Five questions South Carolina’s defense must answer during preseason practice
The South Carolina football team’s defense found itself in a tough spot last season. It was probably stronger than the final numbers showed, but that’s not much solace in a season with eight losses.
The team has to replace stars and anchors such as Javon Kinlaw, Dylan Wonnum and T.J. Brunson. It has some up-and-coming pieces, and it has some questions to answer before kickoff. Preseason camp is scheduled to start this week.
What the heck happens in the secondary?
At the moment, Israel Mukuamu, Jaycee Horn and Jammie Robinson are clearly reliable players, and R.J. Roderick is solid enough to be a fourth option. But teams usually need at least five reliable guys, and prefer more than that. John Dixon and Cam Smith probably boast the highest ceiling. Jaylin Dickerson is a veteran just trying to stay healthy, while Shilo Sanders is also there at a thin position. The group of incoming freshmen includes Joey Hunter working at safety and two others at corner. The team could also perhaps shift someone from another defensive spot, should the fit work. Their nickel spot is a mystery if Robinson stays at safety, so how the staff plays mix-and-match will loom large.
Does Jordan Burch stand out?
Any Jadeveon Clowney comparisons are unfair, but Clowney stood out at USC pretty quickly. . D.J. Wonnum was only a fourth-round pick, but he also shined early on the way to four years in the rotation. Burch’s talent is closer to Clowney’s than Wonnum’s. If the five-star signee can make an impression early, and perhaps push presumptive starter Brad Johnson, it will say a lot about how soon the prized recruit can make an impact on the field. The defensive line at least has a lot of talented pieces, so his production will be more bonus than a need, but it could change the fortunes of the defense in a notable way.
Can a young face stand out at strongside linebacker?
Ernest Jones is entrenched in the middle. While Sherrod Greene took a step forward on the strongside last year, he’ll likely be needed on the weakside. That could leave the less-used strongside spot open if someone has the skills and development to take it. Maybe that’s Jahmar Brown, who is smaller but showed a knack for playmaking. Mohamed Kaba has a build that could fit there, while Rosendo Louis Jr. has long had some potential at the spot. If Damani Staley takes a step toward consistency, he could perhaps get more work on the weakside and shift Green back to the strongside, but the team likely needs some new faces to shore up depth.
What does USC do with Jahmar Brown?
The aforementioned Brown bulked up before last season, answering one of the big questions about him. But coming into spring he was listed back at 205 pounds and he, along with the rest of the team, missed months of lifting because of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a player with skills in space and coverage ability, he might be an option at weakside, which asks for that mobility, or strongside, which would test him as an edge setter. Perhaps at that size, he could even help out at safety, should the staff want to get experimental.
Any surprises on the line?
The names on USC’s defensive front are already known. Kingsley Enagbare and Aaron Sterling are established at one end spot, and Johnson is somewhat settled at the other spot. The recruiting reputations of Rick Sandidge and Zacch Pickens precede them, and Keir Thomas has been on campus almost as long as anyone. Could a few names step up into bigger rotation role? Someone such as Devontae Davis? Jabari Ellis? Joseph Anderson? Maybe another freshman?
This story was originally published August 2, 2020 at 6:45 AM with the headline "Five questions South Carolina’s defense must answer during preseason practice."
