South Carolina questions that won't get answered at SEC Media Days
Seven days from now, South Carolina football enters the SEC Media Day car wash in Nashville to preview a very intriguing year three under Shane Beamer.
Media will pepper Shane Beamer and a trio of players–Spencer Rattler, Tonka Hemingway and Kai Kroeger–July 20 with some more important than others.
There are things that will get answered over the course of the Gamecocks’ time there. But there will be a few things that won’t have answers until the season starts.
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What will the offense look like?
It’s the biggest question looming around this team entering year three under Beamer. But in reality there won’t be a lot of answers until the Gamecocks start putting things on tape against North Carolina.
When asked, the answers about space and pace and putting the ball in playmakers hands will be prevalent. It’s what was said in the spring and what most coaches would say when asked.
That’s the goal of every offense. But what the Gamecocks will specifically look like won’t be answered until that game against the Tar Heels.
Who steps up at thin positions?
South Carolina is very thin in terms of proven talent at a few spots entering this season, headlined by concerns at running back and EDGE.
The Gamecocks’ most veteran running back on the roster is Juju McDowell. Newberry transfer Mario Anderson, freshman Dontavius Braswell and receiver-running back combo Dakereon Joyner join him in the room.
South Carolina gets Jordan Strachan back at EDGE and brings in a talented transfer in Jatius Geer, but there are either freshmen or inexperienced upperclassmen around that.
The Gamecocks likely have an idea of the three to four players at each spot who are going to contribute. But the pecking order is something that training camp will sort out.
How will South Carolina replace two NFL corners?
The Gamecocks had the luxury the last two seasons of having two NFL corners. But both Cam Smith and Darius Rush are off to professional pastures. And there are questions about what the corner spot will shape up.
South Carolina is expecting Marcellas Dial to be the hoss in that room. And he’s certainly shown flashes playing alongside Smith and Rush. O’Donnell Fortune is coming off a great bowl game and hoping to build off of that. And then there’s a ton of youth around both guys.
Beamer and players can certainly talk about who’s stepped up and candidates. But how Dial adjusts to being the No. 1 option and how the rest of the room comes along might have to go into August and the start of the season.
Can South Carolina improve in key areas?
The Gamecocks have struggled to run the ball and stop the run at times the last two seasons. And–despite being a really good turnover-happy defense–the offense has struggled to protect the ball.
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Those are areas the Gamecocks tried to improve via the portal and player development and spoke at length about in the spring. They know those things have to get better for the program to take the next step.
But talking about it doesn’t get it done. And those questions will get answered early with four of the first five games before the bye against really good teams.
