South Carolina Football: Five Players that Will Become Household Names this Season
By Jacob Elsey
NICK MUSE
Muse showed flashes of athleticism last season, but also had some drops in key situations. He’ll also be coming off of late season knee surgery after going down with an ACL tear against Vanderbilt last November.
That said, he should still be the front runner for the starting tight end spot come September. The rising senior will be one of the older players in his position group, yet he’s still relatively unknown, even to Gamecock fans, as he’s played just a half a season in Columbia following a transfer from William & Mary.
In seven games last year, the 6’3” end caught 17 passes for 158 yards. He had his best showing against Georgia where he reeled in three catches totaling 31 yards. Prior to arriving to the University of South Carolina, Muse was an All-CAA performer, averaging 64.7 receiving yards per game as a sophomore.
Muse has the potential to be a mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses. He’s got the speed to blow by linebackers, and the size to fend off defensive backs. The Gamecocks are unproven at the wide receiver position, so if he can get back to 100%, there’s a chance for Muse to be one of quarterback Ryan Hilinski’s favorite targets.