South Carolina Football: Pete Lembo working to bring in another special teams weapon

South Carolina football has the best special teams coordinator in college football. Pete Lembo, named by multiple outlets as the top assistant coach in college football last season, has put together elite punt units, kicking games, return teams, and kick coverage groups in his two seasons as an assistant to Shane Beamer in Columbia.

The Gamecocks currently have one of the best punters in the country in preseason All-American Kai Kroeger, but the left-footed dynamo likely will be moving on to the NFL after next season, though, he could technically return in 2024 if he chose to utilize his “Covid redshirt.”

Lembo and Beamer have been scouring the high school ranks to find the heir to Kroeger’s spot on the team. Potentially their top target at the position is Mason Love. Love is the 3rd-ranked punter in the nation according to national kicking recruiting outlet Kohls Kicking and was chosen as an All-American by the specialist service. The Missouri native punts and kicks for his high school but is ranked higher as a punter.

GamecockCentral and TheBigSpur have both reported that Love would be on campus this weekend for an official visit, something that the big-legged rising high school senior confirmed on Twitter with a retweet.

South Carolina football has had a long stretch of talented punters come through the program, and the last three (Kai Kroeger, Joseph Charlton, and Sean Kelly) hold the top three spots in the program’s all-time record books for punt distance average. If Love chooses to join the Gamecocks, he almost assuredly would continue this great tradition of special teams excellence as he has posted punt hang times over 4.5 seconds during workouts.

In what has become a tradition, The Cotton Gin in 5 Points has gotten into the recruiting efforts for Love.

One thing is for sure, South Carolina football fans sure would LOVE to see Mason enjoy his official visit and commit to joining the Gamecocks.