Spring 2021 kicks off a new chapter in South Carolina football as a new head coach Shane Beamer takes control of Gamecock’s luck.
Beamer, a former assistant coach of Gamecock during the Steve Spurrier regime, knows the challenges that await him, but the first year’s head coach is process-oriented and knows what this program can be like when it’s running at full steam, as it was when he was last here. A meticulous scorer who was fortunate enough to learn from several excellent coaches and be around some excellent programs, Coach Beamer will pick up pieces from each stop to put his own brand on the Gamecock program.
Coach Beamer surrounded himself with a young and energetic team that brought a positive vibe back to the program. He was very meticulous in forming his technical committee and believes that he has a group that will work well together with a healthy combination of youth and experience. Carolina’s 101 spring squad players have spent the past few months working out in the weight room with a new strength and conditioning trainer Luke Day and his team and are looking forward to returning to the fields of practice. All 101 players arrive with a blank slate, eager to make a favorable first impression with their new mentors. Coach Beamer and his team have 15 spring practices to assess returning talent, seven players transferred on scholarships and five newcomers from the 2021 recruiting class, install new schemes and vernacular language and infuse the philosophies and principles that will define Gamecock Football in the foreseeable future.
The coaches in the field, except one, are new to the South Carolina team. The only remaining team from Will Muschamp’s team are the defensive sides’ coach / external linebackers Mike Peterson. Peterson will work closely with the defensive coordinator Clayton White, who will also train internal linebackers. Jimmy Lindsey takes the defensive line, while Torrian Grey is the new defensive coach.
The offensive side of the ball will be directed by the offensive coordinator / coach of the defenders Marcus Satterfield. He will be assisted by a veteran offensive line technician Greg Adkinsrunning backs coach Montario Hardesty, wide receivers trainer Justin Stepp and tight-ended trainer Erik Kimrey, a former Gamecock quarterback.
Pete Lembo joined the team as an associate head coach and is the coordinator of special teams.
The new team will have 51 return letter winners to work with during the spring, including 24 in attack, 23 in defense and four experts. That list includes 14 holders of the starting lineup, seven in attack, five in defense and two specialists.
The main offensive returnees of the 2-8 team from last year include four holders in the offensive line – Eric Douglas, Jovaughn Gwyn, Jakai Moore and Dylan Wonnum; 1,000 yard rusher Kevin Harris and tight end Nick Muse, the top return receiver.
A trio of players – wide receivers Randrecous Davis and OrTre Smith, along with the running back MarShawn Lloyd – lost the entire 2020 season, but returned this year and, if healthy, could play a key role in the attack.
The main returnees in defense include the All-SEC defensive edge Kingsley Enagbare and tackles Jabari Ellis and Zacch Pickens. The defense will have a boost with the return of the linebackers Sherrod Greene and Rosendo Louis Jr., both lost almost the entire 2020 season due to injuries.
In addition, coach Beamer and his team hit the transfer portal hard and brought seven fellows who are expected to provide an immediate injection of talent to the squad. The seven include wide receiver Ahmarean Brown (Georgia Tech), defender Jason Brown (St. Francis, Pa.), Defensive tackle Keem Green (Nebraska), wide receiver EJ Jenkins (São Francisco, Pa.), Defensive back David Spaulding (South Georgia), EDGE Jordan Strachan (State of Georgia) and linebacker Debo Williams (Delaware).
Last year’s team’s major defeats include five players who were invited to the NFL Combine – senior offensive lineman Sadarius Hutchersonsenior wide receiver Shi Smithjunior linebacker Ernest Jones and junior defensive defenders Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu.
The strengths of the team should be found in the race backwards and along the offensive line, as well as an improved defensive line and in the kick game with the return of the bettor and the placekicker. Coaches will use the spring to identify game creators in the position of the wide receiver and rebuild a secondary that will feature many new faces.
As it happens every year, the goal of Gamecocks is Atlanta and a spot in the SEC Championship game. And, as it happens every year, the path that runs through the SEC challenge is challenging, to say the least.
Gamecocks’ four home conference games include visits from Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Florida and Auburn, while Carolina will travel to SEC opponents, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Missouri. The non-conference list includes home games against the level of FCS Eastern Illinois, Troy and a renewal of the annual Palmetto Bowl with Clemson. In addition, Gamecocks will travel to Greenville, NC for a September 11 meeting with the East Carolina Pirates.
OFFENSE
New offensive coordinator / defender coach Marcus Satterfield will be implementing a new attack this spring and will have the challenge of getting more output from a unit that averaged just 23.5 points per game a season ago. Perhaps the most important battle of position in the spring is in the quarterback, where Luke Doty returns after gaining valuable experience as a real freshman last year. He will be challenged by transfer Jason Brown and true freshman Colten Gauthier. Whichever quarterback wins the job, he knows he has the luxury of being able to deliver the ball to a 1,000-yard field player in Kevin Harris. But Harris is not the only talented rusher on the backfield in what may be the team’s deepest position, one that includes MarShawn Lloyd, ZaQuandre White and Rashad Amos. It will be interesting to see how the wide receiver’s body develops with a mix of veterans, transferees and youngsters, all competing for playing time. Many eyes will be focused on transfers Ahmarean Brown, which immediately becomes the biggest deep threat, and 6-7 EJ Jenkins. Nick Muse took advantage of the NCAA rule to return for an extra year of eligibility and numbers to be the best tight end. A quartet of sophomores will pressure each other to save time. The offensive line should be a strong point, as it is deep, talented and experienced. The four return entries are Dylan Wonnum (24 career starts), Jovaughn Gwyn (21), Eric Douglas (11) and Jakai Moore (8) while Jordan Rhodes (10), Jaylen Nichols (4), Jazston Turnetine (3), Hank Manos (2) and Vershon Lee (1) everyone was a beginner during his Gamecock career as well.
DEFENSE
Defensive coordinator / trainer of internal linebackers Clayton White will be challenged to put his unit back on track this year after the Gamecocks averaged 36.0 points per game a season in a season that was plagued by injuries, opt-outs and positive COVID-19 tests. In fact, Carolina had nine defensive holders at the opening of the season against Tennessee, who were not on the starting lineup at the end of the regular season in Kentucky, and the two who were, safety Shilo Sanders and nickel Jammie Robinson, were transferred. The strength of the unit must be in the front, where JAbari Ellis, Rick Sandidge and Zacch Pickens stack in the middle and off the edge where the All-SEC artist Kingsley Enagbare, Aaron Sterling, Jordan Burch and Tonka Hemingway everyone shone at times, along with the nation’s leader in bags in Jordan Strachan, a transfer from the state of Georgia. The linebacking corps will receive a boost with the return of Sherrod Greene and Rosendo Louis Jr., both were dismissed due to injuries in 2020, along with the return of the holder Damani Staley, 2020 team captain Brad Johnson and Freshman All-SEC performer Mohamed Kaba. The secondary will need to be rebuilt for the most part, with Jaylin Dickerson, RJ Roderick and Cam Smith the most likely candidates to guarantee a regular playing time, but the opportunities are abundant for others to present themselves and win an important role.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Gamecock kick game should be a strong point for the new special team coordinator Pete Lembo. Parker White returns for its fifth season as the first placekicker. He struggled a bit last season, but has been almost automatic in 40 yards over the course of his Gamecock career and has a chance to break Elliott Fry’s school record by points scored in a career. Punter Kai Kroeger is back for its second season after winning the honors of the SEC’s All-Freshman team a year ago. The left-handed kicker seems to improve by an average of 43.3 yards from 2020. Second-year player Mitch Jeter has a great leg and has handled the starting tasks for much of the 2020 season, but needs to gain consistency in that role. Matthew Bailey returns for his second season as the team’s long snapper. Several candidates may be in line for homework assignments and punt assignments again this year.