South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy, Part 3: Offensive Superlatives
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football Offseason Autopsy, Offensive Superlatives:
Offensive Most Improved Player
To be clear, the Most Improved Player for the South Carolina offense was Xavier Legette. However, because Legette already won the Most Outstanding Player award, another Gamecock will bring home Most Improved Player honors.
Vershon Lee is that man.
After being a part-time starter at guard who finished the 2022 season as a reserve, Lee stepped up in a big way this offseason and became the clear starter at center, replacing multi-year starter Eric Douglas.
Frankly, the offensive line wasn’t good this season in Columbia, and South Carolina football fans are painfully aware of that fact. However, if the unit had five Vershon Lees on it this season, the offensive line would have been pretty good.
Lee was the team’s best offensive lineman this season, both at center early in the season and at right tackle at the end of the year. He was not an elite run blocker or a dominant pass protector, but Vershon Lee was good at both, something that could not be said consistently about any other lineman in garnet and black this season.
It wouldn’t come as a major surprise if Lee started at any of the five offensive line positions next season, and Gamecock fans hope he can take another big step forward in his final year in Columbia.
Vershon Lee was the 2023 Offensive MIP.