The 2023 season was the stuff of nightmares for South Carolina football fans.
The Gamecocks suffered a ridiculous number of injuries on offense (especially on the offensive line), but still managed to put up enough points to be competitive early in the season thanks in large part to superb efforts from quarterback Spencer Rattler and wide receiver Xavier Legette. The defense struggled mightily early, covering up (in a bad way) the offensive efforts. Then, when the defense got much better with a scheme change, the offense fell off a cliff.
The end result was a losing season and missed bowl game, two firsts during the Shane Beamer era in Columbia.
Still, though, there are plenty of reasons to think that the 2024 version of the South Carolina football team can be vastly improved. A tough schedule awaits the garnet and black, but thanks to some strong recruiting classes and a large influx of transfer portal pieces, the roster looks better. Some tweaks to the coaching staff (both in personnel changes and in philosophies) should pay dividends, as well.
A look at 5 reasons the Gamecocks can be better on offense can be read here.
This article, though, will give 5 specific reasons for optimism that USC can be better on the defensive side of the ball heading into the fall.