Details you may have missed: South Carolina vs. North Carolina

South Carolina football fans may be itching to turn the page from the Gamecocks’ season-opening loss to North Carolina, but there’s at least one more piece of content to get out of the way before doing so.

The Details you may have missed feature returns for another season and, as has always been the case, the hope is for the Gamecock fan reading to learn one thing they didn’t notice when watching the game initially.

Let’s get down to it…

— After a full preseason of shuffling on the offensive line, we finally got our look at the Gamecocks’ rotation in a game, though it’s important to point out this may all be flipped on its head in Week 2.

The Gamecocks started their season with the starters we had heard they likely would — LT Sidney Fugar, LG Nick Gargiulo, C Vershon Lee, RG Jakai Moore, RT Cason Henry.

That depth was, of course, quickly tested when Henry went down after just four plays.

Tyshawn Wannamaker replaced the injured Henry. Later in the game, Fugar was replaced at LT by Jaxon Hughes.

Eventually, Fugar re-entered the game at RT at one point but later on after that Wannamaker re-entered.

We did get an answer to who the “next guy up” was as far as interior players when Lee had to exit the game for a play after losing a helmet. Gargiulo slid over to center with Trai Jones taking his spot at left guard.

— South Carolina’s kickoff team appeared* to feature: King-Demenian Ford, Payton Mangrum, Jalon Kilgore, Bryan Thomas Jr., Mo Kaba (Bradley Dunn), Stone Blanton, Andrew Colasurdo, Debo Williams, Ronnie Porter, Mitch Jeter.

South Carolina’s kickoff return team appeared to feature: Xavier Legette, Dakereon Joyner, Tonka Hemingway, Boogie Huntley, Trey Knox, Donovan Westmoreland, Payton Mangrum, Jalon Kilgore, King-Demenian Ford, Ronnie Porter, and Mo Kaba (Bradley Dunn).

The punt team appeared to feature: DQ Smith, Debo Williams, Hunter Rogers, Ronnie Porter, Stone Blanton, O’Donnell Fortune, Xavier Legette, Tonka Hemingway, Boogie Huntley, Payton Mangrum, and Kai Kroeger

(* With double numbers on special teams and limited camera views, it’s possible I missed a guy here since I was piecing it together by viewing multiple kicks. Bradley Dunn appeared to replace Mo Kaba after Kaba’s injury.)

— South Carolina primarily rotated Tonka Hemingway, Boogie Huntley, T.J. Sanders, and Nick Barrett at its defensive tackle spots. Jamaal Whyce did eventually enter the game as the fifth guy in the rotation midway through the third quarter.

— It didn’t take long for UAB transfer defensive end Drew Tuazama to find the field. Jordan Strachan and Bryan Thomas Jr. started at the two EDGE spots. Tyreek Johnson was the first off the bench but Tuazama checked in with a little over two minutes left in the first quarter, on UNC’s second offensive drive of the game. Terrell Dawkins also entered the game midway through the third quarter.

— Kajuan Banks, who snagged an interception that could have changed the game, was wearing a No. 48 jersey at the time because he and Payton Mangrum both wear 13 and are on special teams. Sometimes Banks wore his usual 13 on defense but if there wasn’t time to change, he stayed with the 48.

— David Spaulding, who had been dealing with some type of injury during preseason camp, checked into the game early in the second quarter at the nickelback spot but had to exit later in the drive after pulling up lame while covering a receiver downfield.

— With Juice Wells banged up and then out of the game in the second half, O’Mega Blake primarily took most of his snaps at the outside receiver spot. Nyckoles Harbor also played some on the outside (nine snaps per PFF). Later in the game, Payton Mangrum got in as an outside receiver. Ahmarean Brown was the primary slot receiver. Luke Doty was the second-team slot receiver. Eddie Lewis, who was listed as the backup there, only entered the game as a punt returner.

— Xavier Legette not only had his coming out party at wide receiver — while also serving as the team’s kickoff returner — but he also served as the team’s key gunner on the punt coverage team. Hat tip to Chris Clark for picking up on the possibility of Legette playing an even bigger role on special teams prior to the season.

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!

The post Details you may have missed: South Carolina vs. North Carolina appeared first on On3.