With 68 days until kickoff, a look at South Carolina football's number 58 Markee Anderson

As of July 4th, there are just 58 days remaining on the calendar until the South Carolina football team begins its 2024 season. For those who don't like math, that means the Gamecocks kick off their season inside the friendly confines of Williams-Brice Stadium in less than two months.

As is usually the case in the modern world of NIL and the transfer portal, USC will have a new-look roster this fall as about 40 scholarship players on this year's team were not on last year's squad.

Even with all of that turnover, most South Carolina football fans have their eyes set on one position group: the offensive line. Last year's unit was a disaster thanks to injuries and poor play, and it doomed the Gamecocks' offense (and, at times, the entire team) before they ever had a real chance to compete. To be better this fall, Carolina must get a better season out of their big uglies.

One player who could get involved in some of the open position battles up front is Markee Anderson, the man who wears #58. A consensus 4-star prospect in the class of 2023, Anderson was part of a really nice group of offensive line commits that cycle, and he was believed to be the best of the bunch.

Unfortunately, injuries have been a problem for him as he missed all of 2023 with a knee issue and didn't play in the Garnet and Black Spring Game thanks to a hurt back.

Vershon Lee is as close to a guarantee to start as possible (most likely at center), but the other two interior offensive line positions are somewhat open. Incumbent starter Trovon Baugh and transfer portal addition Torricelli Simpkins seem to have a leg up on the competition for those two spots, but Markee Anderson will battle with transfer portal guard Kamaar Bell and veterans returners Jakai Moore and Ryan Brubaker for a place in the two-deep or, if things go extremely well, even a starting spot.

Anderson, when healthy, possesses a nice mix of big man athleticism and raw strength. He has the potential to parlay that combination into a very good career at the college level, and he has enough versatility to play any spot on the offensive line. Last year, Anderson primarily repped at guard before his injury, but he filled in at tackle at times. Others think center is his best position.

If the Dorman High School product can fully be "back" this fall, it seems all but a foregone conclusion that he will push his way into the two-deep somewhere for offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley. Based on the past couple of years in Columbia, a top-10 spot on the line means that he will play and be a valuable contributor to the USC offense.

Anderson and his South Carolina football teammates will welcome the Old Dominion Monarchs to town for their first game on August 31st. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network and streamed on the ESPN app, and it will kick off at 4:15 PM ET.