Shane Beamer highlights importance of depth, creativity in running back room
Questions have surrounded South Carolina’s running back room for the entirety of the 2023 offseason.
Last year, the Gamecocks’ rushing attack was one of the least prolific units in the conference. South Carolina ranted No. 12 out of the 14 SEC schools in rushing yards per attempt (3.8).
It was not always doom and gloom for the Gamecocks ground game this past season, though. The team totaled more than 200 yards twice – at home against Charlotte (295), and in Nashville versus Vanderbilt (208).
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The lows the running back unit experienced, though, are too glaring to ignore. In true Jekyll and Hyde fashion, South Carolina failed to reach 50 total rushing yards against three opponents, two of which they fill play this fall: Florida (44), Arkansas (40), and Missouri (32).
South Carolina’s challenges at the running back intensified when MarShawn Lloyd announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. Lloyd was the Gamecocks’ leading rusher in 2022, accumulating 621 yards and scoring nine times on 111 carries.
Lloyd’s departure triggered a flurry of moves that have reshaped South Carolina’s personnel at the position. The Gamecocks added Mario Anderson Jr., one of the nation’s top Division II running backs, from the transfer portal. Freshman Djay Braswell, a four-star recruit, checked in as a top-250 player nationwide, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.
The Gamecocks have even looked within to bolster its running back depth, with Dakereon Joyner – who has lined up as both a quarterback and a wide receiver during his collegiate career – figuring to play an important role at the position.
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“I think each game is different,” Shane Beamer said. “Sometimes you get into a game and one particular running back just gets hot. You just kind of ride that guy and keep going.”
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Beamer noted that positional versatility in the run game was also a point of interest during the offseason. With a new offensive coordinator in Dowell Loggains at the helm, South Carolina is looking to include players from other positions in the ground attack.
“We’ve certainly got to be creative,” Beamer said. “There’s also ways to generate runs without necessarily handing it to a running back. I mean, you saw us do that last year with some of the jet sweep stuff that we’ve done with receivers or running the quarterback or whatever it might be.”
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He further acknowledged that South Carolina’s current depth at running back is not in an optimal position. Because of this, Beamer said fostering growth internally and making creative play calls will be pivotal to the unit’s success.
“You know, we’ll be we’ll be fine there. But we also understand our depth is not necessarily where we want it to be,” Beamer said. “We’ve got to do a great job of developing the ones that we have and being creative with what we do in the run game.”
