Shane Beamer talks development of Gamecocks' EDGE position
College football spring practice is a time for more guys than just the regular starters to get a chance to shine. This couldn’t be more true for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina is incredibly thin at the EDGE position right now after the departures of both Jordan Burch and Gilbert Edmond, both key starters last year.
As South Carolina enters the home stretch of spring practice, Beamer said it’s “a lot of by committee” at the edge spot.
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“Basically anybody that’s listed as a defensive end on our website is working at edge right now,” Beamer said. “They’re all getting to work with the first group and continuing to compete and get better.”
That’s not to say Beamer isn’t satisfied with what he’s seen so far.
“Bryan Thomas is a young guy. Donovan Westmoreland’s working there as we’ve talked about. Tyreek Johnson’s really doing some good things. Terrell Dawkins is out there,” he said.
“Desmond (Umeozulu), true freshman’s really flashing and getting better as well. So we’ve got to keep working and keep getting better.”
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Beamer has also been happy with Sterling Lucas, who is “doing a really good job developing them.” Lucas enters his second season as the defensive ends/outside linebackers coach.
In the end, Beamer’s hope is to get the defense to be “multiple enough” and put the best players on the field.
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“We use multiple personnel groupings on our defense in order to get the best 11 out there,” he said. “So whatever that may be, that’s what we’re going to do.”
The Gamecocks have also moved TJ Sanders to taking a few end reps at one end spot in South Carolina’s nickel package.
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Tonka Hemingway, who started his career at end only to move inside and have a career year in 2022, is currently out after an offseason procedure.
He won’t be able to play this spring but should be good to go by the start of the season. When he does, then it should give South Carolina another depth piece to bounce out to the end.
“Tonka’s a guy that can play inside and outside. We got some other guys like that on defense,” Beamer said. “We’ll see how that goes.”
