South Carolina football: which defensive position group will surprise?

The South Carolina football season is less than a month away, and the Gamecocks are now in the midst of preseason practice as they continue to get ready for the opener. Fans are eager to see which players will thrive under the new coaching staff and win starting jobs over the next few weeks.

Can Kevin Harris repeat as the SEC’s rushing champion? Will MarShawn Lloyd overcome that ACL tear en route to a fantastic freshman season? Is Luke Doty the man for the job under center?

All of these questions and more will be answered once the Gamecocks take the field this Fall. One group that’s not been talked about much is the defensive backfield. The unit lost its top five contributors from last year’s roster following the conclusion of of the season. Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu are off to the NFL, while John Dixon, Shilo Sanders, and Jammie Robinson opted to transfer out of the program.

Who will step up to replace them?

The cupboard was pretty bare when Shane Beamer got to Columbia but he’s done an awesome job of restoring the roster. Incoming transfers Karon Prunty, Tyrese Ross, David Spaulding, and Carlins Platel will battle for starting jobs. A couple of JUCO recruits in Isaiah Norris and Marcellas Dial will also fight for playing time in a wide open secondary.

The secondary will be the most surprising unit on the defense.

Last year’s defense was downright awful. Despite having a unit with two cornerbacks drafted, including a first-rounder, the Gamecocks allowed 36 points a contest in 2020. That was the worst mark for the program in over two decades. We’ve mentioned that the majority of last year’s defensive backfield is gone, so how can anyone expect the unit to be better next season?

There are a number of reasons, actually. Coaching is one. Shane Beamer plucked Torrian Gray away from the Florida Gators after just two seasons. Gray’s been successful at both the professional and collegiate level, making additional stops with Virginia Tech, the Chicago Bears, and the Washington Football Team. He led each defensive unit to top 10 finishes in their respective leagues during his tenure, and will look to do the same in Columbia.

Last year’s group had a ton of talent, but found itself out of position on numerous occasions. Those breakdowns led to beg plays over the top as the team allowed more than 30 points in seven of its 10 games. Proper coaching and technique will hopefully clean up some of those issues.

Another reason for optimism is the group coming in. Coach Beamer was able to land key contributors in the secondary through the transfer portal, and those newcomers will make instant impacts for the Gamecocks next year.

Karon Prunty comes from Kansas after a freshman All-American season with the Jayhawks. He allowed a completion rate of just 38.5% last year, a number that ranked ninth in all of college football. He also broke up 10 passes and didn’t allow a touchdown in coverage all season long. He’ll likely snag one of the starting spots at cornerback alongside Cam Smith.

Speaking of Smith, he’s been named by 24/7 Sports as one of the SEC’s rising stars. Having him and Prunty on the outside is a positive sign for the Gamecocks moving forward.

On the back end, Tyrese Ross comes in from Washington State, while Division II contributor Carlins Platel joins the roster for one final season. Ross racked up 35 with the Cougars and Platel led the NE-10 conference in passes defended. He has seven career interceptions to date.

South Carolina has been able to flip its secondary group over the last few months, and a postion that was once thin now has depth. When you add some of these newcomers to players that are already on the roster, like Jaylin Dickerson and RJ Roderick, it’s easy to see why this group will make a marked improvement from last year to now.