Gamecock O-line in contention for best in conference
Depth is a glaring presence on both the offensive and defensive lines for the Gamecocks, which should prove valuable in a deep SEC.
The offensive line certainly needed that depth before preseason even ended, when starting right guard Mike Matulis went down with a sprained knee. He’s hoping to make it back by midseason, but for now, redshirt sophomore Cody Waldrop sits in his position.
Waldrop missed several days of camp with a pulled oblique muscle, but said he was ready for the season after Monday’s practice. At one point, he was in line to start at center, but he was having significant trouble snapping the ball in practice. Waldrop was glad to move back to his natural position of right guard, where he can focus on just blocking.
But the problems with snaps, specifically shotgun snaps, have not gone away for the Gamecocks and it seems the starter at center will be a game-time decision.
Offensive line coach Shawn Elliott said redshirt sophomore Clayton Stadnik and redshirt junior Will Sport will continue to compete for the spot. Sport had a terrific camp according to Elliott and whether he starts or not, Elliott wants Sport to see the field somehow.
Elliott also mentioned how redshirt freshman Alan Knott has come on over the past week and a half. He has been snapping the ball the best of anyone, but since he was injured for a significant time during camp, the coaches would prefer that Knott get more reps first before he starts in a game.
Rounding out what will contend for the best SEC offensive line are redshirt seniors Corey Robinson and A.J. Cann, who play left tackle and left guard, respectively, while redshirt junior Brandon Shell mans the right tackle position. All three linemen received preseason All-SEC nods from the coaches with Robinson and Cann on the second team and Shell on the third team.
But no matter who’s in the game, the offensive line feels like it can perform strongly.
“I think we have a lot of guys that are ready to step up and play if anything were to happen,” Cann, a co-captain, said.
There should be a steady rotation of players in the early part of the season on the defensive line, as well.
The big question coming into the year is whether the Gamecock defensive front can make up for the losses of former All-Americans Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy Quarles.
Redshirt sophomores Darius English and Gerald Dixon will both start at defensive end. Dixon’s brother, redshirt junior Gerald Dixon Jr. will start at defensive tackle with redshirt senior and co-captain J.T. Surratt starting alongside him.
There will be several different formations from South Carolina’s defense this season including a 3-4 or 4-3 look and mixing it in with the familiar 4-2-5 setup.
For the three-man front, a fourth linebacker will be added, called the “Big Ol’ Backer” (Bob) position. The position was invented to get another pass rusher on the field, acting as another sort of defensive lineman
The favorite for this spot right now is true freshman linebacker Bryson Allen-Williams, but redshirt junior defensive end Cedrick Cooper and sophomore spur Larenz Bryant are still in the running.
Defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward mentioned that many players could see action along the defensive line against Texas A&M Thursday.
“We do have some depth at D-line,” Ward said. “We got nine, 10, 11 guys that can play, that will probably play in this ball game. We expect it to be hot and a fast-paced game. We’re going to have to keep guys fresh by playing a lot of people.”
The reserve players in that rotation include Cooper, redshirt juniors Mason Harris and Phillip Dukes, redshirt sophomores Abu Lamin and Deon Green and redshirt freshman David Johnson.
Defensive line coach Deke Adams said the starters among the D-line have been consistent, while players like Lamin, Green and Dukes had great camps and should be ready to contribute.
To replace the numbers over the past couple of years after Clowney and Quarles, the defensive line will probably have to achieve those stats by committee, which many members of the line think is possible.
“I’m definitely excited,” English said. “The guys are excited to go out there and prove that we can be better than we were with Jadeveon and Kelcy and all those guys.”