Shane Beamer provides injury report after South Carolina's close win over Old Dominion
For the most part, South Carolina will be coming out of the season opener in good shape injury-wise.
After the Gamecocks’ 23-19 win over Old Dominion on Saturday, head coach Shane Beamer only had a few injuries to report on, though none were major.
“Emory Floyd and Bryan Thomas didn’t play tonight. Nothing long-term, should be fine for next week,” Beamer said. “Jared brown got banged up a little bit. It’s a lower body injury, but I think he’ll be fine. I have to talk to Clint (Haggard). But I think he’s going to be okay. Other than that, I feel like we came out of there in pretty good shape.”
South Carolina was also without offensive linemen Jakai Moore and Aaryn Parks on Saturday. Beamer previously said they would both be out of action for a little while. Senior EDGE Elijah Davis also wasn’t in action, as he was just wearing his jersey and street clothes. However, Beamer didn’t address his status moving forward.
South Carolina defense sets tone in season-opening win over Old Dominion
By: Griffin Goodwyn
South Carolina’s 2024 season could not have opened with a better start.
Old Dominion started with the ball after the Gamecocks elected to receive the second-half kickoff. On the first play of the game, Demetrius Knight tackled Monarchs wide receiver Diante Vines for a two-yard loss.
The Gamecocks would force a turnover one play later. Kyle Kennard launched himself towards Grant Wilson, who fumbled a ball Debo Williams would recover moments later.
South Carolina would take advantage of the takeaway and score its first points of the ball game. Rocket Sanders, who was denied a touchdown by video review, scored on a one-yard run to put the Gamecocks ahead.
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The rest of the first half – and the rest of the game, for that matter – would turn out to be far less ideal for the Gamecocks, especially from an offensive standpoint. But South Carolina’s defense ultimately helped the team earn a 23-19 victory over Old Dominion.
Despite entering the game as 21-point favorites, per ESPN BET, South Carolina (1-0, 0-0 SEC) had wind taken from its sails by the Monarchs (0-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) on many occasions in the first half.
Two plays after Sanders’ touchdown, Old Dominion quickly responded with one of its own. Wilson found Monarchs wide receiver Isiah Page on a 72-yard catch-and-run that ultimately resulted in a game-tying touchdown.
Old Dominion also had an opportunity to take its first lead of the game early in the second quarter. LaNorris Sellers, who was making his first collegiate start, lost a fumble near midfield that was returned by Monarchs safety Patrick Smith-Young to the Gamecocks’ red zone.
South Carolina would quickly regain possession of the ball again, though, after O’Donnell Fortune intercepted a pass from Wilson in the end zone.
The Gamecocks’ defense contributed with more than just turnovers in the first half. South Carolina finished the opening period with five sacks and seven tackles for loss. Both Kennard (2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss) and Dylan Stewart (1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss) impressed individually.
The Gamecocks’ offense, on the other hand, was a different story. South Carolina headed into halftime with a 143-97 advantage in total yardage over Old Dominion. 119 of those 143 yards were rushing yards, as the Gamecocks operated under a “ground and pound” offense.
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While South Carolina did not score another touchdown in the first half, two field goals from Alex Herrera gave the team a 13-7 advantage at halftime.
It was much of the same for the Gamecocks’ offense early in the second half. A 16-play, 60-yard drive to begin the third quarter resulted in Herrera’s third made field goal of the game. South Carolina went 63 yards on seven plays on its next drive – which included a 41-yard reception from Vandrevius Jacobs – but Herrera missed the ensuing field goal attempt from 48 yards out.
Sandwiched between those two drives was a touchdown from the Monarchs. Facing a fourth-and-seven situation, Grant Wilson kept the ball and ran it 36 yards into the end zone. But South Carolina’s special teams came up big on the point-after attempt, as DeAndre Jules batted the ball away to keep the score 16-13.
Old Dominion would keep pressure on the Gamecocks’ defense over its next two drives, both of which ended in field goals from Monarchs kicker Ethan Sanchez. The first tied the game at 16 points apiece, while the second gave Old Dominion the lead.
And as the Monarchs’ offense gained in strength, South Carolina’s continued to falter. The Gamecocks were forced to punt on the two drives following Herrera’s missed field goal attempt. On the second of those two drives, South Carolina was looking to go for it on a fourth-and-three situation, but a holding call on Josiah Thompson brought on Kai Kroeger and the Gamecocks’ special teams unit.
But, when South Carolina needed it most, its defense provided the team with a much-needed source of momentum. As Old Dominion was looking to extend its lead, Stewart forced a fumble that was recovered by Jules. Two plays later, Sellers found the end zone on a three-yard run. The touchdown vaulted the Gamecocks to a 23-19 lead after Herrera’s made extra point.
The Monarchs’ offense made two more late pushes to regain after Sellers’ touchdown. And both ultimately faltered. A late interception from Jalon Kilgore with one minute and 29 seconds remaining allowed South Carolina to maintain its four-point advantage through the final whistle.
