South Carolina Football: 91 days until kickoff, a look at number 91 Tonka Hemingway

South Carolina football kicks off its season in 91 days with a home contest against the Old Dominion Monarchs, the first-ever meeting between the two schools. With 91 days left until that first game, #91, defensive lineman Tonka Hemingway, is getting ever closer to his final year of eligibility with the Gamecocks.

Hemingway is entering his fifth season with the program, and the former 4-star recruit out of the Palmetto State has been a contributor each year he has been on campus. He battled a few minor injuries early in his career, but Hemingway has played a full season each of the past two years, and he seems poised for a big showing as a super senior.

With one of the best defensive lineman names in the history of the sport, Tonka Hemingway has primarily been a defensive tackle, but if South Carolina football defensive coordinator Clayton White utilizes the 3-3-5 as much as many fans hope he will, the Gamecocks will kick Hemingway out to end some, as well. He is athletic enough to do so, and as one of just 10 defensive tackles in the country to average a 75 PFF grade as a run-stopper and pass-rusher, Hemingway has the chops to handle himself at either spot and in almost any situation.

Last year, Hemingway was third on the team in defensive lineman tackles for loss (behind fellow athletic defensive tackle TJ Sanders and EDGE Jordan Strachan), but he was the runaway leader in passes knocked down at the line of scrimmage. In fact, against the Vanderbilt Commodores, big #91 knocked down 3 passes by himself and earned several different Player of the Week honors.

South Carolina football fans' favorite usage of Tonka Hemingway, though, has been his success on gadget plays. Over the past two seasons, Hemingway has gotten some snaps on offense and special teams, and he has caught a first down, run in a 2-point conversion, and scored a touchdown on another carry out of the backfield.

Hemingway has some NFL Draft hype behind his name, if he has the type of season he hopes to have in 2024, that hype will turn into real draft stock and a selection during next April's festivities.