Gamecocks LB Jonathan Walton adapting to D with Skai Moore out

The ebbs and flows of spring practice means chances can appear or evaporate in unplanned ways.

Jonathan Walton was the beneficiary of such an opportunity falling to him.

The senior linebacker spent parts of two seasons starting, but closed out last fall as a backup getting minimal snaps. With fellow linebacker Skai Moore out of spring practice with a neck strain, Walton was in a spot to soak up reps with the first team.

And after the up-and-down close to the Steve Spurrier era, Walton is pleased with a reset at the top.

“It’s definitely a new start,” Walton said. “New people to impress, new minds. Everybody has their own thoughts. You’ve got to come out and prove a point all over again.”

Walton paired with Moore, making 61 tackles as a sophomore and 42, five for loss, as a junior. But after the first few games, Moore moved outside, pushing Walton into a reserve role.

Walton said there’s been some transition working into the new defense under coach Will Muschamp.

“Any time you try something new, it’s going to be complicated,” Walton said. “But once you put the time and investment into it and get the reps, it kind of comes.”

During the spring, the defense played mostly with two linebackers on the field and a fifth defensive back. Walton opened the spring listed as the No. 2 middle linebacker, but looked to be getting some time on the weak side as Bryson Allen-Williams dabbled at the Buck position.

As he looks toward carving out a larger role in his final college season, Walton says he has also changed as a player.

“Just learning the game more,” Walton said. “Seeing the game from a different, coaches mindset. Just learning different details from their point of view, and I’m getting better in that way.”

He missed Saturday’s spring game after the birth of his son Friday night. Muschamp wished him well with the new challenge of fatherhood.

“Happy for Jon,” Muschamp said. “He’s a wonderful young man. He’s had a great spring. That’s something, an awesome responsibility.”

This story was originally published April 10, 2016 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Gamecocks LB Jonathan Walton adapting to D with Skai Moore out."