Juice Wells plans to bring Gamecock offense to 'whole new level'
If there’s one thing to know about Gamecocks wide receiver Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr., it’s that he prides himself on being a team first player.
Before transferring to South Carolina in January, Wells was a top target at James Madison. In two seasons with the Dukes, the 6-foot-1 receiver caught 116 passes for 1,853 yards and 21 touchdowns. Last season, he led the team in receiving yards (1,250) and receiving touchdowns (15). He also earned FCS Second Team All-American honors for his play.
Even after a breakout year, Wells couldn’t care less about being a star. He’s instead focused on getting better with the Gamecocks.
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“I just look at it as trying to motivate guys around me, and hopefully learn something from them,” Wells said in March. “I just want to come in here and play football and have fun, and enjoy this experience.”
In order to get to where he’s at now, Wells had to work his way up the ladder. While at Highland Springs High School, he didn’t receive many offers from Division I programs. He said he knew what he could do on the field, but others didn’t see things the same way. So, he attended Fork Union Prep Academy to help put him on the right path.
“Once I went to Fork Union, it helped my mental become a little stronger, and taught me a few lessons. And now I was like, ‘I can believe in myself and I’m going to show everybody what I have to prove,'” Wells said. “At that point, I kind of figured, ‘All right, I can do this at the next level, especially at Power Five. And then once I went to JMU, I had a hell of a season there. I was like, all right, I wanna upgrade. I wanna see what else God has in store for me.”
Since then, Wells’ self belief has helped transform him into the player he’s become. As he goes through his first preseason camp with the Gamecocks, he’s felt comfortable making the adjustment to a new life.
“The process is smooth. I came in at a pretty good time. I was able to go through winter workouts, spring ball. Everything kind of correlated well,” Wells said. “I got to learn the playbook. Now, I’m ready to go. Everything is laid out how it’s supposed to be…I’m ready to go.”
While he hasn’t played in a game yet with his new team, he’ll be a name on the minds of his coaches and teammates throughout the season.
“He’s a dog,” quarterback Luke Doty said in a Garnet Trust interview. “Every time we go out there and throw, he’s ready to go…He is a competitor. He loves doing what does and he’s really good at it. So I’m excited to get him out there. He’s going to set Willy B off, as electric as it is, he’s going to just add to it.”
Going into the regular season, Wells will be one of many names in a receiver room that has improved. In addition to the group of returning veterans, the Gamecocks brought in freshman Landon Samson and Arkansas State transfer Corey Rucker. Between Wells and Rucker, they are fitting in well, according to wide receivers coach Justin Stepp.
“Both of those guys have been just a really good addition and the guys seem to like them and they’ve been a good fit,” Stepp said.
One of the other transfers that will play a big role in this year’s offense will be quarterback Spencer Rattler. When Wells learned that he’d be catching passes from the former five-star prospect, he was starstruck.
“It’s crazy that’s my quarterback. First, I saw (Rattler) and thought he was a hell of a player in college. Now he’s my quarterback. It’s crazy. That’s one of the reasons I came here,” Wells said.
Despite not yet knowing how he will fit into the Gamecocks’ offense, Wells still wants to raise the bar and build off last year’s success. He said he wants to be the “best receiver to ever play at South Carolina.”
“I want to come in here and be a dog and continue to elevate. I want to bring this whole receiving corps and offense to a whole new level,” Wells said.
