Running backs looking to be focal point of South Carolina offense this year
Coming into fall camp, South Carolina’s running back room was faced with a lot of questions. The main one being, could all that talent produce at a high level?
With 10 days to go until the team’s first game, it seems that could very much be the case. There has been plenty of praise to go around for the guys in that room from other players on the team.
“Progression every day. They’re a bunch of dawgs too, like me. Like I’ll wake up and think hit or kill. I’m coming for them every single day. So it’s making them better, it’s making me better. I expect the most out of them, and I expect them to be great,” linebacker Debo Williams said.
[Win two FREE tickets to South Carolina vs. Furman from 107.5 The Game! 🏈]
Outside of Juju McDowell and a few non-contributors from last year, there’s a lot of new talent in the room. The Gamecocks added transfer Mario Anderson from Newberry College and brought in a four-star freshman.
“They coming,” Tyshawn Wannamaker said. “It’s a good battle in that room. They all coming.”
One new face joining the group happens to be one of the longest-tenured players on the team. That would be the do-it-all man, Dakereon Joyner. He came to South Carolina as a dual-threat quarterback, moved to wide receiver and will now finish his college career as a running back.
[Garnet Trust: “We Can Build Champions!”]
As if it would be a tough transition for Joyner, he has proven otherwise. From the first day of camp, he was working with the first team. And that seems to still be the case going into the season.
“DK is obviously our starter, and we’re going to roll with him,” Spencer Rattler said.
To the players, it’s not a surprise. Joyner has been fitting in seamlessly at the position, just like a seasoned back would.
“Y’all probably already know, but DK definitely standing out as a great running back. Love going against him in pass rushes and all competition drills,” Mo Kaba said.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Mack Brown
UNC fires head coach
- 2New
Spurrier calls out Kiffin
SEC Championship game comments draw ire
- 3
Urban Meyer
Ex-coach addresses Michigan doubters
- 4
Shedeur Sanders
No suspension for ref shove
- 5Hot
CFP using BCS formula
Predicting CFP Top 25 using BCS formula
However, it’s not just a case of the veterans making the only impact on the field. Even those who might not have a ton of playing time have been catching eyes.
[Get South Carolina news from GamecockCentral via email]
One of those guys has been Bradley Dunn. Now a redshirt junior, he’s barely seen the field in his career, with two carries for four yards. But he could serve as a great depth piece or play a big role if his name were to be called.
“He’s a hard-nosed runner. He’s done a nice job in between the tackles,” Nick Gargiulo said. “I’m not in perimeter drills but you want to talk about in between the tackles, he can lower his shoulder and put it down on someone.”
But perhaps one of the biggest names to keep an eye on will be freshman Djay Braswell. A four-star back out of Washington County (Ga.) High School, he rushed for 974 yards as a senior, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. As a result, the hope is he’ll be able to translate well to the college level.
“He’s real fast, definitely when he hits the sideline, that man, his speed is crazy,” Kaba said. “You could tell off his high school highlights. It shows up in some of the plays we have on the field here.”
