New faces emerge for USC’s offense. So what does that mean for last year’s stars?
With new additions on offense, the roles of certain players for South Carolina have changed from a year ago.
Some of the team’s top players in 2021, such as Dakereon Joyner and Josh Vann, haven’t been used much through two games. Beamer cited the addition of new weapons on offense, and that how players perform in practice factors into who gets the ball in games.
Joyner, who has battled a calf injury this summer, didn’t play in the opener and was a brief participant in Saturday’s 44-30 loss to Arkansas. Vann, last year’s leading pass catcher, has one reception in two games in 2022.
Despite a difficult start Saturday, the team managed to make some plays passing the ball. This was led primarily by newcomer Antwane Wells’ 185-yard, one touchdown performance.
“You’ve got to practice. The guys that practice the best are the ones who are going to play on Saturday,” Beamer said Sunday night in his weekly teleconference. “It’s not like we had a plan to throw the ball to Juice Wells like we did (Saturday). Juice Wells practices his ever-living rear end off. It shows on Saturdays. I’m not saying Josh doesn’t. ...
“Josh is a key part of this offense. Josh will continue to be a key part of this offense.”
Wells leads receivers with 15 catches. Jalen Brooks and transfer tight end Austin Stogner have six receptions each.
Beamer said he’s talked specifically to USC’s tailbacks, receivers and tight ends about the increased competition at their positions.
“If you think you’re all gonna catch 10 balls or carry the ball 25 times a game every single week, it’s not gonna happen. We’ve got more depth around you,” Beamer said. “Every single week is going to be different.”
The Gamecocks threw often against Arkansas because they felt comfortable with the matchups, Beamer said.
“We’ve got some receivers and we’ve got some tight ends that can make plays,” Beamer said after Saturday’s game. “We’ve got to continue to find ways to get them the ball and capitalize.”
Beamer felt the team improved in the passing game between the Georgia State and Arkansas games. Quarterback Spencer Rattler was more effective in the second half Saturday and ended the game with 371 passing yards. The team could have connected more often deep down the field, Beamer said, specifically on attempts to Ahmarean Brown.
As to who emerges going forward, Beamer noted the old adage that there’s only one ball to go around.
“Last year is over,” Beamer said. “Whatever the crap happened in 2021 with our football team, you don’t just get the right at any position — offense, defense, special teams — to automatically just assume that role. We compete every single day in practice. The guys that earn it in practice, they get the opportunities to play on Saturdays.”
Nick Emmanwori stands out for depleted defense
Georgia week is here, and South Carolina’s squad has some question marks.
Many of those questions come from the various injuries the team has suffered on defense and how those vacancies will be filled, particularly with starters Jordan Strachan and Mo Kaba out for the game against the Bulldogs.
Beamer spoke Sunday about how the team weathered “adversity” in Saturday’s 44-30 loss to Arkansas, with injuries being chief among the hardships.
He commended some of the team’s freshmen — such as Nick Emmanwori, DQ Smith and Stone Blanton — for filling in when needed.
“We’ve got to continue to develop depth, especially with these injuries,” Beamer said.
The play of Emmanwori has stood out. Filling in for injured senior RJ Roderick, Emmanwori is second on the team with 14 tackles and made key stops Saturday on big-bodied Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson.
The team struggled to tackle in Fayetteville, Beamer said, but Emmanwori helped in that area.
“He makes one-on-one tackles,” Beamer said. “When we’re putting together teach tapes of how we want it to look, you can point to some of his tackles from (Saturday).”
More experienced players such as Jordan Burch and Gilber Edmond saw a chunk of action, too, and Beamer named them as some of the key pieces moving forward. Burch picked up 10 tackles with one sack against Arkansas, and Edmond added four tackles to the mix.
Finding balance with the run game
South Carolina sits at 119 rushing yards over two games — they had 361 yards through Week 2 last year and averaged 137.2 per game in 2021.
The 2022 yardage is partially a result of a lack of carries by the running backs. The team’s leading back, MarShawn Lloyd, had 11 carries in the first game and seven in the second.
Lloyd has managed a rushing touchdown in each of the first two games.
“I saw signs of us being able to run the ball,” Beamer said.
Beamer attributed the touches that players do get to both matchups and what the team feels they do well, and the team looked to throw the ball more against Arkansas.
“There’s only so many plays to go around,” Beamer said. “We always want to find ways to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers.”
This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
