5 Reasons South Carolina Football Will Be Better on Defense in 2024:
New Faces
As important as the returning players will be to the 2024 South Carolina football team, the newcomers will be the ones who complete the picture.
Transfer portal additions Kyle Kennard (Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets), Gilber Edmond (Florida State Seminoles), DeAndre Jules (Pittsburgh Panthers), Monkell Goodwine (Alabama Crimson Tide), Bangally Kamara (Pittsburgh Panthers), Demetrius Knight (Charlotte 49ers), Gerald Kilgore (Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles), and Buddy Mack (Pittsburgh Panthers) all have real chances at earning spots in the two-deep this fall.
The true freshman class of 2024 will play a big role, too. 5-star Dylan Stewart and 4-star Jalewis Solomon will push for significant playing time at EDGE and cornerback/nickel, respectively, and linebacker/EDGE players Wendell Gregory and Fred "JayR" Johnson likely will see the field. Even hard-hitting young safeties Kelvin Hunter and David Bucey could see some time, either as depth in the secondary or on special teams.
The Gamecocks have not been this deep on defense since at least 2017, and the upside of the 2024 unit could see the team finish in the top-5 in the SEC in several statistical categories. If things do go that well on defense this fall, Carolina will have a very good chance of getting back to a bowl game after their 5-7 finish last year.