LIVE VIDEO: South Carolina coordinators preview Georgia State
South Carolina football offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, defensive coordinator Clayton White and special teams coordinator Pete Lembo will all meet with the media, beginning at 12:20 today, to preview the Gamecocks’ season opener against Georgia State.
Gamecock Central will have plenty of content on the way, but in the meantime, you can read updates on The Insiders Forum or check out the live video below!
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Clayton White named assistant coach to watch this season
By Collyn Taylor
College football season is just getting started but it’s never too early to start looking at what the carousel might look like in the offseason. And one national outlet thinks a South Carolina coordinator might be in-line for some head coach attention.
The Athletic recently released a list of assistants to watch and keep and eye on this fall, ranking Gamecocks’ defensive coordinator Clayton White among the top 30.
White checks in at No. 26 on the list and Bruce Feldman thinks, with another quality year in 2022, White could be on a few programs’ short lists.
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In 2021, South Carolina was a pleasant surprise and White’s defense — third in the SEC in red zone TD percentage — played a key role. South Carolina led the SEC in fewest passing yards allowed and ranked No. 6 in total defense — the best the Gamecocks had finished in the SEC since 2013,” Feldman wrote.
“At Western Kentucky, he had a top-30 defense and one of the stingiest pass defenses in the country. If South Carolina can take another step up in 2022, White, 44, figures to emerge as a guy who should get consideration to run his own program.”
White took a South Carolina defense that struggled mightily in 2020 and turned them into one of the league’s best pass defenses. The Gamecocks were also the best team in the SEC in terms of turnovers forced.
White and his staff were a big reason why, and it let to an offseason raise for South Carolina’s defensive coordinator and numerous members of his group.
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The Gamecocks this year are expected to have the pieces of a good defense, now the question becomes if it can maintain after last year.
Cam Smith is a projected first-round cornerback after this year. South Carolina also returns preseason all-SEC lineman Zacch Pickens and other quality defensive tackles.
Darius Rush and Marcellas Dial come back after solid years in 2021.
The Gamecocks have questions at edge rusher, but they’re led there by Jordan Strachan and former five-star prospect Jordan Burch.
South Carolina has also recruited well under White’s tenure defensively. The Gamecocks landed Stone Blanton out of Missisisippi in the 2022 class and three of the top five-ranked players in the 2023 class are defensive guys.
Zavion hardy is considered the No. 146 player nationally while Desmond Umeozulu is No. 172. Grayson “Pup” Howard checks in at No. 214 nationally.
South Carolina’s defense has its first tough test in Saturday’s season opener against a quality Georgia State opponent.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network Plus and ESPN Plus.
