South Carolina football fans just witnessed their team’s worst offensive performance of the season at the hands of their bitter in-state rivals. The 16-7 loss to Clemson saw the Gamecocks total just 169 yards of offense in an embarrassing showing.
The loss was the wilted cherry on top of the disappointing, half-melted sundae that was the 2023 South Carolina football season. Sure, there were some bites in which the ice cream was still cold, and even mediocre ice cream is still enjoyable if it’s cold. However, there were even more bites that were full of nothing but the room temperature sugar milk that resulted from not enough attention being paid to the ice cream after putting it in the bowl.
From a team perspective, nothing was particularly good about the 2023 season. The offense and defense ranked in the bottom half of the country in points per game (77th), points per game allowed (68th), total yardage (81st), total yardage allowed (89th), 3rd-down success rate (110th), and defensive 3rd-down success rate (101st).
Now that the season is officially dead (the only 5-7 team that was invited to participate in this year’s bowl season was the Minnesota Golden Gophers), the offseason has begun, and it is time for an autopsy of the Gamecocks’ 2023 campaign.
Let’s start with the offense.
***All stats sourced from NCAA.com
South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy:
Grading the Offensive Coordinator
Gamecock head coach Shane Beamer and former offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield parted ways after the 2023 season, and depending on who one asks, Satterfield was fired, was asked to look for a new job, or left without any resistance from his head coach. No matter the details, Satterfield became the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ problem, and former Arkansas assistant Dowell Loggains became the play caller in Columbia.
Because Loggains was the man in charge of the offense, he gets the majority of the blame for the bad season on that side of the football, and most of that is deserved. However, it is important to note that the Gamecocks’ process on offense was better than the last two seasons under Satterfield.
To be clear, that doesn’t mean that the 2023 South Carolina football team was led well on offense. Loggains struggled mightily whenever his opening game script ran out (though, he was elite on script for most of the season, scoring in the 1st quarter of every game but one).
His players liked the simplicity of Loggains’ playbook, but the Gamecocks really could have used some more “complex” middle passing game this season. Behind-the-line-of-scrimmage plays and deep shots were the majority of the passing calls, but USC had success on crossers and outs in the few instances they chose to run them.
Loggains was handcuffed severely this season by his offensive line, but he only seemed to adjust in some games this season but not in others. The Texas A&M and North Carolina game plans looked like they were tailored to hide the Gamecocks’ deficiencies up front with quick passes and other “offensive line-proof” concepts. The Missouri and Clemson games notably did not.
If Dowell Loggains is the offensive coordinator for the Gamecocks in 2024, he will have quarterback LaNorris Sellers most likely at the helm. Though no one should expect Sellers to be as good as Spencer Rattler next year, his running ability might fit Loggains’ offense in a way that makes him more comfortable as he resembles Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson physically.
South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy:
Grading the Offensive Coaching
The offensive assistant coaches presided over inconsistent units in 2023.
New OL coach Lonnie Teasley’s group was decimated by injuries as preseason starting left tackle Jaylen Nichols missed the whole season, starting right tackle Cason Henry missed basically the whole year, and potential starter at guard Markee Anderson missed the year, as well. Versatile players with starting experience like Vershon Lee, Jakai Moore, and Trai Jones missed multiple games. Even players in the 2-deep like Ryan Brubaker, Jaxon Hughes, and Ni Mansell missed time.
The result was that the Gamecocks had to play two true freshmen for most of the season. Both players had some good moments but were not ready for full-time duty in the SEC. The lack of healthy bodies also meant that struggling players had to play even against severe mismatches.
The guys who played didn’t always look particularly well-coached, especially when presented with more exotic stunts and blitzes. Too often, the Gamecock offensive line left a player (or players) completely unblocked because they didn’t know what they were doing. To be fair, some of this was due to inexperience, but good coaching should be able to cover up experience a bit by preparing his players with basic-level readiness.
Wide receivers coach Justin Stepp’s group really struggled outside of breakout star Xavier Legette. 5-star athlete Nyck Harbor did not adapt well to his new position, struggling with drops, route-running, and the playbook. Ahmarean Brown was fine but had some drops of his own and missed some time with hamstring ailments. Players like O’Mega Blake, converted quarterback Luke Doty, and Tyshawn Russell were forced into bigger roles than they should have had, as well.
The Gamecock pass-catchers were among the SEC’s leaders in dropped passes, and no wide receiver other than Xavier Legette had more than 270 yards receiving on the season. Stepp has a proven track record with receivers, and he helped develop Legette, but 2023 was not a high-water mark.
The running back group, for the third straight year, didn’t perform up to expectations. Coach Montario Hardesty and the Carolina coaching staff decided that DK Joyner was the best man for the job this offseason, but the move to running back did not work out for #5. It took multiple weeks for the staff to give Mario Anderson a chance.
Anderson was a solid performer when he was running the ball with any sort of space, but the offensive line woes made things difficult most of the time. No back other than Anderson looked prepared to contribute much other than a couple of moments from veteran scatback Juju McDowell.
The tight end duo of Trey Knox and Josh Simon were good. Knox struggled as a blocker but excelled at finding open space in the defense’s coverage. Simon was a better blocker and a more athletic runner after the catch. Tight ends coach Jody Wright got good production from his unit.
The only knock on Wright this season came from personnel usage. Many USC fans are still wondering why Josh Simon wasn’t featured more often, and fellow transfer addition Nick Elksnis barely played at all, even when a blocking specialist tight end (which is what he is supposed to be) could have been very beneficial to a struggling offensive front.
Dowell Loggains and Spencer Rattler had a good connection this season as quarterback coach and quarterback. Rattler made better decisions with the football this year than he did last year, and Loggains was very receptive to the suggestions of his star quarterback. Where Loggains may have struggled as a play caller, he had a good year as a position coach.
South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy:
Grading the Quarterback Play
2023 wasn’t a good season in Gamecock Land, but it would have been an unmitigated disaster if it weren’t for Spencer Michael Rattler. In year 2 of the Rattler era in Columbia, the offense was completely on his shoulders outside of the few times in which the offensive line provided running back Mario Anderson with some running room.
Spencer Rattler is the most talented quarterback ever to play for the South Carolina football program, and his play this season ensured that he is remembered as one of the greatest to ever do it, as well. Similarly to how Anthony Wright is remembered as a great quarterback on a bad offense, Rattler put himself in the Gamecock record books despite a disastrous offensive situation.
#7 is now #5 in career passing yards in Carolina history and his 2023 campaign finished with the 3rd-most single-season passing yards. Had the Gamecocks made a bowl game, he might have found himself in the top spot. He also set a program record for the most career 350-yard passing performances and career completion percentage. He accomplished all of this despite playing just two years in garnet and black.
South Carolina football fans have played a lot of the “what if” game with Rattler’s career. “What if Spencer Rattler had a good offensive line,” “What if Spencer Rattler played for four seasons in Columbia,” and “What if Spencer Rattler could have been the quarterback on [insert previous year’s team here]” were all common hypotheticals asked throughout this season.
There’s very little chance that Rattler will return to the Gamecocks in 2024, but he does have one more year of potential eligibility. Almost guaranteed to be taken in the top half of the 2024 NFL Draft, Rattler and top target Xavier Legette have been projected as high as the 1st round of some mock drafts.
In the few snaps that Rattler didn’t take at quarterback this season, DK Joyner had some quality goal line touches out of the wildcat, and 4-star freshman LaNorris Sellers got some valuable reps that showed the Gamecock offense could be in capable hands if he wins the starting position next year.
South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy:
Grading the Running Backs
South Carolina football averaged only 85 yards on the ground per game this fall. That is abysmal and was ranked 126th out of 130 teams in the country this season. Four air raid (or pseudo-air raid) teams were the only offenses ranked lower than the Gamecocks in rushing yards per game.
The situation was even bleaker early in the season before Mario Anderson emerged as a legitimate threat. Nothing was working for the Gamecocks behind their struggling offensive line unit, but the running backs weren’t necessarily doing their part, either, though one could argue that wasn’t their fault.
DK Joyner was bulked up and moved to the position out of necessity when his best role was as a hybrid receiver and wildcat quarterback. Juju McDowell is a 170-pound scatback who should be used situationally. Djay Braswell was a true freshman. Even Anderson was a question mark coming into the season after moving up from the Division-II level.
Frankly, the biggest problem with the running back group was the fact that the roster should have never gotten into the position it did with no experienced, every-down running backs on the team. All of the backs (other than maybe Braswell, who could have used a redshirt) could have played a role in the offense if utilized correctly. Instead, Anderson had to be overworked at times, and Joyner, McDowell, and Braswell were put in unfair situations.
Joyner had some good goal line carries, but other than that, Anderson was the only real threat on the ground this season. Joyner, Braswell, and McDowell all averaged less than 2.5 yards per carry. Even when Xavier Legette lined up in the backfield to try to help out when Joyner and McDowell were injured, Carolina couldn’t run the ball.
On the positive end of things, the Gamecock running backs did a pretty good job in the passing game. Outside of some Anderson drops, the unit caught the ball out of the backfield decently well (three backs with over 100 yards receiving) and they all seemed to get better in pass protection.
Mario Anderson logged 860 yards of total offense in nine starts but would have had even more if the coaching staff had played him sooner and/or if the offensive line held up better.
If Anderson decides to make a run at the NFL, the Gamecocks could be in trouble next season at the running back position, no matter how much the offensive line improves.
South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy:
Grading the Wide Receivers
Grading the wide receivers on this year’s South Carolina football squad is not easy. On one hand, Xavier Legette turned in one of the best years of any Gamecock ever. On the other hand, the rest of his teammates at the position did not do their part to help the offense succeed.
Legette added his name to the pantheon of all-time great Carolina receivers (of which there have been plenty). He became the first Gamecock ever to log three 175-yard receiving performances in his career, and his 1255 yards trail only Alshon Jeffery’s 1517 yards from the 2010 season, something he did in two fewer games than Jeffery. However, other than Legette, the receivers struggled, accounting for just over 1000 yards total despite defenses being keyed on #17
Like Anderson did with running backs, Legette accounted for nearly 2/3 of the total yardage production within his position group. That’s a bad distribution of production for running backs in modern college football, but it is a terrible distribution of production for a modern wide receiver room considering there are usually 3 or 4 of them on the field at a time.
Much of the lack of production from the rest of the receivers can be attributed to the injury absence of Juice Wells. Wells missed basically the entire season with a foot injury, and fans can’t help but wonder how much the offense would have been different had he been able to line up across from Xavier Legette this year.
Ahmarean Brown had some nice moments but drops and a hamstring issue kept him from having the type of season he hoped to have, and 5-star freshman Nyck Harbor needs more time to adapt to his new position. Converted quarterback Luke Doty had some moments, and Tyshawn Russell flashed some ability when he was able to hold onto the football. Senior transfer Eddie Lewis had talent but fell out of favor with the staff, barely playing the 2nd half of the season.
All in all, it was a weird season for the team’s primary pass catchers, and next year could be a tough one if Wells isn’t the same player coming back from injury and if the Gamecocks don’t have some other players step up.
South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy:
Grading the Tight Ends
The South Carolina tight ends were the best offensive unit after Spencer Rattler at the quarterback spot. Fans thought that the two main transfer additions Trey Knox and Josh Simon would come in and play hybrid tight end/wide receiver roles, and that is not exactly what happened. However, the two tight ends were important players in 2023.
Knox was a step slower than advertised after dealing with some injuries at Arkansas, but he was a very smart route runner who had a knack for finding soft spots in the defense. He was second on the team in receiving yards with 312 yards.
Josh Simon was the better blocker this season of the two primary tight ends, and he was also the more dynamic athlete. Simon was a ferocious runner after the catch, and with the ability to return for another season in Columbia, he could be in for a big year next year.
The rest of the tight end room didn’t play much. Nick Elksnis and Connor Cox played very sparingly, and players like DK Joyner (running back), JonDarius Morgan (offensive line), Boogie Huntley (defensive line), TJ Sanders (defensive line), and Tonka Hemingway (defensive line) all filled in at tight end and h-back in certain sets this season.
With the struggles at wide receiver, the Gamecocks ran a fair amount of 12-personnel (1 running back, 2 tight ends) this season, but they could have utilized it even more often. Simon, especially, deserved additional playing time. Knox and Simon both could get an NFL look this offseason, but as of now, there has been no indication that Simon plans to leave the program. Knox is out of eligibility.
South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy:
Grading the Offensive Line
There is no way to avoid saying the truth: the South Carolina offensive line was really bad this season.
However, there should be some context that is added to that statement when discussing the 2023 campaign. The Gamecocks were ravaged by injuries on the offensive line. Six linemen who were in the 2-deep at some point this year missed the majority or all of the season, three more starters missed multiple games, and the rest of the starters played hurt at times.
Despite all of the injuries, it is still fair to say that USC didn’t do enough up front to have a successful offense. The big fellas allowed 41 sacks (118th in the country) and 75 tackles for loss (125th in the country). Based on those numbers, it’s a testament to Spencer Rattler’s brilliance that the offense managed to finish in the top-100 this season.
Veteran Vershon Lee was the best performer this season, both when he played inside at center and when he slid out to right tackle later in the season, and the fact that he returns next season means that he likely will start somewhere in 2024.
Freshmen Tree Babalade and Tro Baugh started the majority of the year and flashed some good moments. However, as is usually the case, they struggled at times because they were first-year players forced to compete in the SEC before they were ready.
Grad transfer Nick Gargiulo didn’t have a great year but had to start (both at left guard and at center), and versatile older players Trai Jones and Jakai Moore both battled injuries and had some decent moments and some not-so-decent moments.
After Cason Henry went down with an injury, the early-season right tackle battle between Sidney Fugar and Tyshawn Wannamaker resulted in a lot of poor play at that position.
Though another talented freshman class is set to arrive in Columbia next year (5-star Josiah Thompson, 4-star Kam Pringle, and 4-star Blake Franks), the Gamecocks could be inclined to try to find a stopgap or two out of the transfer portal until all of the youngsters are ready to play full-time.