The South Carolina Gamecocks are reloading in 2026, hoping to have a rebound season following a 4-8 year. As the Gamecocks are just a few weeks away from the first week of fall camp next month, head coach Shane Beamer said his defense will have to rely on some true freshmen getting valuable reps this season.Â
While appearing on "The Welcome Home" podcast on Tuesday, Coach Beamer said that he is expecting to have true freshmen take meaningful reps this season.Â
"We're going to have to rely on true freshmen in the secondary," Coach Beamer said of his defense.Â
Aside from veteran defensive back Peyton Williams, who represented the Gamecocks at SEC Media Days last week, South Carolina will have a handful of true freshman defensive backs fighting for playing time.Â
One of the biggest names is J'Zavien Currence, who has a chance to start at the safety spot on the other side of Williams. Currence is a former 4-star safety prospect out of South Point High School in Rock Hill, S.C. He's an athlete with impressive versatility, as he played both quarterback and defensive back in high school. As a senior, he finished with 4,403 total yards and 44 touchdowns at quarterback, including 87 tackles and four interceptions on defense.Â
At cornerback, there are a few guys who could see the field early, well. Although returning starters Vicari Swain and Judge Collier are expected to be the No. 1 guys at corner, true freshman are right behind them on the depth chart. Kosci Barnes had a big spring season, as the Grinsley High School product helped lead his high school team to a class 7A State Championship as a senior. During his team's 15-0 season, he had 59 tackles with nine for loss, registering another four interceptions.
Other guys looking to see the field at corner include Triston Lewis and KJ Johnson, who arrived on-campus this summer. Lewis also played quarterback in high school, who also played baseball and basketball at Greenwood High School. Johnson, a true freshman out of Birmingham, Ala., compiled 43 tackles with five tackles for loss as a senior.  Â
Last season, South Carolina's secondary finished 59th nationally in pass defense, allowing 216.5 yards in the air per game. If the Gamecocks want to make it to a bowl game in 2026, locking down in the secondary will be key. The Gamecocks will open their 2026 season at home on Sept. 5 against Kent State.
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