Clayton White: freshmen defensive backs 'put on a show' in August
South Carolina prioritized the defensive backfield in the 2022 recruiting class, Shane Beamer’s first full recruiting cycle as a head coach.
The Gamecocks brought in a host of talented defensive backs from across the country. That’s a group impressing as the opener approaches.
“There are some talented guys back there. Those guys put on a show this August. I’m just going to be honest with you. They came ready to work right out of high school. They put the work in this summer on zoom meetings,” Clayton White said.
“They put it on the field. They have physical makeups and football IQ you can’t coach. They’re going to be really, really good football players.”
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None of the freshmen are projected starters early in the secondary, but nearly all landed on the Gamecocks’ public depth chart released this week.
Kajuan Banks and Keenan Nelson are listed as the backups behind Marcellas Dial. Emory Floyd will also back up Darius Rush. Both Nick Emmanwori and DQ Smith are the second-string safeties.
Having a host of youth in the secondary is certainly complimentary about their talent.
All those guys are still young and will have growing pains, but White is very high on the potential there.
“I don’t want to get too crazy. They’re still going to be freshmen. They’re still going to make mistakes. They’re going to miss a tackle. They’re going to hopefully not blow a coverage. But you guys are going to like them in the future. I promise you.”
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Where the Gamecocks will start their freshmen is also on special teams.
Pete Lembo also mentioned there will be a ton of first-year players starting across all special teams units.
“We’ve got a great freshman class. One thing you are going to see Saturday night is see some of our true freshmen out there playing on special teams,” he said. ”It’s not because we don’t have anybody else. It’s cause they’ve earned it. We have some ballers in that freshman class.”
South Carolina’s recruiting class ranked No. 30 nationally while bringing in five blue-chip players: Stone Blanton, Nelson, Emmanwori, Tanner Bailey and Floyd.
But it’s a group that has done well in the few months it’s been on campus, and it’s showing right now.
“I stand up here in front of you today and have total confidence in some of these guys to go out there and cut it loose. They’re wired that way. They’re engaged in my meetings,” Lembo said.
“They’re answering questions in my meetings. They go out there and take what we cover in meetings and apply it on the field. I sit back and say, ‘this is awesome.’ This is what you want. These guys are hungry.”
