South Carolina takeaways from SEC Media
In comparison to SEC Media Days in the past, there wasn’t anything too crazy about this year’s annual event. For South Carolina, that’s probably a good thing.
Heading into year three of the Shane Beamer era, the Gamecocks have created more of a target on their back than anything else. Sure, they still have a long ways to go before we’re talking about them leapfrogging Georgia, but they showed towards the end of last season how good they can be. And why Beamer was the right man for the job.
I know Vegas has the over/under for USC wins at 5.5, but from a media standpoint, the people in other markets who were sleeping on this team last year had a different tune this week when I spoke with many of them.
Now that the housekeeping is out of the way, here’s a few of my takeaways from Nashville.
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Spencer Rattler
After not being at SEC Media Days last year, Rattler walked in with a sense of confidence that was evident. I didn’t view it as being cocky but rather that he’s more comfortable with everything around him.
When he was asked where he’d rank himself compared to the other quarterbacks in the SEC, he said at the top. It shouldn’t be surprising that a competitor has confidence in himself but I still loved the answer. If I’m USC, that’s how I want to hear my quarterback talk.
Stopping the run
It’s been a broken record of converstation this offseason as to what South Carolina needs to do in order to improve their run defense. Last season, USC allowed 198 yds/rush per game and ranked 117th in FBS. The year before that, they ranked 98th in FBS and were giving up 187 yds/rush per game.
One thing that needs to be stated because it’s get annoying seeing and hearing — it’s not just USC’s defensive line. The linebackers need to do their job on the second level too as well as defensive backs who come down into the box.
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But as far as the defense line goes, Tonka Hemingway shared that it starts with them (the DL). They need to be better with staying in their gaps. He feels confident in the players they have and even specifically pointed out the good job the freshmen have done.
Freshmen on offense
In the least surprising of news, Nyck Harbor’s name was dropped several times. We heard it from Beamer as well as from Rattler. The two expressed their excitement about what he can bring to table as a wide receiver and the work that he’s been putting in since arriving in Columbia back in May.
But another name that Rattler mentioned in the same breath was Rock Hill native Elijah Caldwell.
“You guys know about Nyck Harbor. He’ll be a weapon for us,” said Rattler. “I think Elijah Caldwell is a sleeper. He’s come in and been a great kid. He listens and he’s focused on the task at hand. Those two stand out but there will be plenty more.”
Ranked as the 81st WR for the class of 2023, Caldwell was a production machine. As a senior, he caught 77 passes for 1,365 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Recruiting
After landing eight four star commitments before the month of June, the recruiting buzz with South Carolina has slowed down as of late. Despite still being in the running to land some highly touted prospects in the coming weeks and months, Beamer made sure to send a message about where they stand with recruiting right now.
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“You realize that it’s a marathon,”said Beamer. “I think our fan base, and anyone that follows recruiting, needs to take a look back and realize the amount of guys that we have that we have committed (for the 2024 class) that every team in the country would love to have committed to their roster right now. That was a really big deal then and it’s still a really big deal now… Do I wish that we have had more Welcome Home tweets in the month of July? Absolutely,” said Beamer. “The month isn’t over, so we’ll see what happens. You just realize that it’s a marathon. Signing Day is five months away. There’s a lot that’s going to happen between now and then.”
Not being slept on
In Columbia, Kai Kroeger is a well-known name. The talented punter has become a fan favorite for not just what he’s able to do with his leg but with his arm as well. After being snubbed by several postseason awards last year, Kroeger isn’t being overlooked heading into the 2023 season. At least from an SEC standpoint.
Kroeger, along with place kicker Mitch Jeter, were both named First Team Preseason All SEC.
The biggest takeaway from Kroeger’s appearance in Nashville was how grateful he was. He viewed the day as an opportunity to represent not just USC but specifically all of South Carolina’s special teams units.
Welcome Home, Robertson
With Jimmy Lindsey’s departure in the spring for LSU, Travian Robertson has been thrown right into the thick of things. But just like how he was as a player for the Gamecocks, he’s been exceeding expectations so far.
From Beamer to Hemingway, the two echoed how well of a job Robertson has done. They both shared that his love for South Carolina is clear and that everyone around him can feel that energy. Hemingway said as a player, that inspires you.
Luke Day’s impact
South Carolina strength and conditioning coach Luke Day is doing more than just putting muscle on players. Hemingway specifically shared that one of the biggest things Day has been able to do is help them from a mental standpoint. Says Day has been able to reprogram their mental limits.
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