Phil Steele expects big improvement from Gamecock offense
College football expert Phil Steele is high on Gamecock football’s chances to take a big step forward on the offensive side of the ball in 2022.
Entering last season, the preseason over/under win total for South Carolina was set at 3.5, a number that Steele pointed out that the Gamecocks were able to surpass despite having an offense that struggled for much of the season.
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“Expectations were low. I think getting to a bowl looked to be a long shot and what happened? 7-6, an outstanding year. I think Shane Beamer did a fantastic job,” Steele said during an appearance on The Early Game on 107.5 The Game. “They did all this last year with just mediocre quarterback play.”
The team’s efforts in year one of the Beamer era were largely on the strength of an opportunistic defense and quality special teams. It’s a different game this season for Carolina with a former five-star at the helm.
Said Steele: “They had a (redshirt) freshman in Luke Doty, then they had a couple average quarterbacks in (Jason) Brown and Zeb Noland. They suffered injuries and going through quarterbacks all year long. Now this year, all of a sudden, you’ve got Spencer Rattler, a guy who was a Heisman frontrunner last year, coming in at QB. Luke Doty is no longer a freshman, he’s a sophomore which of course makes him even better this year. I think the quarterback position is very strong.”
Multiple transfer players – Arkansas State’s Corey Rucker and former Oklahoma tight end Austin Stogner – among them were cited by Steele as being significant additions for Gamecock football this season. One in particular stands out to him in the receiving corps.
“You’ve got to love the addition of James Madison’s Antwane Wells,” said Steele. “I think ‘Juice’ is going to come in and do a great job.”
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In addition to a revamped quarterback room and skill position players, Steele feels that the front five for Gamecock football is in a position to be much better in 2022.
“The offensive line underachieved last year. They had a lot of talent, I felt they underachieved,” Steele noted. “This year, the offensive line’s hungry. They know they didn’t meet the expectations. They’re one of the more experienced offensive lines in the country with all five starters back.”
The front of Steele’s magazine features offensive projections, metrics that have proved to be quite accurate in the past. Those figures anticipated a marked improvement on the scoreboard this season.
“They project South Carolina going from 22 points per game all the way up to 31 points per game, so over a touchdown more on offense. I’m bullish on South Carolina’s chances this year,” said Steele. I think South Carolina’s heading back toward being a legitimate contender in the SEC.”
