One of the deepest positions on the depth chart for the South Carolina football team thinned out earlier in the spring when it was announced that 2015's leading tackler Skai Moore would miss the entire 2016 season with an injury. Despite Moore's absence, the Gamecocks have the talent at the linebacker position to still make it one of their strengths this fall. Let's take a look at the players who will be major contributors at linebacker this season.
T.J. Holloman: With Moore out, Holloman is the team's leading returning tackler, coming up with 63 stops last season despite missing the first two games. Holloman also created five turnovers last season, intercepting two passes and recovering three fumbles. It's fair to assume the senior will be named as a team captain, as he was last season, and he will certainly be the leader of the linebacker corps. Holloman will be one of the better players on the Gamecock defense, and he will need to continue to elevate his game if South Carolina is going to make strides on his side of the ball.
Bryson Allen-Williams: Allen-Williams has loads of talent, and fans are hoping that playing under Will Muschamp will lead to a breakout year. The junior has been rated the No. 6 outside linebacker in the country out of high school by 247 Sports, and the Georgia native was listed in the ESPN300. Allen-Williams made 23 tackles while playing in all 12 games last season, but he wasn't a key part of the rotation. Now with Moore out, the 6-foot, 230-pound linebacker seems to have the most potential to replace Moore's production.
Jonathan Walton: Another senior, Walton made 42 tackles last season, five of which came in the backfield. Twice named the team's Most Improved Linebacker in the spring, the Alabama native is known for his hard-hitting style, and he should provide toughness for a defense that ranked last in the SEC in 2015. Walton also could see time at fullback after seeing some time in the backfield at the end of last season, including when he caught a 10-yard touchdown against Tennessee.
Larenz Bryant: Bryant is a senior as well, but he doesn't have anywhere near the level of experience that the aforementioned players do. The Charlotte native has played in 34 games for South Carolina, but most of his action has come on special teams. However, he was a four-star recruit in 2013, and being listed as even with Holloman on the depth chart at the Will position shows that Muschamp and his staff believe in Bryant. He may not be a consistent starter, but Bryant should be able to contribute in the rotation.
Sherrod Pittman: Pittman redshirted in 2015 after breaking his leg during his senior year of high school, but the 6-foot-1, 218-pound linebacker has been on campus since January of last year after enrolling early. He's had plenty of time to get in peak condition, and there's no doubting that Pittman has plenty of talent. The Florida native was a prized four-star recruit and rated just outside the nation's best 100 players by Rivals. It may be a crowded depth chart at linebacker, but Pittman has the talent to emerge as a mainstay on the Gamecock defense.