How Juju McDowell, Christian-Beal Smith plan to anchor South Carolina run game in bowl
There’s an ease about South Carolina running back Christian Beal-Smith.
He comes off as an old soul, soft-spoken and thoughtful. He intently thinks through his answers to reporters. He gives off a vibe befitting of a player in his fifth year with just one game remaining in his career.
Compare that with his boisterous, always outspoken running mate Juju McDowell, and you can see why their two personalities complement one another in a way their running styles should, too, on the field in this week’s Gator Bowl.
“Speed and power,” Beal-Smith said of how the two’s rushing approaches work with one another. “I’m used to being in the tackles and Juju is really good in space. I feel like we can switch it up.”
South Carolina’s running back room certainly looks different than it did a month ago when USC fans stormed the field in Death Valley following an upset win over No. 8 Clemson. Leading rusher MarShawn Lloyd and do-it-all tight end Jaheim Bell have since both entered the transfer portal, the latter already landing at Florida State. That duo alone combined for 56% of the Gamecocks’ 1,480 rushing yards this year.
That leaves the tandem of Beal-Smith and McDowell to shoulder the rushing load in Friday’s bowl matchup against No. 21 Notre Dame
“I feel like it’s going to be great complementary football,” McDowell said. “We’ve still got a great stable of backs, missing a couple, but yeah. It’s going to be a great 1-2, (or) 1-2-3 punch. We didn’t lose too much from the run game.”
That Beal-Smith ought to be a key cog in the gameplan is a welcome sight for Gamecocks fans. The Wake Forest transfer hasn’t been able to fully get his feet under him this season, as injuries have limited his availability.
Still, there have been flashes.
Beal-Smith physically looks the part of the running back who led the Demon Deacons each of the last two years in rushing before he arrived in Columbia. He’s a bruising, downhill runner at 5-foot-9, 205 pounds with more open-field burst than one might expect.
Take his 52-yard run in the win over Vanderbilt as proof of concept. Taking a handoff, Beal-Smith started toward the middle of the line before bouncing outside and outrunning the Commodore defense to the end zone.
“It was tough (being injured) because I know I could’ve helped the team out a lot,” he said. “It was just something I never experienced in my career. It was tough on me.
“Just being out there on the football field makes my day,” Beal-Smith continued. “Happy to be out there and contributing to the team.”
McDowell, both in press conferences and with the ball in his hand, has always been exciting. He’s a smaller back at 5-foot-9, 177 pounds, but his track-like speed and shiftiness make him a dangerous threat in the open field.
That same electricity can be seen in the way he carries himself around the practice field. McDowell always flashes an ear-to-ear grin. He’s consistently among those dancing to the blaring music during warmups, and he greets his coaches with an effervescence matched by few, if any, inside the program.
During a media scrum on Wednesday, head coach Shane Beamer popped by to pat McDowell on the back. The latter whipped around to see his head coach and flashed that trademark smirk.
“What’s up, baby?” McDowell said through a laugh.
What South Carolina’s offense actually looks like this week remains to be seen. Beamer has opted to keep who will call the plays close to his vest following the departure of offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield to Nebraska.
And outside of Beal-Smith and McDowell, USC tailbacks Dante Miller and Rashad Amos have seen limited carries this season.
Beal-Smith suggested there could be a bit of a mixing and matching his and McDowell’s skillsets in some kind of two-back look. Informed what Beal-Smith had leaked, McDowell shouted across the pavement at his backfield mate.
“Mannnnn,” he said exasperatedly, rubbing his eyes with left hand. “Christian, you’re talking to much bro.”
“I don’t know what to expect, honestly,” McDowell continued. “There’s been talk about that package but we don’t know what to expect. We’re going to see at the same time. Hopefully everything works out with the gameplan.”
South Carolina may be down its top two rushers from the regular season, but never mind those losses.
McDowell and Beal-Smith still ooze confidence, and smiling all along the way.
South Carolina running back stats
x-denotes transfer
- x-MarShawn Lloyd — 111 carries for 573 yards, 9 TDs
- x-Jaheim Bell — 12-261, 3
- Juju McDowell — 12-191, 2
- Christian Beal-Smith — 8-148, 5
- Dante Miller — 6-38, 0
- Rashad Amos — 1-9, 0
Gator Bowl game, TV info
Who: No. 19 South Carolina (8-4) vs. No. 21 Notre Dame (8-4)
Where: TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.
When: 3:30 p.m. Friday
TV: ESPN
Line: Notre Dame by 3.5
This story was originally published December 28, 2022 at 6:00 PM.
