Can South Carolina’s defense stay elite despite all its roster turnover?
Faith in a college football team often comes down to one thing: Do you trust the coaching staff?
Do you trust their recruiting? Their evaluation? Their ability to develop?
Every year, starters leave and question marks arise. Who’s gonna replace this guy? Who’s gonna replace that guy? And the answers are always unknown, forcing fan bases to throw their trust behind some transfer-portal addition or an underclassman with little playing experience.
Last year, faith in South Carolina’s defense revolved around believing that head coach Shane Beamer, defensive coordinator Clayton White and the rest of the defensive staff brought in the right guys. And, well, things worked out: edge Dylan Stewart (check), edge Kyle Kennard (check), edge Demetrius Knight Jr. (check), CB Judge Collier (check).
South Carolina filled its weaknesses with portal acquisitions (Kennard and Knight), stellar recruiting (Stewart) and development (Collier). Which now leads us to 2025 and the question: Did the coaches strike gold, or can they replicate that success?
The Gamecocks have their work cut out for them.
South Carolina lost seven starters from its 2024 squad. It lost its best player in the secondary (S Nick Emmanwori). It lost its top three linebackers (Knight, Debo Williams and Bam Martin-Scott). It lost its sack leader (Kennard). And it lost its top four defensive tackles (TJ Sanders, Tonka Hemingway, Boogie Huntley and Deandre Jules).
That’s a ton to replace, meaning that the Gamecocks’ margin for error on evaluating and developing its personnel is much slimmer.
They’re now counting on a bunch of defensive tackles who have yet to have really productive college seasons — Nick Barrett, Monkell Goodwine, Texas A&M transfer Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy — to take a major step forward.
They’re counting on sophomore linebacker Fred “JayR” Johsnon being the real deal and two other guys stepping up.
They’re counting on someone to be able to complement Stewart on the edge — whether that’s Bryan Thomas Jr. or Missouri transfer Jaylen Brown or maybe one of the freshmen.
It seems hard to think that, knowing all that South Carolina’s defense lost, that the Gamecocks could match some of their 2024 stats: No. 4 total defense in the SEC, No. 5 scoring defense, No. 4 rush defense, 41 sacks, 14 interceptions. On and on.
But then again, who would have thought Knight and Kennard would have become what they did?
25 QUESTIONS FOR THE 2025 SEASON:
No. 25 — What South Carolina positions have the most question marks heading into season?
No. 24 — A Gamecocks victory over Va. Tech would be biggest season-opening win since when?
No. 23 — How will South Carolina’s QB room shake out in 2025 and beyond?
No. 22 — If USC beat Bama or LSU in ’24, would national conversation be different right now?
No. 21 — Can the Gamecocks’ offensive line take a step forward in 2025?
No. 20 — What former South Carolina football player will get his jersey retired next?
No. 19 — Can South Carolina get to the LSU game undefeated?
No. 18 — Will Fred Johnson be South Carolina’s next great LB?
No. 17 — What’s the most important stretch in USC’s 2025 schedule?
No. 16 — Can South Carolina’s defense stay elite despite all its roster turnover?
No. 15 — What South Carolina school records could be broken in 2025?
No. 14 — What’s the ceiling for USC’s running backs, with or without Rahsul Faison?
No. 13 — Can South Carolina’s special teams get back to Beamer Ball standard?
No. 12 — Have Gamecocks found right balance of high school football talent, transfers?
No. 11 — How will Shane Beamer go viral this year with South Carolina?
No. 10 — Is South Carolina too young at wide receiver?
No. 9 — Is this South Carolina’s easiest schedule in the Shane Beamer era?
No. 8 — Will there be noticeable changes in Mike Shula’s offense at South Carolina?
No. 7 — Can South Carolina football stay relatively healthy again in 2025?
No. 6 — Is this the last year for Williams-Brice Stadium as we know it?
No. 5 — What does a path to the playoff look like for South Carolina?
No. 4 — What happens if South Carolina football is no longer an underdog?
No. 3 — How would a 10-win season in 2025 shape Shane Beamer’s legacy in Columbia?
No. 2 — Can Dylan Stewart have a better season than Jadeveon Clowney did in 2012?
No. 1 — Can LaNorris Sellers become the best QB in South Carolina history?
This story was originally published July 4, 2025 at 7:30 AM.
