Five things we learned through one week of South Carolina camp
South Carolina began fall camp in earnest last week as the Gamecocks prepare for the Sept. 4 season opener against Eastern Illinois.
Here were a few standout performers and news and notes from the team’s first full week of practices:
Colten Gauthier a factor at quarterback
In case you missed the news Saturday, South Carolina quarterback Luke Doty is battling a foot injury. Shane Beamer said it’s a sprain and the staff is hopeful Doty will recover in a few weeks.
That said, someone is going to have to take first-team quarterback reps and freshman Colten Gauthier finds himself square in the mix.
Gauthier arrived in Columbia as the highest-rated prospect in South Carolina’s 2021 recruiting class, but was largely expected to take a backseat to Doty and FCS transfer Jason Brown. After enrolling midyear and picking up the playbook exceptionally quickly, we may see Gauthier this season after all.
Offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield gushed over his ability to process information. Beamer added Gauthier probably wouldn’t be in the running for starting quarterback reps had he not arrived on campus in January, which allowed him to go through spring practice.
The hope is Doty can play in the season opener against Eastern Illinois. If he cant, Gauthier should be in the mix. Keep an eye on whether he’s getting first-team reps this week and next.
Jahmar Brown instant impact performer at safety
Jahmar Brown has spent the last year-plus flip-flopping between linebacker and safety. Now settled in the secondary, he appears to be a name to hang onto heading toward the season.
During the open portion of practice this past week, Brown ran with the second-team defense and looks to give the Gamecocks some nice depth at the position.
South Carolina entered the offseason deathly thin on the back end. Brown seems to have quickly taken to his role and may well be a key cog come time for the regular season.
Defensive line is going to be really deep
Will Muschamp had his faults, but he stacked some serious talent for Beamer to work with along the defensive line in 2021.
With a group that includes former five-star prospects Zacch Pickens and Jordan Burch, along with veterans Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare, Rick Sandidge and Georgia State transfer Jordan Strachan — who tied for the FBS lead in sacks last year — the Gamecocks have ample talent to trot out this fall.
Aaron Sterling and Enagbare took snaps at the edge position with the first-team defense on Tuesday, while Jabari Ellis and Pickens repped at defensive tackle.
Beamer told reporters on Saturday that Sandidge was shaken up during the team’s first scrimmage, so it’s unclear where his health is at right now. Everyone else is accounted for, though, and have the look of a serious strength through one-plus week of camp.
Cam Smith now more important than ever
South Carolina hit the transfer portal hard over the offseason, reeling in nine transfers during Beamer’s first few months on the job. None of those players felt more crucial than Kansas cornerback import Karon Prunty.
Fast forward a little over a month from when Prunty committed and he’s no longer with the program as he deals with some personal issues back home in Virginia.
With Prunty now gone, redshirt sophomore Cam Smith is going to have to shoulder an immense load at cornerback whenever he gets back to full health.
Smith has been battling back from a broken bone in his foot. He was seen walking around in a boot toward the tail end of the week after donning a cast and moving around on a scooter during the previous week.
The Westwood High School product was a playmaker in spurts a season ago. Now that Prunty is gone, Smith will be counted upon to shut off one half of the field as South Carolina continues to piece together its secondary.
Josh Vann and Jalen Brooks will get their looks
Josh Vann and Jalen Brooks each came to South Carolina with ample hype. Vann was a four-star recruit who just about every school in America wanted. Brooks made his mark at Wingate before transferring up to the Southeastern Conference level. Neither, though, has lived up to their expectations.
Past years aside, Brooks and Vann ran as the first-team receivers during portions of practice open to reporters last week. Beamer has raved about Brooks’ potential in the vertical game and Vann continues to come into his own as a pass catcher.
South Carolina’s receiving group has been maligned throughout the offseason for its lack of proven commodities. Vann and Brooks were once seen as potential saviors at the position. Through one week of camp, it looks like they’ll get their chances to be exactly that.
This story was originally published August 15, 2021 at 10:52 PM with the headline "Five things we learned through one week of South Carolina camp."
