For the first time since 2011, someone not named Connor Shaw or Dylan Thompson will have to start at quarterback for South Carolina this upcoming season.
And that’s just one of several changes the Gamecocks face on the offensive side of the ball in 2015.
With his leading passer and rusher gone, head coach Steve Spurrier and his staff will begin the process of assembling this year’s offense when spring practice begins Tuesday.
New signal-caller
Over the course of their collegiate careers, former Gamecock quarterbacks Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson combined to pass for 11,465 yards and 96 touchdowns between 2010-2014. It goes without saying that it'll be tough for South Carolina to adjust to not having an experienced signal-caller leading the offense.
The leading candidate for the job is redshirt sophomore Connor Mitch, and he’ll have chance to prove himself this spring. A former four-star recruit out of Raleigh, North Carolina, Mitch rarely saw the field in 2014, completing two of six passing attempts for 19 yards. Nonetheless, he's thought of as the front-runner for the starting position, and any hopes of South Carolina having a successful season offense starts with the quarterback position. Also competing at quarterback this spring are redshirt junior Perry Orth and redshirt freshman Michael Scarnecchia.
Wilds leads running backs
Mike Davis may have led South Carolina with 982 yards on the ground in his last season before declaring for the NFL Draft, but the Gamecocks appear to be in fairly good shape at the running back position.
Brandon Wilds, one of South Carolina’s longest-tenured players, returns for one final year and David Williams, a promising youngster who got his first game experience in 2014, should see a bigger role, as well. The duo should take most of the carries over the next few weeks, but redshirt senior Shon Carson should get some reps, too — his speed could cause some problems out of the backfield.
Wilds, who saw action as a true freshman back in 2011, has played second fiddle to guys like Davis and Marcus Lattimore in the past; however, the Gamecocks will need to depend on him more than ever to lead South Carolina’s backfield.
New faces at wide receiver
Junior wide receiver Pharoh Cooper became a fan favorite in 2014 as he took on a role as Mr. Do-Everything for the Gamecocks. Whether it be lined up as a wideout, or as the quarterback in the Wildcat formation, Cooper was South Carolina’s best big-play threat on offense.
Fortunately for the Gamecocks, Cooper, who earned first team All-SEC honors, returns. He’ll surely be a favorite target for whoever ends up winning the quarterback job.
That said, Cooper is the only sure thing that returns at the wideout position. Damiere Byrd and Nick Jones have played out their eligibility and K.J. Brent Shaq Roland have decided to transfer.
That leaves several openings, which will have to be filled by a variety of players who will have a chance to impress in the spring.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Shamier Jeffery — still mostly known just as the younger brother of former Gamecock great Alshon — has a chance to finally step up and earn a lot of playing time.
Meanwhile, a couple of talented but inexperienced guys have a chance to make a big impact. Most notably, redshirt freshman Deebo Samuel is thought of as a someone who stands out because of his speed and athleticism. And redshirt freshman Shaq Davidson is another youthful candidate for major playing time.
Ultimately, there’s a lot of potential at the wide receiver position for South Carolina, but only time will tell if unproven players can excel for the Gamecocks. Aside from Cooper, Jeffery is the only returning wide receiver to register a reception last season.
At tight end, senior Jerell Adams should start. With former Gamecock Rory ‘Busta’ Anderson missing significant time last year, Adams caught 21 passes for 279 yards and made five starts.
Last season South Carolina had an up and down year on offense, but it’s offensive line was fairly consistent and solid overall.
However, some of the personnel along the line has changed. Most notably, A.J. Cann, who earned second team All-American honors last season, and Corey Robinson are now pursuing their dreams of playing in the NFL.
Four of the five projected starting linemen for South Carolina for this year’s spring practice have started before and the most experienced player is redshirt senior offensive tackle Brandon Shell. Shell has made 36 starts over the past three seasons, and he’ll anchor a line which will need to have a good year to protect the new starting quarterback.