knew,” Johnson said in January. “Because I think that was one of the things that he was kind of nervous about. I’m graduating and we’d built that relationship and wasn’t sure what what was going on with the new quarterback. I think having a solidified quarterback (at South Carolina) and somebody he can trust was huge.”
Legette, too, has drawn as much praise as any player over the first 13 practices of the spring.
The former three-star recruit has battled consistency and injury issues throughout his career. An accident last year limited his availability, though he did catch the game-winning touchdown against Vanderbilt on Oct. 16.
Coaches and teammates have lauded his ability to go up and make a play while being able to out-physical most defensive backs given his 6-foot, 217 pound stature. Vann, too, broke down what he and the rest of the receiving corps can bring.
“Xavier is fast,” Vann explained. “Juice — he’s like a little bully out there. I’m like in between. ... It’s definitely a combination of if we were all out there on the field at the same time you would have to pick and choose which one you would want to cover.”
A spring game, at its core, is a glorified scrimmage. It’s a show for fans to enjoy roughly five months before a real game is actually played.
It’s also the first we’ll get a real look at Rattler and what profiles like a promising receiving corps. Take it with a grain of salt, but we may just learn a little about what South Carolina’s receivers are capable of in 2022.
USC’s projected receiver depth chart
Starters: Josh Vann, Antwane “Juice” Wells (James Madison), Dakereon Joyner
Top reserves: Xavier Legette, Ahmarean Brown, E.J. Jenkins, Corey Rucker (Arkansas State)
This story was originally published April 14, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
