Former first-year starters ready to compete on offensive line after ‘humbling experience’ last season

It didn’t go the way they expected. Then again, that was kind of how their freshman years went as well.

By the fifth game of the 2023 season, South Carolina had two freshmen starting on the offensive line. Tree Babalade became the starting left tackle by Week 3, then Trovon Baugh joined in as the starter at right guard two games later. They held onto their spots for the rest of the year, gaining valuable experience of starting every week in the SEC.

Their sophomore years were a different story. Babalade only made one start and played in four games to keep his redshirt after last season. Baugh didn’t redshirt since he played in 12 games, mostly on special teams. He didn’t make a single start on the offensive line, though.

Josiah Thompson, who earned All-SEC Freshman honors in 2024, started 12 games at left tackle. Torricelli Simpkins III, a transfer from North Carolina Central, started all 13 games at right guard and made the All-SEC Third Team in his lone season with the Gamecocks.

Meanwhile, Babalade and Baugh moved into reserve duty and didn’t play anywhere near as much as they did two seasons ago.

“I mean, it was a humbling experience,” Babalade said. “But gotta do what you gotta do.”

“God has a plan for everything, so that’s just the way I took it,” Baugh added. “I was able to learn from some great guys last year. So I just took it day by day and just kept learning.”

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Some players in their situation wouldn’t have stuck around after losing their starting spot. In this day and age, players want to play. If they don’t, they can always enter the transfer portal and look for another opportunity elsewhere.

Despite how last season went, Babalade and Baugh are back at South Carolina for their third season with the program.

“Those aren’t easy conversations, because they want to play. Everybody wants to play, and they’ll tell you that. But I guess the relationships they have in this building, they knew we’re gonna do what’s best for the team, but also what’s best for them,” offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley said.

“Those are great stand-up dudes. And, like I was saying, the relationships, I think, help a lot, where they trust you and know that you care for them. And this isn’t a favoritism thing. This is just about the Gamecocks winning games.”

The Gamecocks will return both starting tackles, including Thompson and then Cason Henry, on the right side. But they lost their center and both guards, which has given both players a chance to earn more playing time in 2025.

“It’s a new year,” Baugh said. “It really just gives me an opportunity to show everything that I missed out on last year.”

With those spots up for grabs, Baugh said he’s been working at both guard and center during spring practice. Babalade didn’t specify where he’s been playing lately, citing that he’s been “everywhere” on the line. Though with Thompson at left tackle, Babalade has also been working at guard and center, according to recent reports.

As the spring rolls on, nothing is set and stone as far as what the starting five upfront will look like. There’s still a lot of time to go before the regular season gets underway in a few months. But one thing is certain: Expectations are going to be high for Babalade and Baugh this year.

“You’re on year three now. I expect something more out of you, and they’ve both been good with that,” Teasley said, describing what he’s told them. “There are certain things, like when you’re a freshman, you know, they’re going to make freshman mistakes, and now they’re past that point. I always tell them, we can move on to level two and 300 problems now.”

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