Gamecocks football 2012: 22 positions 22 days-Secondary

Gamecocks football is so close I can almost taste it.

As we draw nearer, Garnet and Cocky continues its “22 poistions 22 days” series with the defense’s only real question mark; The secondary.

Two sophomores and two seniors are projected to start in Carolina’s secondary this season, and the player with the biggest shoes to fill is red-shirt sophomore, Victor Hampton, who will take over the spot vacated by top 10 draftee Stephon Gilmore.

Last season, Hampton played in 10 games, made 14 tackles and intercepted one pass. Gamecocksonline.com says he also was credited with three pass break-ups.

The Darlington native came to Carolina with high expectations after competing in the U.S. Army All American game as a senior in high school. Some outlets ranked him as the second best Gamecock recruit in the 2010 class.

The other corner, Akeem Aguste, has a completely different story. He missed almost all of last year with a medical red-shirt, he’s seen significant time at both safety and corner, and he’s played in 36 games and started 19 of them over his career.

In the last season that he actually saw the field, 2010, Auguste made 58 tackles, four tackles for loss and forced one fumble from the strong safety position.

His natural position is corner back, and this year, after a long period of rehab, Auguste should have the best season of his career.

Brison Williams is the projected starter at strong safety. The sophomore made 11 tackles in his true-freshman season last year, and got one start, against Florida.

He was a three star prospect and the nations 36th best DB in his class according to Rivals.com

Again, the other safety has a whole different story.

D.J. Swearinger, a senior from Greenwood S.C. has made 165 tackles and intercepted four passes during his 40 game Carolina career.

Last season alone he made 80 tackles, intercepted three passes and saved two games with INTs on the road against Mississippi State and Tennessee.

If Swearinger improves this year, he’ll wreak a sizable amount of havoc on opposing defenses and find himself drafted in one of the first three rounds.

Cadarius Sanders, listed as Hampton’s bakcup, is a sophomore who made four tackles in eight games last season. Jimmy Legree switched over from safety to corner back this spring, and is listed as Auguste’s backup. The junior made eight tackles last year.

Sophomore Kadetrix Marcus, who made one tackle in six games last year is Williams’ backup right now, and red-shirt freshman Sheldon Royster is Swearinger’s backup.

Royster was a highly touted recruit, even though injuries hampered his senior season. Rivals.com listed him as a four star recruit, the fourth best player in New Jersey and the 12th best safety.

The seniors in this group will have to help the youngsters transition smoothly over the first few games of the season.

First year defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward says his D will play more man-to-man this season, but coverage lapses will still happen early in the year. The Missouri game will be a good gauge of how far the unit has come, and it better come a long way, because just one week later UGA comes to town.

The front seven will make things a lot easier for the guys behind them in pass coverage. They’ll probably be close to the top of the SEC in sacks, and they’ll be buzzing in opposing QBs ear on every play.

Still, against teams like Georgia, Arkansas and Tennessee, Carolina will need its secondary to play older than it is.

If it can, this team will find itself in Atlanta at the end of the year.

If not, USC might not win 10 games.