South Carolina football: which offensive 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 wide receiver. The team’s leading pass catcher from last season is gone, with Shi Smith heading to the NFL. Behind him, no other South Carolina wideout eclipsed 115 yards on the year.

Who’s going to step up and take over that No. 1 role?

There are options, but they’re largely unproven. There are also a few newcomers that could make instant impacts.

The wide receiver group will be the most surprising unit on the offense.

South Carolina’s passing game was abysmal last season. The group never moved the ball consistently, no matter who was under center, and many receivers struggled with drops throughout the year. Why do we expect them to make a jump in 2021?

First, nearly everyone from that receiver rotation returns next year. Yes, they had their struggles last season, but experience has to count for something. It’s not yet known who’s going to take over in starting roles, but the Gamecocks should have players already on the roster that are ready to compete.

Secondly, the team got some additions over the offseason. Two of them were already members of the roster, but OrTre Smith and Randrecous Davis opted out of last year due to COVID. Both have been productive when on the field, but neither has been able to stay healthy. Smith, in particular, hauled in 30 passes as a freshman, but has struggled through a genetic knee injury over the last few years.

Those two players aren’t the only additions. Ahmarean Brown and EJ Jenkins joined the Gamecocks through the transfer portal after record-breaking stints at previous stops. Brown broke a number of Calvin Johnson’s freshman records at Georgia Tech, and has tallied nine touchdown receptions in just 19 games of action.

Jenkins recently set a single-season program record with 13 receiving touchdowns for St. Francis University in 2019. He’s a player that the Gamecocks intend to move all over the field in an attempt to create mismatches. Both Brown and Jenkins will make immediate impacts for the Gamecocks.

New receivers coach Justin Stepp has a proven track record of producing at the wideout position. He’s got a slew of pass catchers in the rotation, but he needs to identify which will be best suited to help the offense. Hopefully it all translates to a boost in the passing game this Fall.