How The South Carolina Gamecocks can get better in the Secondary

November 10, 2012; Columbia, SC, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks safety Brison Williams (12) upends Arkansas Razorbacks running back Jonathan Williams (32) in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive backs; Safeties and corners. Anyway you look at them, The South Carolina Gamecocks secondary has usually been pretty good.

Next year, if things go well, that could be the case once again.

The huge losses this unit faces areD.J. Swearinger, DeVonte Holloman and Akeem Auguste.

Auguste will be replaced by Jimmy Legree, and D.J. Swearinger and Holloman will most likely be replaced by Brison Williams and T.J. Gurley.

Legree is a junior, and for a good chunk of the season was Carolina’s best cover corner. He had 43 tackles, one tackles for loss, two interceptions, one pick-six, and six pass break-ups.

Wiliams, a sophomore, had 48 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, two interceptions and four pass break-ups.

The freshman, Gurley, had 13 tackles.

All of those “replacements” should improve this off season, and if Legree plays all of next year like he did the first half of this year, Carolina’s secondary could be one of the best in the SEC with him shutting down SC’s opponents’ best receivers.

Victory Hampton, the one DB I haven’t mentioned will more than likely start at CB opposite Legree next season. Hampton had 34 tackles, one tackle for loss, an interception and six passes broken up this year.

The Gamecocks just have to keep up the good turnover numbers, including interceptions, and this unit will be fine next season.

On the recruiting trail, the Gamecocks have only signed one DB for 2013.

The list of other young SC DBs who could see playing time next year is:

Ahmad Christian CB
Chris Moody CB
Chaz Elder CB
Kadetrix Martin S