(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Spencer Rattler, WR Antwane Wells Jr., OC Vershon Lee, DT Tonka Hemingway, LB Bam Martin-Scott, LB Debo Williams, CB Marcellas Dial, CB O’Donnell Fortune, FS DQ Smith, SS Nick Emmanwori, KR Xavier Legette, PK Mitch Jeter and PT Kai Kroeger.
Key Players Departing:
RB Marshawn Lloyd, WR Jalen Brooks Jr., TE Nick Muse, OC Eric Douglass, OG Jovaughn Gwyn, OT Jaylen Nichols, OT Dylan Wonnum, DE Jordan Burch, DT Zacch Pickens, LB Gilbert Edmond, LB Sherrod Greene, LB Brad Johnson, CB Darius Rush, CB Cam Smith, DS Devonni Reed and PR Josh Vann.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: ATH Nyck Harbor (Washington, DC).
4 Star Recruits: EDGE Desmond Umeozulu (Upper Marlboro, Maryland), LB Grayson Howard (Jacksonville, Florida), DL Xzavier McLeod (Camden, South Carolina), ATH Vicari Swain (Carrollton, Georgia), OT Markee Anderson (Roebuck, South Carolina), DL Elijah Davis (Scooba, Mississippi), OT Tree Babalade (Hyattsville, Maryland), CB Jalon Kilgore (Eatonton, Georgia) and TE Nick Elksnis (Florida transfer).
2022 Results:
G01 GEORGIA STATE W 35-14
G02 @ #16 Arkansas L 30-44
G03 #1 GEORGIA L 7-48
G04 CHARLOTTE W 56-20
G05 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE W 50-10
G06 @ #13 Kentucky W 24-14
G07 TEXAS A&M W 30-24
G08 MISSOURI L 10-23
G09 @ Vanderbilt W 38-27
G10 @ Florida L 6-38
G11 #5 TENNESSEE W 63-38
G12 @ #8 Clemson W 31-30
BOWL vs. #21 Notre Dame L 38-45
Team Info:
2022 Overall: 8-5 (3rd in SEC East)
Home: 5-2
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-1
SEC: 4-4
Non-SEC: 4-1
Head Coach: Shane Beamer
South Carolina: 15-11
Career: 15-11
Bowls: 1-1
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Spencer Rattler (264-399, 3026 yards, 66.2%, 7.6 avg., 18 TD, 12 INT)
Rushing: Juju McDowell (73 car., 261 yards, 3.6 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Antwane Wells Jr. (68 rec., 928 yards, 13.6 avg., 6 TD)
TD’s Scored: Antwane Wells Jr. (7)
Sacks: Tonka Hemingway (4)
Tackles: Nick Emmanwori (85)
Interceptions: Marcellas Dial (3)
Pass Deflections: Marcellas Dial (12)
Tackles For Loss: Tonka Hemingway (8)
Forced Fumbles: 5 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Xavier Leggette (15 ret., 441 yards, 29.4 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Ahmarean Brown (4 ret., 55 yards, 13.8 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Mitch Jeter (11-11 fg/fga.. 100%, 42-44 xp/xpa., 75 pts.)
Punting: Kai Kroeger (58 punts, 2675 yards, 46.1 avg., 29 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Spencer Rattler (RS SR/TR)
RB: 5 Dakereon Joyner (RS SR)
WR: 3 Antwane Wells Jr. (SR/TR)
WR: 17 Xavier Leggette (RS SR)
WR: 10 Ahmarean Brown (RS SR/TR)
TE: 1 Trey Knox (GR/TR)
LT: 77 Sidney Fugar (RS SO/TR)
LG: 69 Nixk Gariulo (GR/TR)
OC: 53 Vershon Lee (RS JR)
RG: 55 Jakai Moore (RS SR)
RT: 62 Tyshawn Wannamaker (RS JR)
KR: 17 Xavier Legette (RS SR)
PK: 98 Mitch Jeter (SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 10 Tyreek Johnson (RS SR)
NT: 95 Alex Huntley (RS JR)
DT: 91 Tonka Hemingway (SR)
DE: 7 Jordan Strachan (GR/TR)
LB: 52 Stone Blanton (SO)
LB: 00 Debo Williams (RS JR/TR)
NB: 18 Keenan Nelson Jr. (RS FR)
CB: 3 O’Donnell Fortune (RS JR)
CB: 6 Marcellas Dial (RS SR/TR)
FS: 24 Jalon Kilgore (FR)
SS: 1 DQ Smith (SO)
PR: 10 Ahmarean Brown (RS SR/TR)
PT: 39 Kai Kroeger (SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returns: A
Punt Returns: B
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/02 vs. North Carolina Tar Heels | South Carolina trails the series 20-35. The Gamecocks won (38-21) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/09 FURMAN PALADINS | South Carolina leads the series 2-0. The Gamecocks won (41-10) the last meeting between schools in 2014.
09/16 @ Georgia Bulldogs | South Carolina trails the series 19-54-2. The Gamecocks are 2-8 since 2013 and their last series win (20-17 OT) was in 2019.
09/23 MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS | South Carolina leads the series 9-7. The Gamecocks lost (14-27) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
09/30 @ Tennessee Volunteers | South Carolina trails the series 11-28-2. The Gamecocks are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series loss (20-45) was in 2021.
10/14 FLORIDA GATORS | South Carolina trails the series 10-30-3. The Gamecocks are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series win (40-17) was in 2021.
10/21 @ Missouri Tigers | South Carolina trails the series 5-8. The Gamecocks are 4-6 since 2013 and their last series win (37-35) was in 2018.
10/28 @ Texas A&M Aggies | South Carolina trails the series 1-8. The Gamecocks 30-24 win last season was their first win of the series dating back to 2014.
11/04 JAKCSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS | First meeting between schools.
11/11 VANDERBILT COMMODORES | South Carolina leads the series 28-4. The Gamecocks are 10-0 since 2013 and their last series loss (17-24) dates back to 2008.
11/18 KENTUCKY WILDCATS | South Carolina leads the series 19-14-1. The Gamecocks are 3-7 since 2013 and their last series loss (10-16) was in 2021.
11/25 CLEMSON TIGERS | South Carolina trails the series 43-72-4. The Gamecocks are 2-7 since 2013 and their last series loss (0-30) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 5-2
Away: 1-3
Neutral: 0-0
SEC: 4-4
Non-SEC: 2-2
Overall: 6-6 (4th in SEC East)
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