The South Carolina football team had two prominent players who chose to give up last season with initial security RJ Roderick sitting once former head coach Will Muschamp was fired and wide receiver OrTre Smith sit down before the pre-season camp begins.
Both players were welcomed back into the program by the first year’s head coach Shane Beamer, who met with the two individually shortly after their hiring. Roderick and Smith are back on the team and will be back on the field for the first time when spring training starts on Saturday morning.
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“They have been great,” said Beamer on Thursday at his meeting with the media before the start of spring training.
“I cannot speak for their decisions last year and for the dynamics of the team when they made the decisions they made. I met with RJ and his mother in my office, and I met with OrTre and his mother in my office. I’ve been talking to their moms ever since and to those guys too. We welcomed them with open arms if they wanted to be here, which they did. They have been fantastic. “
Beamer recalled that he went to both high schools when he was an assistant coach in Georgia. The Bulldogs recruited both players, and Smith received an offer at one point during the process.
“I have known them for a long time and they are great at the way they work in the weight room and handle their business on and off the field,” said Beamer. “They have been great and, for all I can say, the dynamics with their teammates have also been incredible.”
Roderick has been returning for two years and a three-year contributor in the security position for Gamecocks. He has 22 games with 31 appearances in total, accumulating 134 career tackles and two interceptions. Last year, Roderick started six games and played seven for the Gamecocks with 23 tackles in total.
Although Smith has played since then, the most productive season he had was in 2017 as a real freshman. He played in all 13 games with 10 matches and placed third in the team with 30 receptions. He also ranked third among freshmen in catches per game and sixth in receiving yards.
Smith, however, needed surgery in a condition of heredity of the knee as a second year that cost him most of the 2018 season. His knee injury did not allow him to return to full performance in 2019, but he played nine games and got nine passes for 69 yards and a touchdown.
The pair will be back on the field for the Gamecocks on Saturday when the team starts spring training at 9:25 am.