South Carolina Football: 10 players the Gamecocks will need to see step up after the Bye Week

10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Tight End Trey Knox

In the modern game of college football, tight ends are even more important than they have ever been. Whether they are big receivers who pose matchup problems with their size like former Gamecocks Jared Cook or Busta Anderson, blocking monsters like former Carolina players Nate Adkins or Andy Boyd, or the rare combination of both like former tight end Hayden Hurst, the position fits certain needs in every offense.

Current Gamecock tight end Trey Knox transferred in from Arkansas alongside offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, and the big pass catcher came in with high expectations as an elite receiver at the position who can also mix it up as a blocker.

Frankly, though, Trey Knox needs to step up for the Carolina offense because he hasn’t been very good in four of five games. He has struggled with drops and getting open and has been really bad as a blocker.

He did have his best performance as a pass catcher against Tennessee as he had seven catches for 51 yards. Perhaps that showing can serve as a springboard to better things after the Bye Week.

Knox was battling some minor injuries this offseason, and quarterback Spencer Rattler intimated in his postgame presser that he still might be dealing with something as he repeatedly called Knox “banged up.” A week off to get a little healthier might do Knox some good as his team needs him to step up both as a blocker and as a target for Rattler in the passing game.