Bam Martin-Scott gives an offseason update on his individual goals and defensive bonding
Bam Martin-Scott had the most productive year of his career for South Carolina in 2023. Going into the 2024 season, he’s preparing to have his best season yet through his individual workouts and team building.
Mainly, Martin-Scott wanted to get stronger and improve his conditioning during the offseason. So far, he’s put on around 15 pounds.
“One goal, I wanted to be a little heavier because I was more of like, a little skinnier linebacker and I’ve done that. I’m like 240, I’ve been up to 245, I just didn’t want to be that heavy because I still want to be a little fast,” Martin-Scott said in a Garnet Trust Hour interview on 107.5 The Game. “As far as condition, I want to be more conditioned so anytime my team needs me to be out there on the field, I’m not tired, you know, so I play for the team.”
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Despite bulking up, Martin-Scott is holding strong to his speed. He said he ran 22 mph in the spring, making him the fastest of all the Gamecock linebackers.
Aside from improving his physicality, Martin-Scott has spent his time getting to know his teammates off the football field.
They’ve played a basketball tournament and also played wiffleball and beach volleyball. The team has also gone to the movies, had a home run derby and casino night.
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“I think it’s a lot more camaraderie going on, a lot more team building and bonding things going on. We’re working out as a defensive unit together, we’re working out as an offensive unit together,” Martin-Scott said. “So just building chemistry, you know, and just going through that struggle with each other. I feel like that’s what’s going to make us a closer and better team.”
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This is the first year the summer workouts are divided into two by offense and defense.
“I think that tweak was made because we can get more work in now. Because instead of three groups, we get two groups, so we can do a lot more,” Martin-Scott said. “Then, the process, I believe that it’s made us more closer together as a defense because that’s who we spend most of our time with.”
He said it helps the defense keep an eye on each other’s work and lets them offer each other help. This will be Martin-Scott’s last year with the Gamecocks and he said he wants to see the defense make collective decisions and think as a group.
“Just winning your one-on-one battles, just staying grounded. I feel like we’ve been in this defense for what, three, four years now, so we know it inside and out,” Martin-Scott said. “I feel like this year it’s going to be one of those defenses that everybody talks about – the 2024 South Carolina defense.”
