South Carolina Football: Gamecock true freshman wins national award for dominant showing in first career game

The South Carolina football program has some obvious issues on the offensive line. Against North Carolina in the season opener, the unit surrendered 9 sacks, and the Gamecocks rushed for -2 yards on the day. After a one-week reprieve against Furman, the unit struggled again against the run vs. the Georgia Bulldogs and had a rough second half against the ‘Dawgs in pass protection.

However, one particular position on the offensive front seems to be in good hands moving forward.

True freshman Oluwatosin “Tree” Babalade made his debut for the Gamecocks against Furman and played well enough to earn the start in Athens against the two-time defending national champion Bulldogs. A challenge that would have proven much too difficult for most young players was not too much for big #51.

Tree was superb against one of the best defenses in the country on Saturday and was chosen as 247Sports’ national True Freshman of the Week for his performance.

He graded out as below average in run blocking situations, but the Gamecocks only had 7 true running plays in the entire game compared to 51 passing sets. According to PFF, Babalade graded out at an absurdly elite 90.0 in pass blocking situations, one of the top marks of any offensive lineman in the country.

A reminder: Tree Babalade is a true freshman, and he did this against the mighty Georgia Bulldogs.

Georgia ended up being able to erase a 14-3 halftime deficit to come back and beat the Gamecocks, but South Carolina football fans are happy to know that at least one piece of their least productive unit seems to be “fixed” with the introduction of Big Tree into the starting lineup.

Babalade and the Gamecocks will return home to welcome the Mississippi State Bulldogs to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday. The game will kick off at 7:30 and be broadcast on the SECNetwork and ESPN App.