The South Carolina football team went 5-7 (3-5 in conference) last season. Though the sub-.500 record doesn’t look great, there were bright spots throughout the season. One of those was in Week 3 against Georgia. The Gamecocks marched into Athens as 26.5-point underdogs, according to CBS Sports, and outscored the Bulldogs 14-3 in the first half. Georgia did score 21 unanswered points in the second half, but keeping the final score within 10 of the consensus #1 team in the nation was one of the high points of a mediocre season.
The Gamecocks averaged 363 yards per game last year. While that number sounds high, many of the key contributors from that offense are no longer on the team. For starters, both star QB Spencer Rattler (No. 150, NO) and star WR Xavier Legette (No. 32, CAR) got drafted into the NFL. On top of that, many of last year’s Gamecocks hit the transfer portal. Of course, as noted below, South Carolina also picked up some new talent via transfers and high school recruits.
Three Biggest Losses Through the Transfer Portal
While many important players left the football team, the following three players leaving via transfer may be the most impactful for South Carolina season:
- RB Mario Anderson: Last season, he finished with 860 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. He also had four games of over 100 total yards. At times, when the offense moved slowly, the fallback seemed to be to give the ball to Anderson. He used his 5-foot 9-inch frame and quickness to elude defenders. At the same time, he could also use his 208-pound body to lower his shoulder into defenders.
- WR Juice Wells: While he only played three games last year due to injury, Wells is ranked 93 out of 100 on 24/7 Sports’ player rankings and the 26th-best WR nationally. In 2022, his last healthy season, he had 898 receiving yards averaging 14.3 yards per catch, with seven touchdowns.
- LB Stone Blanton: After barely seeing the field as a freshman in 2022, Blanton had a sophomore surge last year. He racked up 52 total tackles (31 solos, 21 assists). On top of that, he had a sack, forced fumble, and an interception that turned into a pix-6 after he ran it back 89 yards to seal a 38-28 win over Jacksonville State in Week 11.
Three Key Additions From Transfer Portal
With many football players gone, head coach Shane Beamer and his staff had a lot of work to do to rebuild the South Carolina team. They brought in 16 commits and 22 transfers. Look for the following three transfers to make big impacts:
- RB: Raheim (Rocket) Sanders (Arkansas): Injuries derailed Sanders’ 2023 campaign, but he was brilliant the year prior. That year, he finished with 1697 all-purpose yards and 12 TDs, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. In addition, he averaged nearly 10 yards per catch in his freshman and sophomore seasons, and 7.5 last season. It’ll be exciting to see how he fits into the offense as a bigger, stronger back compared to Mario Anderson, standing at 6-foot, 230 lbs.
- QB Robby Ashford (Auburn): While Ashford will come into South Carolina as QB2 to start the season, he’ll provide a much-needed safety net if redshirt Freshman QB LaNorris Sellers struggles. Last year, he was used as a backup QB/wildcat specialist behind Auburn QB1, Payton Thorne. Like Sellers, Ashford’s ability to scramble is a big reason why he is so good. He also has great raw arm strength, and the skills to fit the football into tight windows.
- EDGE Kyle Kennard (Georgia Tech): The 2023 season was a career year for Kennard. He increased his total tackles from 36 to 53 and tripled his sack total from two to six compared with 2022. His film shows he can beat linemen in multiple ways. He can make decisive cuts to fake one way, and make a strong backfield tackle another way. He can also use his speed to blow right past the tackle. Finally, he has enough pure power to walk the tackle right back into the quarterback’s lap.
Three Important High School Recruits
Of the 16 commits the Gamecocks brought in, one is a 5-star recruit and 10 are 4-star recruits. Three to keep an eye on are:
- EDGE Dylan Stewart (NIL $333K): Quite simply, nobody could contain Stewart at the high school level. His film tape shows that he won almost every battle right off the line of scrimmage. He has the speed to fly around the corner at the quarterback on passing downs. On running downs, he blows the play up by busting right through the teeth of the offensive line. As the team’s only five-star recruit this year, the expectations will be high.
- T Josiah Thompson (NIL $616K): Listed at 6-feet 7-inches, 300 pounds, Thompson is a beast. Watching his high school tape is like watching a man amongst boys. His mobility in the run game allows him to routinely take his assigned defender for a ride, seven or eight yards up the field, creating gaping holes for his running backs to make plays. In the passing game, nobody sniffs the quarterback on his watch. He gives his QB enough time to survey the field and move about the pocket as he pleases.
- TE Michael Smith (NIL undisclosed): Standing at 6-feet, 4-inches and 245 pounds, run after catch is a huge part of Smith’s game. He can break tackles even when defenders seem to have him wrapped up. While primarily a tight end, Smith can also line up in the slot, acting almost as a wide receiver. Because of his strength, he is also an effective blocker in the run game, as he can toss defenders to the side, clearing gaps for his teammates. While he will come into Columbia as the TE2 on the depth chart, his career looks bright and promising.
