TJ Brunson will be Gamecock freshmen’s ambassador to Columbia
South Carolina linebacker T.J. Brunson inherited the mantle almost as soon as he committed to the Gamecocks’ 2016 recruiting class.
He’s a 6-foot, 220-pound inside linebacker from Richland Northeast, but he’s also something more – the class’ ambassador to Columbia.
“I didn’t realize how many guys never left our campus until I started talking to some of the people, or the players that are there already,” Brunson said.
“I already expected to do that after I signed, well, committed, I was already knowing that I’d be one of the main guys because I’m from Columbia. So I’d be one of the main guys that coaches would look to show guys around and let guys know this is what goes on in Columbia.”
Before he left his parents’ home and made the transition, he spent his last semester of high school keeping his grades in order and reconnecting with a sport he loved.
Football injuries cost him his sophomore and junior baseball seasons, so he finally got back out on the diamond. He looked back wistfully, wondering what could’ve happened if he’d gone down a path with baseball, but football was always what was going to send him to school.
To that end, he trained along the guidelines the USC coaching staff laid out in a packet they send to incoming recruits, but he added something with Richland Northeast track coach Lawrence Terry.
“I worked on their stuff, but our track coach works with Olympic athletes, too, or athletes training for the Olympics,” Brunson said. “A lot of the guys made it on the Olympic team, so I’ve been working with him.”
He also had the chance to watch his high school’s spring practice from the outside for the first time. It’s a different experience, and he couldn’t help but compare watching it to what he saw when he went to watch the Gamecocks in the spring.
Everything looked a little slower, a reminder of what he’s getting into.
“It’s kind of hard because when you’re playing, it looks a lot different than when you’re watching,” Brunson said of watching his college team. “It’s different. I already know the intensity is going to be a lot, lot higher. Expectations are going to be a lot higher. The speed is going to be. Everything is going to be bumped up intensity-wise.”
His role early on in college isn’t particularly clear.
As a three-star prospect, he joins a position relatively solid on the depth chart. Even with Skai Moore missing the full season, veterans T.J. Holloman (16 starts), Jonathan Walton (12), Bryson Allen-Williams (3) and Larenz Bryant (1) are all experienced linebackers. First-year coach Will Muschamp said he needs a group of five to feel comfortable, so Brunson would have to pass Sherrod Pittman and Jalen Dread to see time. He could help right away on special teams.
He’ll fight to do that, but he’s also taking the long view.
“If I play early, I play early,” Brunson said. “I’m going into it with a mindset that they’re going to need me on the field from Day 1. If that happens, that happens. But regardless, I know that I’m going to give it my all and get on the field whenever I can. ... Everyone wants to play early. Not everyone is ready to play early. I trust the process, I trust the coaching. So whatever happens, happens. Long term, I know I’m going to be All-SEC.”
This story was originally published July 10, 2016 at 6:15 PM.