South Carolina Football: Gamecock newcomer named to preseason award watch list
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina football quite literally had zero scholarship tight ends after last season’s Gator Bowl against Notre Dame.
The versatile Jaheim Bell (Florida State) and steady presence Austin Stogner (back to Oklahoma) left the program through the transfer portal, experienced contributor Trae Kenion retired from football, and fan favorite Nate Adkins graduated and is in the NFL.
Since then, the Gamecock coaching staff has flipped the room completely. South Carolina football signed three high school tight ends in the class of 2023 in Reid Mikeska, Connor Cox, and Kamron Sandlin (though, Sandlin has since moved to running back).
They also brought in three transfer tight ends in Arkansas Razorback defection Trey Knox, former Western Kentucky Hilltopper Joshua Simon, and Florida Gator transfer Nick Elksnis.
All three transfers are expected to play early in the 2023 campaign, and expectations are particularly high for Cox and Simon to step up as some of the top targets for quarterback Spencer Rattler and new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.
Those expectations are so high for Cox, in fact, that the national media has taken notice.
Over the weekend, Trey Knox was put on the preseason watch list for the John Mackey Award. The Mackey Award is named after Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey and has been given out annually since 2000 to the top tight end in college football.
Former Gamecocks Hayden Hurst, Jerell Adams, Jared Cook, Weslye Saunders, Rory “Busta” Anderson, Jaheim Bell, and Austin Stogner have all been on the preseason watch list for the Mackey Award, but no South Carolina football player has ever brought home the trophy.
Both of the Gamecocks’ transfers out of the program from the tight end position are also on the preseason Mackey Award watch list as Jaheim Bell and Austin Stogner made the 48-man watch list for Florida State and Oklahoma, respectively.