COLUMBIA – SEC speed, which celebrates the difference between good and great football players and between touchdown passes and interceptions, is presenting itself to Jason Brown.
“It’s a lot faster,” said Brown, the South Carolina senior redshirt defender who transferred from St. Francis University (Pa.) University in January. “I really need to know where I’m going with football and I can’t make any mistakes.”
It only took the first few days of spring practice. The talent is better than what Brown saw when he broke records at the FCS Northeast Conference in 2019.
Strategy adjustments, head games and fake blitzes are part of the first training sessions.
“It’s fast and challenging, but I love it,” said Brown. “It’s fun.”
If it’s still fun after the April 24 spring game, it is best for South Carolina to enter Shane Beamer’s first season as head coach. The key to improving the quarterback’s game – a mandatory Gamecock for 2021 – is Brown, one of the two or three most important players in the squad.
The Fredericksburg, Virginia, native with 6-3 pounds and 235 pounds, pitched for 3,084 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2019 at St. Francis, who opted out of the 2020 season for COVID-19 reasons. Brown must come up with veteran skills and double threat skills to push second-year title holder Luke Doty.
At least.
It’s a strange football world in which three former South Carolina quarterbacks still qualify for college: Jake Bentley (South Alabama via Utah), Ryan Hilinski (Northwestern) and Collin Hill (looking for professional opportunities, but could have played another year).
Bentley – and you can see that – is the only defender to beat Michigan in a game of bowling, shoot over 500 yards at Clemson and beat Colorado in the snow.
Hilinski started with a frustrating victory in Georgia.
Hill beat Auburn.
And now Doty is the most experienced SEC quarterback in the South Carolina squad, thanks to two games at the end of the 2020 season that cost Will Muschamp his job after a 2-8 result.
The quarterback’s room also includes the lively freshman Colten Gauthier, from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, who weighs 6 to 3 and weighs 90 kilos. Asked this week about his strengths, he mentioned the strength of the arm and the “ceiling”.
As for the Gamecocks attack, Gauthier channeled the boldness of Al Davis, the late owner of the Raiders, into the NFL: “We will get what we want, whenever we want”.
But a defender a few months away from high school is practically the last thing you want on the pitch within the SEC challenge.
And although Doty showed flashes of courage and speed last season, he remains uncertain. The graduate of Myrtle Beach High School is expected to make rapid progress so that South Carolina will win more than four games in 2021.
That’s where Brown can make a difference by winning the job or making Doty better.
‘Someone they wanted’
Bolting St. Francis was an easy decision in January, Brown said, after the school abruptly abandoned plans for a spring football season.
South Carolina tight end coach Erik Kimrey, a former Gamecocks quarterback, extended his hand almost immediately.
“I knew it was someone they wanted,” said Brown, “and I knew this was going to be a special place and you can’t beat going in and playing at the best college football conference.”
It helps that Brown (or any Gamecock quarterback) has EJ Jenkins in the lineup. The 6- to 7-pound, 100-pound senior redshirt is a veteran wide receiver who is also taking a look at the tight end.
The pair played together at St. Francis, where Jenkins managed 13 touchdown passes in 2019.
And in high school.
High school too.
EJ Jenkins Factor
“When you go to a new place and there are a lot of new faces, it’s nice to have a familiar face in the room with you that you know you can trust,” said Brown.
Jenkins, said Brown, is fast and physical and is at his best when fighting for balls at the top.
Jenkins grew up facing the coverage of two teams. During a 38-31 loss in overtime to Central Connecticut in 2019, Jenkins said, it was triple coverage – starting with a defensive tackle by throwing press coverage into the red zone.
“I’ve seen it all,” he said.
More strangeness of college football: Clemson’s defensive coordinator, Brent Venables, who had contact with Brown and Jenkins leaving high school, sought out other technical teams on their behalf as soon as they left St. Francis.
The Northeast Conference / SEC adjustment process is in full swing.
“Just practice and repeat,” said Brown. “There is no bad team at the SEC.”
Jake Bentley, Ryan Hilinski and Collin Hill are gone.
The combined experience of this South Carolina quarterback room results in two important college starts.
How well Brown handles SEC speed and / or pushes Doty out is an important factor in how many games Gamecocks win in 2021.
Follow Gene Sapakoff on Twitter @sapakoff