COLOMBIA – Spring training has arrived and, with it, the reconstructed South Carolina football team.
“Expect that we will start racing on Saturday when we start training,” said new coach Shane Beamer. “Obviously, the first day of spring practice, we will all be learning from each other and how things happen, the pace and the mindset we want. But I couldn’t be more excited to go on the pitch. “
New technical team
Head coach Shane Beamer; Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield; Defense coordinator Clayton White; Special teams coordinator Pete Lembo; Coach Erik Kimrey is tight; Montario Hardesty, running back coach; Defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey; Justin Stepp, receiver trainer; Defenders’ coach Torrian Gray; Offensive line coach Greg Adkins; Strength coach Luke Day (linebacker coach Mike Peterson was hired by the previous team)
New players
WR Sam Reynolds; LB Debo Williams; Edge Jordan Strachan; WR Ahmarean Brown; QB Colten Gauthier; DL Jahkeem Green; WR EJ Jenkins; QB Jason Brown; DB Marcellas Dial; RB Nathan Harris-Waynick; DB David Spaulding; TE Dave Adams; OL Jordan Davis; DL Nick Barrett
He’s out of here
Coaches (current location): Head coach Will Muschamp (Georgia); Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo (Auburn); Defense coordinator Travaris Robinson (Miami); Special teams coordinator Kyle Krantz (Washington State); Coach Bobby Bentley (USF); Receiver trainer Joe Cox (Charlotte); Running backs coach Des Kitchings (Atlanta Falcons); Defensive line coach Tracy Rocker (Philadelphia Eagles); Linebackers coach Rod Wilson; Offensive line coach Eric Wolford (Kentucky); Strength Trainer Paul Jackson (Utah State)
Players (current position): CB Jaycee Horn (preparing for the NFL draft); CB Israel Mukuamu (preparing for the NFL draft); DL Makius Scott (Georgia Tech); LB Ernest Jones (preparing for the NFL draft); WR Shi Smith (preparing for the NFL draft); OL Sadarius Hutcherson (preparing for the NFL draft); P Christian Kinsley; S Shilo Sanders (Jackson State); S Jammie Robinson (state of Florida); CB John Dixon (Penn State); FB Adam Prentice (graduate); QB Ryan Hilinski (Northwestern); RB Deshaun Fenwick (Oregon); DL Keir Thomas (state of Florida); DE Joseph Anderson (Purdue); TE KeShawn Toney (Chattanooga); QB Collin Hill (graduate); OL / TE Chandler Farrell (graduate); OL Gavin Bennett; RB Slade Carroll (graduated); TE will register
Injuries
Beamer did not clarify the players who may be recovering from injuries or surgeries out of season during their first press release, saying he and the medical team would talk later. He mentioned running back MarShawn Lloyd as potentially capable of playing in the spring game and that his rehab was going well.
Lloyd tore his ACL in the second practice last season. Other players who suffered injuries at the end of the season or missed the last Gamecocks game on December 5 were: LB Spencer Eason-Riddle; Edge Aaron Sterling; LB Brad Johnson; TE Keveon Mullins; WR Xavier Legette; OL Trai Jones; WR Chad Terrell; LB Jahmar Brown; LB Sherrod Greene; LB Rosendo Louis; DL Alex Huntley; Edge Jordan Burch; Edge JJ Enagbare; and S Jaylin Dickerson.
Disable
Striker Mark Fox, WR OrTre Smith, WR Randrecous Davis and OL Jordan Rhodes dropped out early last season due to concerns about COVID-19. Rhodes changed his mind and returned for most of the season.
Fox, Smith and Davis are in the spring cast, as well as DB RJ Roderick, who dropped out when Will Muschamp was fired on November 15.
The other opt-outs after Muschamp’s resignation were Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu, who chose to skip the final three games and get an early edge in their preparation for the NFL Draft, and DL Makius Scott, who moved to Georgia Tech.
Recruitment
The rest of the recruiting class will be enrolled starting in May. These players, including favorite walk-ons, are:
WR O’Mega Blake; RB Juju McDowell; OL JonDarius Morgan; DB Isaiah Norris; LB Ronnie Porter; LB Kolbe Fields; QB Jake Helfrich; S Joseph Byrnes; WR Eriq Rice; CB La’Dareyen Craig; LB Bam Martin-Scott; DL TJ Sanders; OL Colin Henrich; DB Carlins Platel; K / P William Joyce; LB KJ Scott
Practices
Beamer said he would like to open up some practices to the public, but the continuing pandemic makes that impossible. The plans for the spring game have not been finalized in terms of audience, as there are still more than a month to go.
USC expects that there will be enough control over COVID by then to have a normal spring game crowd (usually 20,000-25,000).
Follow David Cloninger on Twitter @DCPandC.