The biggest steps Ryan Hilinski, Dakereon Joyner have taken since the spring
South Carolina quarterbacks coach Dan Werner doesn’t have a battle to sort out at the top, as Jake Bentley will enter the 2019 college football season as the presumptive starter.
But he does have a pair of four-stars battling for the No. 2 spot in Dakereon Joyner and Ryan Hilinski.
More than a week into August camp, Werner has gotten a good look at his two young charges. He didn’t comment on whether or not someone has a lead in the competition, but he spoke to the steps each has taken since spring.
Werner on Hilinski: “He’s changed his body. Coming out of high school, probably didn’t lift a whole lot compared to what he’s doing here and so he’s lost weight and actually gained a lot of muscle mass. So that’s the first thing. Just football-wise, you can just tell he’s got a much better grasp obviously. I mean, he knows it inside and out just like the other guys do, and now it’s a matter of translating. Always for a younger guy — translate from the meeting room to the field, and like I said, I’ve been really pleased with how that’s happened.”
On Joyner: “His throwing has gotten a lot better. I think his accuracy is something he’s worked really hard on. Again, after spring, we talked about all the different things that each guy had to do individually. And like I said, they all have done exactly what I’ve asked.”
The pair offer different skillsets, Joyner more of a mobile player, while Hilinski is mostly a pocket guy.
Hilinski threw for more than 3,700 yards as a junior and then 2,700 as a senior, as injuries ruined his receiving group and offensive line. He was a top-75 national recruit and turned down a slew of power programs after committing to USC.
Joyner was one of the most prolific winners in South Carolina state history, leading a state title team as a sophomore and only losing three games as a starter. He ran for more than 1,000 yards three times and threw for nearly 10,000 yards.
Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp said the team plans to taper down the backup competition after the first scrimmage, set for early next week. Werner said the main thing he’s looking for from the scrimmage is protecting the ball. With the playmakers South Carolina has, he called that the top priority.
The veteran coach liked what he’s seen from all three QBs, including Bentley, but with the backups duking it out, he’s seen a little something.
“Obviously those guys are the ones sort of competing for a job,” Werner said, “but both of them played really hard. And they’re protecting the football and doing everything we ask.”
This story was originally published August 9, 2019 at 11:56 AM with the headline "The biggest steps Ryan Hilinski, Dakereon Joyner have taken since the spring."