Dakereon Joyner embracing do-it-all role for South Carolina
Fifth year senior wide receiver Dakereon Joyner has many offensive talents, but leadership at South Carolina is proving to be his best. During SEC media days, he garnered high praise from his head coach and teammates for exactly that.
Joyner is what you’d typically find when you look in the dictionary for examples of The University of South Carolina. In high school he won Mr. Football in the state of South Carolina, hailing from Fort Dorchester HS in North Charleston. He chose to stay close to home and play for the Gamecocks. He picked the home state school over NC State, Georgia and others.
“Tried to recruit Dakereon when I was at the University of Georgia. Didn’t get him, thankfully,” Beamer said.
During his career at South Carolina he’s won the unselfish teammate award, strength and conditioning award and the team GPA award. That’s about every on and off-the-field attribute you’d conjure up for a leader. Beamer and staff also voted Joyner as the most valuable offensive player and special teams player coming out of spring practice.
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Joyner returns kicks and plays quarterback, but the roster lists him as a wide receiver. The options offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield has from him are essentially endless. The Gamecock offense will need to be a multi-faceted operation if they plan on finding success.
“Dakereon, just so valuable to our program in so many ways, as a quarterback, as a wide receiver, special teams. So unselfish,” Beamer said.
At media days Joyner spoke very highly about his teammates and coach throughout. When the eventual question about star quarterback Spencer Rattler arose, Joyner handled it with class.
“I don’t think people give him enough credit for the kind of guy that he is off the field. Really great guy, great leader,” Joyner said.
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He shared that the two are locker buddies as well. Beamer knows exactly what he is doing there. Joyner has seen it all in the SEC and will be a valuable asset in keeping the season on track. Most importantly to be somebody Rattler can lean on later in the year.
[Win a Jaheim Bell-autographed football]
Joyner has done just about everything for the Gamecocks in his four years. He played a part in the 2019 upset of Georgia in Athens. Joyner won the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl MVP as the Gamecocks beat North Carolina 38-21.
“Proud of Dakereon because he’s shown that he is an outstanding quarterback. He’s shown that he’s an outstanding receiver. He’s an outstanding special teams player. Just an outstanding leader and person. I’m glad he’s on our team,” Beamer said.
The veterans that have seen both regimes and stayed shows that something has really changed within the building. Joyner could have easily transferred after the regime change, but decided to stay and play for Beamer.
Joyner will be a key part in mentoring Rattler and other young players to continue the momentum Beamer generated from year one. Ask him what his role might be this year and he’ll laugh, pointing at the litany of his previously-held ones.
At the end, though, he just wants to win.
“I don’t think that’s very predictable. Every year it always seems to be something. There’s really no telling what’s to come,” he said. “I’m very accepting to it right now. I’m preparing myself to be healthy and prepared to do anything that I want to do and to help my team win.”
