Who will be South Carolina’s starters on offense? Let’s project the depth chart
South Carolina is only a month and a half out from its season opener against Eastern Illinois, slated for Sept. 4 at Williams-Brice Stadium. And while fall camp stands between now and kickoff, the Gamecocks’ depth chart is starting to take shape.
Those preseason practices begin the first week of August. Here’s a look at where we project things heading into SEC Media Days that begin Monday in Hoover, Alabama:
Quarterback
Starters: Luke Doty
Backups: Jason Brown, Colten Gauthier
The starting quarterback job will be Luke Doty’s to lose heading into fall camp. Head coach Shane Beamer named Doty the starter going forward after the annual Garnet and Black spring game. Nothing seems to have changed there.
Behind Doty, though, things get interesting. Jason Brown was impressive in his chances during the spring game. Gauthier is a strong-armed freshman who arrived on campus early but could use some polishing. Brown battled an undisclosed illness for part of the spring, but his performance in the spring game should’ve been enough to position himself as the backup to Doty.
Running back
Starter: MarShawn Lloyd
Backups: Kevin Harris, ZaQuandre White, Rashad Amos
Before you send angry emails about why Kevin Harris should be the starter, let’s all take a collective deep breath. Now then, Harris is the most experienced back returning to Columbia this fall, but a fully healthy MarShawn Lloyd might be enough to wrestle away the starting job.
Lloyd is a high-level, NFL-caliber talent and coaches have raved about him since he arrived at USC last fall. If he’s healthy, he and Harris should share carries, with Lloyd getting the slight nod. (Think Lloyd gets 15 carries in a game, while Harris gets 12.)
White should also factor into the equation as a pass catcher, though he was impressive enough this spring to warrant a decent number of touches. Rashad Amos showed flashes a season ago in limited opportunities, but he may get buried here more as a product of how good those in front of him are..
This will be the Lloyd and Harris show with White sprinkled in somewhere after that. How that all gets divvied up remains to be seen.
Wide receiver
Starters: Dakereon Joyner, EJ Jenkins, Jalen Brooks
Backups: OrTre Smith, Ahmarean Brown, Josh Vann, Xavier Legette, Rico Powers, Ger-Cari Caldwell, Trey Adkins
Dakereon Joyner and Jalen Brooks earned rave reviews from new South Carolina receivers coach Justin Stepp in spring ball. Joyner, who’s continuing to transition from quarterback to receiver, has had a full year and an offseason at the position and feels poised for a more consistent junior season.
Jenkins has worked at both tight end and receiver during spring camp, but his 6-foot-7 frame will get him on the field one way or another. Ahmarean Brown had an impressive freshman season at Georgia Tech and could end up starting over Joyner out of the slot.
Senior OrTre Smith should also be asked a lot this season, while former walk-on Trey Adkins figures to find a role in the rotation after an impressive spring in which he earned a scholarship.
South Carolina’s receivers are unproven at best, but there’s enough bodies that the Gamecocks ought to be able to find a handful of playmakers at the position this fall.
Tight end
Starters: Nick Muse, EJ Jenkins
Backups: Jaheim Bell, Keveon Mullens, Eric Shaw
South Carolina has plenty of options to play with at tight end. Muse is the most experienced returner and could push for All-SEC honors should he take the next step in his game as a pass catcher. Jenkins should also see time at tight end, giving the Gamecocks a massive contingent on either end of its line.
Jaheim Bell is another athletic specimen in the room and even played some running back during the Garnet and Black game. Beamer recruited Bell at Oklahoma and he should find the field in a handful of creative ways. Keveon Mullens should also pair well with Bell to spell the duo of Muse and Jenkins or give the Gamecocks an absurd amount of length if they can fit three players from the room on the field at once.
Offensive line
Starters: Jazston Turnetine, Jovaughn Gwyn, Eric Douglas, Jaylen Nichols, Dylan Wonnum
Backups: Jordan Rhodes, Jakai Moore, Vincent Murphy, Vershon Lee, Tyshawn Wannamaker
For an offense that was among the Southeastern Conference’s worst a season ago, South Carolina’s offensive line should help shore up some of the issues USC faced last year. Eric Douglas, Jovaughn Gwyn and Dylan Wonnum all started 10 games in 2020. The projected starting unit also has a combined 101 appearances between the five men.
Backups Jakai Moore and Jordan Rhodes should see ample time in the rotation if not in starting roles themselves. Vincent Murphy, Vershon Lee and Tyshawn Wannamaker will help round out as deep a group as South Carolina has at any position heading into 2021. If the Gamecocks offense is to take a step forward in offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield’s first year running the show, it’ll start up front.
This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 8:10 AM with the headline "Who will be South Carolina’s starters on offense? Let’s project the depth chart."
