Two South Carolina football newcomers placed on preseason award watch list

The College Sports Communicators and Associated Press announced on Wednesday morning their preseason watch list for the Comeback Player of the Year Award.Every year since 2018, the honor has been bestowed to the player whose season demonstrates the best "comeback" from illness, injury, or other circumstances. Two newcomers to the South Carolina football program are among the 89 nominees this preseason.

Running back Rocket Sanders and tight end Brady Hunt both dealt with injuries in 2023 but are expected to be major parts of the Gamecock offense this fall. After an All-American campaign in 2022, Sanders spent last year with the Arkansas Razorbacks and played much of the year with nagging knee and shoulder issues. Hunt was a Freshman All-American at Ball State in 2022 but missed all of 2023 with an ankle injury.

As two of the top players in USC's transfer portal recruiting class, Sanders and Hunt will see the field a lot in 2024. Sanders is the presumed starter at running back and has garnered a lot of preseason All-SEC hype. Hunt will be one of two primary tight ends to start the year along with Josh Simon, and the duo is expected to factor heavily into the offensive game plan.

Ironically, neither Rocket Sanders nor Brady Hunt are playing their primary position from high school. Hunt was a quarterback at Delta High School in Muncie, Indiana, while Sanders played even more wide receiver and linebacker than running back for Rockledge High School in Rockledge, Florida.

Sanders also was included on the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award (the honor given to the country's top running back) and the Maxwell Award (the trophy awarded to the top player in college football). The John Mackey Award (the award granted to the top tight end in the nation) has not announced its preseason watch list yet but it would be no surprise if Hunt (and/or Simon) made the cut.