What South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White wants to see in the Garnet and Black Spring Game
This Friday, South Carolina will play its annual Garnet and Black Spring Game. Ahead of the Gamecocks’ final (and biggest) spring scrimmage, defensive coordinator Clayton White spoke to the media and expressed what he hopes to see from his unit.
Unlike most “coach speak” that comes before a scrimmage or spring game, White didn’t just say “I just want everyone to be healthy,” though that certainly is a major goal for the weekend. Instead, the fifth-year DC has some specific goals for his defense as it gets ready for 2025.
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“Well, really, a spring game is really just more about operation mode and understanding just the atmosphere, seeing guys not panic, not all of a sudden, doing things that they weren’t doing during spring ball, to be honest with you,” he said. “You really want to see guys kind of perform the same way, keep their head on right, and just not get caught up in all the other stuff outside of the football game.”
For the freshmen and transfers, Friday night will mark the first time they play inside of Williams-Brice Stadium. While the environment won’t match a regular season contest, it will give them a taste of a bigger stage. For some, it will be the biggest crowd for which they’ve played.
White also wants to see mental toughness and consistent reliability from each level of the defense. That is especially true about his expectations for the linebackers and secondary.
“But as far as just on the field, just make sure, you know, try to keep the ball in front as much as possible,” he said. “Not a lot of explosive plays and touchdowns and stuff like that. You don’t want to go into the spring with that kind of feeling of watching people run up and down the sidelines,” he explained. “So our goal is to keep them in front.”
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White excitedly began his media availability, saying that he is “ready for our spring game here on Friday night.” That sentiment is shared by Gamecock fans who haven’t had the opportunity to watch their favorite team since 2025 began.
South Carolina will take the field at Williams-Brice Stadium under the lights at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Helping avoid conflicts, USC softball will not play Friday, and the baseball game will begin at 4:00 p.m.
Unlike years past, the Garnet and Black Spring game will not be available on television or via streaming. Admission will be free, and fans can follow along with GamecockCentral for coverage and analysis.
