Jalen Brooks returns even more productive than last year
Around this time last year, Jalen Brooks’ football career looked to be in jeopardy. After playing well through six games, the 6-foot-2 receiver stepped away from football.
He didn’t play the rest of the season, and the Gamecocks finished with a winning record. His long-term absence would carry into 2022. He wasn’t on the spring practice roster and wouldn’t rejoin the team until June when the summer strength and conditioning program began.
Some may have thought the time off wouldn’t be good for Brooks. But that hasn’t been the case so far this season. In fact, he’s already surpassing most of his combined numbers from the previous two years.
Through six games, Brooks has hauled in 20 catches for 335 yards, with an average of 16.8 yards per catch. He also scored his first rushing touchdown against No. 19 Kentucky two weeks ago. With a host of blockers in front, he took a lateral handoff from Spencer Rattler, cut around the outside and raced into the endzone for a 24-yard touchdown.
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“He’s been fantastic and has been ever since he came back,” Shane Beamer said.
Brooks has been South Carolina’s second-best receiver, behind Juice Wells. The James Madison transfer has amassed 375 yards and two touchdowns.
Similarly to last year, Brooks has continued to make highlight-reel plays. In week one, he laid out for an over-the-shoulder, 39-yard catch against Georgia State. More recently against SC State, Rattler fired a 54-yard strike to Brooks, and he made a leaping grab over a defender.
“Big props to coach (Justin) Stepp because he has us work a contested catch drill at least once a week,” Brooks said after the SC State game. “He does a great job working with us. So I give him full props for that.”
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Brooks’ connection with Rattler also has improved this season. He’s only missed four passes and caught the ball at an 83.3 percent clip. He said their success comes from consistent repetition during practice.
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“We’re just building that confidence within each other,” Brooks said. “I feel like we practice that a lot, and we’re able to repeat it a lot and be successful a lot, which creates a better opportunity on Saturdays.”
On top of his receiver duties, Brooks also has played on special teams for the Gamecocks. Beamer has been impressed with the way he’s handled it.
“When the other team punts, he’s the guy that goes out there is matched up one-on-one with the other team’s gunner, which is normally what you do with a defensive back,” Beamer said. “We do it with Jalen Brooks because he’s got length and he’s competitive and he’s really good at it.”
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Beamer added that it’s good to see Brooks doing whatever it takes to make an impact for South Carolina.
“He’s very unselfish. He’s got a great energy about himself,” Beamer said. “I think it’s just he’s appreciative for the opportunity that he got again and is maximizing that. And he’s a really good football player too that just continued to get better.”
