South Carolina’s football camp is now less than two weeks away, scheduled to start on March 20.
When Gamecocks enter the field with helmets for the first time with Shane Beamer as the head coach and Clayton White as a defensive coordinator, there is a new scheme to be implemented with many new players in the fold. The first two entries from the 2021 autograph class will be at the camp, as well as four transfers.
Among the interviews, the highlights of the training sessions produced by the team or even possible open sessions for the media / fans, below I highlight the returning player and the defense rookie who will be more connected during the spring camp.
RETURNER: JR. DT ZACCH PICKENS
The country’s first general defensive tackle and the country’s eighth player in the class of 2019 is entering its third season on campus.
As a freshman, he supported a future first round choice in Javon Kinlaw and even received honors from the SEC freshman team. In the second year, he started seven of 10 games and led all of the team’s attackers with 35 tackles.
Pickens has shown that he can count on his clothes every Saturday. He hasn’t lost a game in the past two seasons in South Carolina. Keir Thomas gone, Pickens will now be looked at to anchor the Gamecocks’ internal defensive line. He is surrounded by talented rushers, but the defense needs a defensive tackle to complete the threat up front.
In his third position as a coach in three years in Colombia, Pickens is certainly a veteran to monitor in defense. Tony Morrell of TheBigSpur watched Pickens’ progress in a recent “Team Scoop” post as the Gamecocks prepared for spring training.
Spring Preview: A returner, a newcomer to assist in the attack
NEWLY: FR. LB DEBO WILLIAMS
Williams has been one of the most talked about football players since he arrived on campus a few months ago. From your work ethic in the weight room to your friendship with SeaShawn Lloyd With the opportunity he has to play early due to the state of the linebacker’s room in 2021, Williams is intriguing as an individual defensive plot about the team entering spring camp.
In case you have forgotten where @ Debowilliams13 it’s from pic.twitter.com/BINZa0SXmn
– Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) February 26, 2021
“You call (his tape) and you’re like, ‘My God, how was he not recruited by ACC, SEC, Big Ten?’ Really impressive video and productive high school career, ”said Beamer in January. “He’s a guy who’s all professional.
“(Once) I entered the weight room like 5:45 in the morning and there were two guys there already waiting, it was Debo and MarShawn there together. He is grateful for the opportunity to be here and very excited to be part of the program. He’s one of those guys who can be 18, or whatever, but he’s 18 and he’s going to be 22 with the way he behaves. He is all professional and will help us in the position of linebacker. “
Listed 6-1 and already £ 230 for the first-year player, Williams already looks physically ready to compete among a group of linebackers who have a combination of unproven experience and youth.
Redshirt senior Sherrod Greene has 25 career starts to his name, but was held back from just one game last season due to injury. Fifth year player Damani Staley he played a lot, but never got a starting role from the beginning to the end of a season. Redshirt senior Brad Johnson it was a highlight of the 2020 pre-season camp, but it did not live up to the accolades during the season. Junior Redshirt Rosendo Louissecond year red shirt Jahmar Brown and second year Mohamed Kaba are the most inexperienced in the position, either due to injury or in the case of Kaba, being a second year player in the program.