Insider Report: Team notes after scrimmage two

The South Carolina Gamecocks now have a pair of scrimmages in the books as Shane Beamer turns the page from camp to preparations for game one.

What are we hearing from Saturday’s session inside Williams-Brice Stadium, plus the team as a whole as the UNC contest draws closer?

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— The second scrimmage was a key point in preseason for USC, because it represented an important opportunity for the staff to get another look at players in a game-like environment. There have been some ongoing position battles and rotations to figure out and the coaches are also looking to narrow down which players will play key roles this season.

— Starters certainly played, but young guys got a lot of work in from what we were told. Shane Beamer has made no secret of the fact that Carolina is going to play a lot of true freshman this season, and not just in mop-up opportunities. Following Saturday’s scrimmage, the number of true freshmen that will likely make meaningful contributions in 2023 appears to be in the double digits.

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— Juice Wells, as expected, did not participate in Saturday’s sessions as he continues rehabbing. As you know, Wells was mingling with fans at the GamecockCentral kickoff party. For those interested, there was no boot or anything of that nature.

We are told Wells is itching to get back it. He’s a super competive guy, so I certainly wouldn’t bet against him for game one.

— Nyckoles Harbor has had a more minor injury but it sounds like he’s on a positive timeline for the opener, too.

While the former five-star does have to become more consistent catching the football, he has also made some nice catches when in action during preseason camp. His presence on the field alone because of his long speed can cause some accounting issues for defenses.

To reiterate, it is still very important to temper the expectations for 2023.

— Spencer Rattler has looked dialed in all preseason. To a man, everyone inside the program believes he’s taken the next step in his development.

Offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains is giving Rattler a lot of freedom, and Rattler has done a great job all preseason changing protections and routes against various looks. Rattler and Loggains have both talked about creating a “partnership” on offense, and that’s been the case so far.

He has always been a confident guy, but he seems by far the most comfortable he’s been since arriving in Columbia.

— While the staff likely has a much better feel for its starting five and offensive line rotation, different combinations continued to roll through until Saturday. Nick Gargiulo has played left and right guard, Sidney Fugar has played left and right tackle, and Jakai Moore has played left tackle and left guard, for instance.

Wes Mitchell has mentioned previously that Trovon Baugh is a guy the staff felt could help early; he’s drawn some first team reps at guard in practice, too.

— We were also told that LaNorris Sellers had another strong scrimmage performance. He simply checks all the boxes you look for in a quarterback. He has great physical tools but also has proven to have a very high football IQ. For a freshman, his ability to go through progressions is advanced.

Tanner Bailey, from what we were told, also had a nice day on Saturday.

— Based on what we have seen and heard during the preseason, to include the scrimmage, it seems as if Stone Blanton and Debo Williams are the two starters at linebacker right now.

The Gamecocks staff, since right after last season, has been counting on Blanton to take a step forward. He’s done that; he’s healthier than last year and weight he shed has really helped him move around better.

Williams is a violent football player that could stand to become more consistent in positioning, but he’s continuing to progress in that regard, too.

— We have a feeling that Xavier Legette is going to be a key player on special teams, too, even aside from his duties as a kick returner. He has had a quality preseason.

— Ahmarean Brown is a very difficult cover in space, and Loggains (and Rattler) look poised to put him in some favorable spots to make some plays. Brown and Legette seem near-locks to have their best seasons yet.

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— Josh Simon and Trey Knox each had a touchdown reception on Saturday and the Gamecocks staff is excited about this duo. They will likely be on the field together a good bit, too.

— Keenan Nelson Jr. has been drawing a lot of first-team reps at the nickel spot and has been doing a nice job lately.

— Bryan Thomas Jr. has put on 20 pounds since last season and we are told that he’s someone that should not be dismissed when it comes to players who could make a positive impact at the EDGE spot.

— To close out this edition, let’s touch on graduate transfer Drew Tuazama, who was officially announced as a part of the Gamecocks program on Sunday.

We are told that the former UAB lineman weighed in recently at 265 pounds.

Yes, Tuazama is practicing with the team now. It should be noted that he still has to go through the required NCAA acclimatization period. The feel is, however, that he’s going to be able to help significantly in due time.

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