Watching Shane Beamer’s South Carolina football team has been an up-and-down experience over the last two-and-a-half seasons. Since Beamer was hired after the disastrous 2020 season, the Gamecocks have looked unbeatable at times and incompetent at others.
This was best illustrated by a two-week stretch last season in which USC lost to unranked Florida 38-6 (only scoring on a special teams fake) and demolished College Football Playoff-bound Tennessee 63-38.
One consistent over the first two years of the Beamer era, however, has been that the ups and downs still have resulted in two seasons of the Gamecocks outperforming expectations.
The South Carolina football team was projected to win between 3 and 5 games in 2021. Beamer’s squad won 7. The Gamecocks were projected to win between 5 and 7 games in 2022. They won 8.
The trend of overachieving is in danger of ending in 2023. The Gamecocks’ over/under win totals sat between 6 and 7 for this season, and just matching that number will be an uphill climb based on how the season has gone so far.
Tough games against North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi State, and Tennessee have left the Gamecocks sitting at 2-3 in the middle of their Bye Week, and Shane Beamer’s team still has to play tough road games against Missouri and Texas A&M and has home contests with ranked Kentucky, Florida, and rival Clemson still on the schedule.
Contests against Vanderbilt and Jacksonville State in Columbia will likely bring USC’s win total to 4 with five other tough games on the schedule.
The current losing record can be attributed to several factors, but one of the major issues has been player performance at several positions. With Bye Weeks famous for personnel changes, which ten South Carolina football players will be called to step up to bring the Gamecocks back to bowl eligibility in 2023?
This list won’t be for players like Spencer Rattler, Xavier Legette, or Jalon Kilgore who have been unquestioned successes through this portion of the season. Instead, this list will be for players who have underperformed or been underutilized in 2023. These 10 players will be some of the most important contributors for the Gamecocks moving forward in 2023.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Wide Receiver Juice Wells
Gamecock wide receiver Juice Wells was a preseason All-American candidate in a loaded wide receiver environment. Unfortunately, due to no fault of his own, Wells has not been on the field this season.
South Carolina’s top target battled a foot injury this offseason that limited him to decoy duty the first two games of the season, and he had another injury to the same foot against Georgia after scoring a touchdown on the only pass thrown his way (a 17-yard screen pass in which he knifed through half of the Bulldog defense).
Nothing definitive has been released about the timeline for Wells’ return from injury, but the way Shane Beamer has spoken about his star receiver, the Gamecocks expect him to return in the not-too-distant future. When he does, the garnet and black offense will need him to be the Juice Wells of old.
Xavier Legette has been a revelation at wide receiver for the Gamecocks, but the Tennessee game proved that the rest of the Carolina pass catchers are not quite good enough to make a difference if the offensive line doesn’t give them plenty of time to get open.
Seeing as how the pass protection in Columbia doesn’t seem to be improving, quarterback Spencer Rattler likely will be throwing the ball quickly or on the run, meaning his receivers’ ability to get separation will be paramount. Thankfully for the offense, getting open is what Wells does.
If Juice Wells can return and be Juice Wells once again, the combination of Rattler’s two favorite targets will be among the best in the nation.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Running Back Mario Anderson
Running back Mario Anderson appears to have taken over the starting running back role for offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains and running backs coach Montario Hardesty. Versatile playmaker DK Joyner began the year as the starter after moving to the position this offseason, but things haven’t worked out in the new role for #5.
Anderson has performed very well this season when given opportunities. In a game with poor run blocking against Mississippi State, Anderson fought his way to 88 yards and a bruising touchdown in which he broke multiple Bulldog tackles. In an even worse offensive line performance against Tennessee, Anderson managed to find a seam and scamper for a 75-yard touchdown to help salvage the rushing numbers for the game.
As the unquestioned best back on the team, Anderson seems set to start moving forward. The Gamecocks will need him to continue contributing on the ground and to progress toward becoming a more well-rounded running back. With the struggles on the offensive line this season, pass protection has been important for the backs, and Anderson will be needed to help keep quarterback Spencer Rattler upright.
The physical (yet deceptively fast) Mario Anderson reminds many in Gamecock Nation of former USC star Mike Davis, and he will be one of the most important offensive players for the Gamecocks down the stretch of the season.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Defensive Lineman Tonka Hemingway
A number of Gamecocks received some offseason love in the form of preseason All-SEC team selections. Quarterback Spencer Rattler, wide receiver Juice Wells (who has been injured), and the specialists (punter Kai Kroeger, kicker Mitch Jetter, and long snapper Hunter Rogers) were the most obvious inclusions.
However, several other players also were picked to at least one preseason All-SEC team. One of these “other” players was versatile defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway.
Hemingway has never had a great season in garnet and black as injuries, inconsistent playing time, and log jams up front have limited his ability to rack up statistics. However, he has flashed some impressive moments in the past, both as a pass rusher and as a run stopper (and even catching passes on special teams).
So far in 2023, big Tonka has been fine. Coming out of the Bye Week, the Gamecocks will need Hemingway to be better than fine for a defensive front that hasn’t been good enough so far this season. TJ Sanders has been the best player up front for the Gamecocks on defense, and Jordan Strachan and Boogie Huntley have had some good moments.
It’s time for Tonka Hemingway to take his place as the top player on the defensive line. His ability to play end at times should allow for plenty of snaps for Sanders and Huntley inside, but #91 will be needed to step up into being the player South Carolina football fans know he can be.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Left Tackle Tree Babalade
Tree Babalade started his Gamecock career about as well as any freshman left tackle could. He played significant snaps against Furman and was very good. He was somehow even better against #1-ranked Georgia as he was the Gamecocks’ top performer up front on offense. Then, against Mississippi State, he was the best Gamecock lineman once again.
The first tough outing of his career came against Tennessee last Saturday, and it was a doozy. Babalade was beaten early and often against the Vols’ tenacious front-7. He wasn’t the only one, however, as the Gamecocks surrendered 6 sacks and, with the exception of one long run from Mario Anderson, led a running game that averaged less than 3 yards per carry.
In order for this South Carolina football team to win some of the toss-up games remaining on their schedule, Babalade must protect Rattler’s blind side in the passing game.
One of Spencer Rattler’s only weaknesses is one many quarterbacks share. His “internal pass rush clock” starts to shrink if pressure consistently gets in his face. He is an elite passer when he is comfortable, and the big fellas on the line have to give him time in the pocket for him to stay comfortable. That starts with Big Tree.
It is unfortunate that the Gamecocks must rely so heavily on a true freshman, but that is the state of Lonnie Teasley’s offensive line unit at this time. Babalade is not in an enviable position, but the big man is capable of handling it.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Linebacker Stone Blanton
Sophomore linebacker Stone Blanton entered the 2023 campaign as one of the top three linebackers on the roster after playing somewhat sparingly as a freshman last season. He started against North Carolina but was expected to move to a bench role once Mo Kaba was fully recovered from last season’s knee injury.
However, in game 1, Kaba injured his knee on special teams, moving Blanton up into a clear starting role for the foreseeable future. Blanton played well against UNC, logging 10 tackles and playing every snap other than Kaba’s one play. Since then, his performances have been inconsistent.
Blanton has had good moments as he logged a sack against Georgia and a big forced fumble against Mississippi State, but he has also really struggled with consistent tackling and run fits this season. #52 worked his butt off this offseason to get faster, and it has paid off, but the game still feels a little fast for him mentally, at times.
The Gamecocks need Blanton to step up into the player he is capable of being when they return to action against Florida after the Bye Week. At the other linebacker spot, Debo Williams was playing out of this world the first few weeks, covering up some of Blanton’s struggles. Now that Williams has come back to earth, Blanton has to step up for the underperforming Carolina defense.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
A Freshman Wide Receiver
South Carolina football seems to have a pretty clear pecking order at wide receiver. Xavier Legette is the top dog right now. Ahmarean Brown will get the majority of the snaps in the slot when he is healthy. O’Mega Blake, Luke Doty, and Eddie Lewis are going to play. Juice Wells is obviously an important part of the mix when he is healthy.
Other than that, though, the Gamecocks don’t really play anyone else. Wide receiver is a rotational position, meaning that teams must play five guys or more each game in order to keep all the pass catchers fresh. Wide receivers coach Justin Stepp needs some guys to emerge from his position group to help out, not as game-breakers, necessarily, but as contributors.
The most obvious candidates are two true freshmen. Nyckoles Harbor is a special talent who, at 6’5″ and 240 pounds is among the fastest sprinters in the country. Tyshawn Russell is fast, too, and he is a smooth route-runner who can play inside in the slot or out wide.
South Carolina football fans are clamoring for Harbor to play. As a 5-star prospect in the 2023 class, he is one of the most well-known freshmen on the team, and he hasn’t seen a lot of action this season. When he has played, he has only had one ball thrown his way, a touchdown from fellow freshman LaNorris Sellers against Furman late in the game.
Russell has played about the same amount as Harbor but has seemed to have an easier time getting open as he has 4 catches across three games.
Based on snaps so far this season, other candidates for playing time could be redshirt freshman Kylic Horton, former walk-on Payton Mangrum, or even hybrid tight end/receiver Josh Simon.
Regardless of who it is, the Gamecocks need more players to step up at a receiver position that seems to struggle to get open quickly. With the Carolina offensive line being the poor pass blocking unit that it is, getting open quickly must be a priority moving forward, and the Gamecocks have to find guys who can do it consistently and/or make sure that the rotation is deep enough that the starters are fresh enough to handle the duties.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Defensive Backs Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith
In 2022, South Carolina football accomplished the rare feat of placing two safeties on Freshman All-American teams. Both Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith were really good against the run last season and racked up a large number of tackles. They each had some good moments against the pass, as well, so the honors were well-deserved.
So far in 2023, both players have been pretty good. They both have made a lot of stops, especially in the run game, and Smith made a nice play on an interception against Tennessee. However, both players have been inconsistent against the pass, and Smith has had some tough moments in coverage, especially in man while lined up in the slot.
As unfair as it might be to say, the South Carolina defense needs these two sophomores to be more than just pretty good the rest of the way: they need them to be great.
Part of the difficulty for the two Columbia natives is that they have been moved around a lot this season. The emergence of Jalon Kilgore as a future star on the defense has meant that both Emmanwori and Smith (especially Smith) have been asked to play nickel at times.
Neither player is a natural nickel and both have been hunted at times in man coverage situations when lined up across from fast slot receivers.
Unless the scheme changes on defense to accommodate one of Smith or Emmanwori playing more of a hybrid ‘backer/safety role, they will continue to be called upon to play out of position for multiple snaps every game.
If they can step up in these situations, a lot of the problems on the Gamecock defense will be fixed as slot receivers won’t go crazy against Carolina (Tulu Griffin and Squirrel White combined for over 350 yards the last two weeks) and the run support will benefit from having Emmanwori, Smith, and Kilgore all on the field together.
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.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Anyone at Right Tackle…Literally Anyone
The struggles of the South Carolina football offensive line have been well-documented this season. No one has performed consistently well, but freshman left tackle Tree Babalade has been the best pass blocker of the group, and interior players Nick Gargiulo (left guard) and Vershon Lee (center) have been decent. Freshman Tro Baugh has had some good moments and seems to be the starter at right guard moving forward.
The most glaring weak point on the o-line has been right tackle. Cason Henry was injured early in the team’s first game, and the revolving door of replacements has been about as effective in pass protection as a revolving door might have been.
Sidney Fugar (who started at left tackle before Babalade took over), Jakai Moore (who has also played right guard), and Tyshawn Wannamaker have all struggled mightily. Wannamaker had a decent day against Mississippi State, but other than that, the right tackle spot has been porous in its efforts to keep Spencer Rattler upright and has not generated any push in the run game.
Moore has a shoulder issue that kept him out of the Tennessee game, resulting in Baugh starting at right guard and Wannamaker starting at right tackle. No timetable has been given for his return. After Wannamaker’s poor performance against UT, head coach Shane Beamer said that Fugar would get another chance to play.
No matter who plays at the position (Moore, Wannamaker, Fugar, or anyone else), the production has to be better. Without someone stepping up at right tackle, the South Carolina offense will be limited in how effective it can be, and Spencer Rattler and the Carolina running backs will leave each game in an unnecessary amount of pain.
10 players South Carolina Football must have step up after the Bye Week:
Punter Kai Kroeger
Kai Kroeger entered the 2023 season as a favorite to win the Ray Guy award and was considered by many to be the top punter in all of college football. To this point in the year, he simply has not been that.
To be clear, Kroeger has not been bad this season, especially after a pretty good showing against Tennessee last weekend. However, he has not been his elite self. Kroeger currently sits 22nd in the country in average punt distance. That’s a good number, but it is not a Kai Kroeger number.
He also has not been the same type of difference-maker throwing the football this season. Kroeger helped flip several games last season with his combination of booming punts and execution on fakes. The Gamecocks have missed on two different 2-point conversions in which Kroeger threw the ball and have just one fake punt attempt (a conversion) this season.
Without an extraordinary effort from their star punter, the Gamecocks would not have beaten Clemson last season, and he played an instrumental role in holding off Texas A&M in a close game in which the Aggies threatened to come back from their early deficit.
Simply put, the Gamecocks need their star punter to be great moving forward, and South Carolina football fans have every reason to expect that he will be.