Gamecocks’ Bryson Allen-Williams could play key pass-rushing spot

Bryson Allen-Williams began his spring practice as anyone would expect, slotting in as a linebacker for the Gamecocks again and trying to fight for playing time under a new coaching staff.

He left the spring with another position to play, all because of a question head coach Will Muschamp dropped on him midway through the spring.

“Coach Muschamp, he just came to me one day, asked some guys what different things they could do,” Allen-Williams said. “I told them I could rush. They’d seen me rush my freshman year, and I feel like I got a little bit better at it over time. Even though I haven’t been working at it, I just got a little bit faster.”

That’s how the junior and once-touted prospect found himself spending time at the Buck linebacker/defensive end position, where co-defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson said the staff puts its “premier pass rusher.”

The spring started with Boosie Whitlow and Darius English listed at that spot, but English was limited by injury. Early enrollee Keir Thomas will likely play that spot down the road, but he mostly worked at a traditional defensive end spot in the spring.

Allen-Williams still worked at the middle and weakside spots in certain packages. In the spring game, he spent a lot of time there as well, but the staff wanted him on the edge at points because there’s a desperate need for pass rush.

“We’ve got to get more speed on the field,” Muschamp said. “We’re not a very fast-twitch defense. So we’re trying to create opportunities. He’s got pass-rush ability, so we’ve got to get him in some situations where he can rush.”

Allen-Williams said he learned a good deal from outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson, who is recently removed from a long and productive NFL career.

Allen-Williams didn’t have much of a reaction when the coaches asked him to move because he felt like it suited his game best. He played some defensive end as a freshman, even starting a game there, and he’ll cross-train at multiple spots going forward.

His one-time defensive line teammate Taylor Stallworth simply said, “That’s what we need.”

His versatility could provide some of the spark the Gamecocks’ defense needs after two lackluster seasons. Muschamp might have dropped in with questions about the other skills he had, but in some way, he was ready for this.

“Now it’s all coming together,” Allen Williams said. “I’m able to rush with speed again, have a lot of different moves I could use.”

This story was originally published April 19, 2016 at 12:28 PM with the headline "Gamecocks’ Bryson Allen-Williams could play key pass-rushing spot."