South Carolina Football: 5 big questions for the Gamecocks after Signing Day
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football, 5 big questions for the Gamecocks:
What should be made of the wide receiver position?
The Gamecocks have lost a massive amount of talent from the wide receiver room over the past two seasons. Jalen Brooks, Josh Vann, Xavier Legette, Ahmarean Brown, and Juice Wells all were big contributors in the passing game in 2022 and 2023. None of them will be on the team in 2024.
Bringing in Jared Brown helps immediately, and 5-star Nyck Harbor is sure to be better next fall than he was in his first year as a receiver in 2023. Even so, a struggling unit (other than Legette) is losing its three leading receivers from last year.
Especially because Jayden McGowan defected from the transfer portal class, Carolina needs to bring in another player who is capable of producing this year at the position. Brown and Harbor could have good seasons next year, but neither player should be expected to be true WR1s.
Adding that type of player seems unlikely at this point, but bringing in another solid player or two can cover the difference. The 2012 and 2013 offenses in Columbia were really good, and those teams did not have a #1 option at wide receiver, but they had a bevy of players who could be a #2 or #3 as Bruce Ellington, Ace Sanders, Damiere Byrd, Nick Jones, and Shaq Roland were all good contributors.
If wide receivers coach Justin Stepp can add a transfer portal contributor or develops a youngster into a contributing role, the Gamecocks could have a good passing attack. If they step on the field with a group of Harbor, Brown, converted quarterback Luke Doty, and a bunch of inexperienced players, they could be in trouble.