Midseason report card: Grading the South Carolina offense through six games
South Carolina’s season is halfway home.
With a win over No. 13 Kentucky on Saturday, USC moved to 4-2 as it headed into a bye week and toward a crucial middle portion of the 2022 schedule.
Let’s grade the offense through six games so far:
Quarterback
Grade: C
Spencer Rattler came to South Carolina as perhaps the most ballyhooed quarterback in program history. The results have been, well, mixed.
Rattler has shown the precision and “wow” factor that made him such a sought-after commodity this offseason in flashes, but that’s been coupled with underwhelming stretches.
He currently ranks eighth in the Southeastern Conference in passing (1,297 yards), 10th in touchdown passes (5) and has the most interceptions (8).
That said, Rattler has seemingly turned a corner of late. He’s completed at least 73% of his throws in each of his last three games. His sharpness also played a big part in South Carolina’s win over Kentucky this past week.
If there’s a silver lining, backup quarterback Luke Doty has looked good in spurts. He still projects as the future of the position in Columbia.
I — and others — expected more out of Rattler this fall. That’s why this grade gets dragged down.
Running back
Grade: B+
MarShawn Lloyd has been a bonafide star for South Carolina this season.
Lloyd ranks second among SEC running backs in touchdowns, while his 434 yards through six games are tied for the seventh-best mark in the league alongside Ole Miss tailback Zach Evans.
My biggest qualm, if you can even call it that, is that it took Lloyd a few weeks to get going. He was largely invisible over the Gamecocks’ first three games — recording just 75 yards and two touchdowns in contests against Georgia, Georgia State and Arkansas.
South Carolina’s backups, too, have shown in spurts, but not as consistently as we might’ve projected entering the year. Wake Forest transfer Christian Beal-Smith has battled injuries for the bulk of the 2022 season, but flashed a physical, north-south rushing ability when healthy. He’s recorded just 76 yards on 20 carries this year, though he does have three touchdowns.
Juju McDowell has also added a nice sophomore campaign to his resume. The minute speedster is second on the team with 135 yards on his 39 attempts. He also has another 75 yards on 14 catches.
Receiver
Grade: B
South Carolina, like quarterback, seemingly upgraded significantly at receiver this fall. But it’s been a bit of a mixed bag.
James Madison import Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. has largely been a revelation. He torched Arkansas for 189 yards and a touchdown, while his 42-yard screen score on Saturday broke open the win over Kentucky. He needs to be more consistent in the back half of the slate, but his big-play potential has been a major add.
Jalen Brooks has also burst back onto the scene in 2022. Brooks was away from the team for undisclosed reasons after six games in 2021. He’s developed as good a rapport with Rattler as anyone this year, sitting second on the team with 335 yards. Brooks’ 16.75 yards per catch are also almost three yards better than anyone on South Carolina’s roster.
Outside of Brooks and Wells, it’s been a quieter first half of the season for the rest of the receiver room. Ahmarean Brown has flashed in spurts, but hasn’t had more than three catches in a game. Last year’s leading receiver, Josh Vann, has also fallen off significantly, notching just five total receptions for 29 yards.
Tight End
Grade: C
South Carolina’s loaded tight end room has been erratic through the first six games of 2022.
Do-it-all weapon Jaheim Bell currently ranks fourth on the team in receiving, but he’s recorded more than two catches in a contest just once this year. That’s not good enough for a player that was discussed as a possible first-round draft pick entering the season.
Oklahoma transfer Austin Stogner has come on more of late, though he hasn’t quite taken off like some — myself included — thought he might. Stogner ranks just behind Bell with 10 catches for 119 yards and one touchdown. He has been valuable as a blocker on the edge, as well.
Nate Adkins has factored into the game plan more and more of late, though his production has come mostly as a blocker at tight end and fullback. He’s been a nice complementary piece to this unit, even if he only has one catch for two yards.
Offensive line
Grade: B
The Gamecocks’ offensive line was a mess to start the season, but it has seemingly turned a corner.
South Carolina has allowed only one sack in its last four games dating back to the loss to Georgia. Its three best pass-blocking efforts of the year, per Pro Football Focus, have also come in the last three weeks.
Jovaughn Gwyn has continued to be a mauler at guard, earning SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following the Kentucky win. He’ll need to continue his play into the second half.
South Carolina has rotated a few bodies given injuries along the line. That’s led to extended time for reserves Tyshawn Wannamaker and Jakai Moore, who rank as the two best run blockers on the team, per PFF.
USC has been without offensive line coach Greg Adkins since the S.C. State game, but interim Lonnie Teasley has gotten a pair of solid performances out of this group. South Carolina will hope the recent trends are more par for the course on the back half of the schedule.
This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 6:40 AM.
