South Carolina Football – Impact Seniors
By Jacob Elsey
OFF: Shi Smith, Adam Prentice
Smith is the Gamecocks’ top returning pass catcher. Now a senior, the Union County native ranks 12th on the school’s all-time receptions list with 117. He’s turned those 117 catches into 1,571 yards and nine touchdowns. With the departure of Bryan Edwards, Smith will be expected to slide into the No. 1 role and become quarterback Ryan Hilinksi’s go-to option on the outside.
Smith is a three-year starter who made his presence known as a freshman. That season, the 5’ 10” speedster caught 29 passes for 409 yards. He didn’t have a drop all year, and put an exclamation point on the end of the season with a 53-yd touchdown in the Gamecocks’ come-from-behind victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl.
Smith followed up his rookie year by recording career-highs in both receptions and yards as a sophomore, an impressive feat seeing that he was in a receiving room with both Edwards and Deebo Samuel. Last season, Smith recorded 43 receptions for 489 yards over 10 games.
It will be interesting to see how new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo uses Smith in 2020. Bobo had some success at Colorado State, with three of his receivers being drafted over the five years he spent in Fort Collins. Those draftees were Michael Gallup, Olabisi Johnson, and Rashard Higgins. A fourth player, Miami’s Preston Williams, was picked up as an undrafted free agent and saw extensive action with the Dolphins as a rookie.
Smith toyed with the idea of entering the NFL Draft following last season, but ultimately decided to return to Columbia. With another solid year, he could end up being coach Bobo’s first Gamecock drafted in 2020.
Newcomer Adam Prentice may be a little bit off the radar when thinking of Carolina’s offensive playmakers, but he could have a major influence on next year’s success, particularly in the run game. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo brings a new playbook to Columbia, one that features a traditional fullback much more than Gamecock fans are used to seeing. The Fresno native will have the ability to make an impact as a lead blocker, a short yardage runner, and a pass catcher.
Prentice has been in coach Bobo’s system for five years now. As a freshman at Colorado State in 2015, he redshirted. He was injured in his second year on campus, forcing him to take a medical hardship. Prentice finally saw his first action in 2017, and has been the Rams’ starting fullback for the last three seasons. A former team captain, he’s recorded 65 rushing yards, 115 receiving yards, and a touchdown over his career.
Now a graduate student, Prentice followed Bobo to Carolina for his final season. His familiarity with the system, and the fact that the Gamecocks haven’t used a true fullback since Pat Dimarco back in 2010, should give him a leg up on his competition. You won’t see his impact on the stat sheet, but look for Prentice to positively influence the offense by opening up running lanes, aiding in pass protection, and becoming a safety outlet for Carolina quarterbacks.