Much of a team’s offensive success starts up front with the offensive line. The “big uglies” sacrifice their bodies to open up holes for runners and to keep quarterbacks’ jerseys clean. For the South Carolina football program, three starters from last year’s offensive line have graduated, leaving questions about new Offensive Line Coach Lonnie Teasley’s group.
The Gamecocks, though, are in a unique position that they still return lots of experience across the line despite losing three long-term starters in Eric Douglas, Jovaughn Gwyn, and Dylan Wonnum. Jaylen Nichols has played a lot of football, including over 20 starts, with 10 of them at left tackle. Tyshawn Wannamaker, Jakai Moore, Vershon Lee, and Trai Jones have all started at times for the Gamecocks, and Yale transfer Nick Gargiulo was a multi-year starter, as well.
This week, Head Coach Shane Beamer has offered some insight into the positional battles that are taking place on his offensive line. When questioned about the starting unit, Beamer listed a top-6 group of Jaylen Nichols, Jakai Moore, Nick Gargiulo, Vershon Lee, Trai Jones, and Tyshawn Wannamaker as the “regular” contributors. He also added that there has been some “mixing and matching,” as evidenced by his mention of 6 names.
After touching on the six names at the top, Beamer made sure to name a handful of other linemen as players to watch if they progress. Cason Henry (who has missed the spring and some of the offseason with injury), Ryan Brubaker, Grayson Mains, and true freshman Markee Anderson all got shoutouts from their head coach.
It is important to note that the Gamecock staff has been willing to make changes across the offensive line during their first two seasons leading the program. Nichols, Lee, Jones, and Moore have all won and lost starting jobs in the past (sometimes from each other), and Coach Teasley and his predecessor Greg Adkins have utilized players off the bench if they feel a change is needed in-game.
If projecting a starting lineup for the Gamecocks’ week 1 contest in Charlotte against the North Carolina Tar Heels, a starting unit of Nichols (left tackle), Moore (left guard), Gargulio (center/right guard), Lee (center/right guard), and Wannamaker (right tackle) seems most likely. All five players have positional versatility and could be shifted around to different spots. Jones will likely play, and Cason Henry will fight for playing time once he is healthy. Fans should also not be surprised if Markee Anderson ends up winning one of the guard jobs before the season ends.
Lots of experience will play on the 2023 version of the Gamecock offensive line, but the future looks even brighter. Joining Anderson, Henry, Mains, and Brubaker (all sophomores and freshmen) as young players with promise, ‘Tosin Babalade and Trovon Baugh were highly-regarded recruits out of high school. The 2024 recruiting class currently includes high four-star tackle Kam Pringle, and the Carolina coaching staff is hopeful to add talented interior lineman Blake Franks and potential 5-star tackle Josiah Thompson.