South Carolina's defense sees complete turnaround during recent wins

Head coach Shane Beamer acknowledges that South Carolina’s defense wasn’t playing its best early in the season.

“We did not play good defense in the month of October, or September too, in a lot of ways,” Beamer said. “(We) gave up too many explosive plays and a lot of missed tackles and just didn’t do a great job.”

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Beamer also knows that most of the criticism towards the team has been directed at its defense. Despite this, he had faith that the unit’s prospects would eventually turn around, telling them to “stay the course.”

“The message was to the defense, really the whole team, ‘Just continue to get better. And continue to do your job better and take ownership better,” Beamer said. “We’ve got good players. Let’s figure out how to get our best players on the field and let them go make plays.”

And that’s exactly what the Gamecocks’ defense has done in recent weeks. Over its past two games, South Carolina’s defense has held its opponents to a combined 20 points. Players like Stone Blanton and Tonka Hemingway have come up with big, game-deciding plays late in contests.

The team’s 17-14 win over Kentucky wasn’t any different. The Gamecocks forced three turnovers, including one interception and two fumbles. Hemingway, who recovered one of those fumbles, also batted away a pass on fourth down that forced the Wildcats to turn the ball over on downs, essentially sealing the victory for South Carolina.

Nick Emmanwori, who picked off his first collegiate pass in the win, credited the unit’s turnaround to its “playoff menality.”

“I’ve been preaching it to my DB room like, ‘It feels like playoffs, you know, like high school. We got to win to go to a bowl game, so it’s win or stay home,'” Emmanwori said. “I feel like the team, we’ve been practicing well, moving with a good mindset and just playing hard.

It isn’t just starters who have contributed to the defensive unit’s positive performances, too. In many of the defense’s positional groups, young players have stepped up and contributed to the team’s success.

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Following Saturday’s win, Beamer said that starting defensive back O’Donnell Fortune was suspended for a “violation of athletic department policy.” Judge Collier and Emory Floyd were called upon to split snaps in his place, and Beamer said he was impressed with how both of them played.

“Judge, obviously, when OD didn’t play the first half against A&M, went in there and played pretty good. Emory’s a guy that just continues to get better, so we knew going into the game tonight that we were going to split their reps at that corner position,” Beamer said. “They’re going to be great players.”

Spencer Rattler also praised South Carolina’s defense for its ability to execute in big moments.

“Credit to them, and credit to Coach (Clayton) White. He coaches their butts off in practice, and we compete every single day. So we see the product on the field every day,” Rattler said. “We got complete trust in them. (There are) so many playmakers on that side of the ball. They showed up big time tonight and really kept us in the game to go down there in clutch those moments and finish.”

South Carolina still has one more chance to make this November truly one to remember, though. The Gamecocks need to pull of another win against Clemson to earn bowl eligibility for a third consecutive season.

And Emmanwori believes that South Carolina’s defense can help get the job done.

“I feel like we got a good chance,” Emmanwori said. “It’s going to be a dogfight out there next week, and I feel like we’re confident.”

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