Why South Carolina wanted to try out Kam Sandlin at running back
Bringing in high school quarterbacks to play different positions tends to lend itself to positive results often, and look no further than South Carolina getting freshman All-SEC kind of play from DQ Smith last season.
But one position–running back–can be a little more challenging for high school quarterbacks to adjust to. The Gamecocks, though, have two former high school QBs in the room this season that fit the mold and what Montario Hardesty is looking for.
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“If you’re a quarterback you know how to protect yourself. You should be in tune with who the line’s blocking and being that quarterback you have to study more. You understand safety rotation,” those guys see football well. DK showed he was tough. He played special teams,” Hardesty said.
“You don’t want to always have high school quarterbacks at running back cause you don’t know how they’ll play between the tackles. But these two guys are tough, rugged guys. Being a quarterback helps you understand football.”
Everyone knows Dakereon Joyner will be integral in the Gamecocks’ running back room, a former all-state high school quarterback at Fort Dorchester.
But freshman athlete Kam Sandlin will also be in Hardesty’s room, an effort to put a high school athlete like him in that room to increase depth. And Hardesty likes what he’s seen so far.
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“He’s shown the ability to run already. He ran the ball a lot. (Sandlin is) a big dude. He’s 6-foot-2, 220. He’s got really good hands out of the backfield,” Hardesty said. “It’s going to be about him getting up to speed. He’s never played the position so seeing what he has once camp starts. I’m excited about it and he’s excited about it as well. He’ll be a key asset to our room once he gets things going. With his quarterback mind, he can be a smart player for us.”
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Sandlin played high school quarterback at Anniston (Ala.) High School where he turned into a three-star prospect and led his team to an 11-1 record at the same time as a senior.
South Carolina initially recruited him as a tight end but, as he got on campus, opted to move him to the running back room to see if he couldn’t help in there.
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“Kam’s a guy that did a little bit of everything in high school,” Shane Beamer said. “Being a guy that can do a little bit of both, he’ll be primarily a running back as we start practice tomorrow. He’s another young guy we throw in the mix and we’re excited to see what he can do.”
There’s still some adjusting to do, but Sandlin seems to like where the position switch is going.
“It helps a lot. At quarterback, I had to read the defenses coming at me,” Sandlin said. “Now that I’m at running back, I can see a blitz and know I can pick it up.”
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The Gamecocks like what they have in a guy like Sandlin, and for him he’s not worried about where he’s playing. He just wants to get on the field and get snaps.
“I’m an athlete,” Sandlin said. “So as long as the ball’s in my hand I’m good.”
