Gamecocks Open Spring Camp

QUICKLY: The fifth year of the Will Muschamp Era at South Carolina gets underway with the start of spring drills on Wednesday, February 26. The Gamecocks are scheduled to practice 15 times during the spring, with the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game set for Saturday, April 4. Practice dates are set for February 26, 28 and 29; March 3, 5, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 26, 28 and 31; and April 2 and 4. All dates are subject to change.

WE’RE TALKIN’ ABOUT PRACTICE: Most practices will be held at the practice fields, located at the west end of Gamecock Park, in the morning hours. Saturday scrimmages will take place in Williams-Brice Stadium. Please refer to GamecocksOnline.com, the official website of Gamecock Athletics, for the latest practice information. Unless otherwise announced, with the exception of the spring game on April 4, all practices will be closed to the public. Media members will be able to watch the flex period, along with the first three periods of the practices scheduled for February 26 and March 3, 5, 24 and 26.

THE HEAD COACH SPEAKS: Head coach Will Muschamp will hold a press conference on Tuesday, February 25, at 11 am in the Long Family Football Operations Facility to give a spring practice preview. Coach Muschamp will also be available to the media following the Saturday, Feb. 29 practice, after the scrimmages on Saturday, March 21 and 28, and again after the Garnet & Black Spring Game on April 4. Coach Muschamp will also be available on Pro Timing Day, March 19.

COORDINATOR ACCESS: Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson will each be available twice during the spring to meet with the media. Coach Bobo will be available after practice on Thursday, March 5 and again on March 26, while Coach Robinson will be available following the practices on Tuesday, March 3 and Tuesday, March 24.

THE SPRING GAME: The annual Garnet & Black Spring Game is Saturday, April 4. Game time is set for 1 pm ET at Williams-Brice Stadium. Admission is free. The game will be carried live on SEC Network+ (digital platform), which is available to all authenticated fans via the ESPN App.

PRO TIMING DAY: South Carolina will hold its annual Pro Timing Day on Thursday, March 19. The event will take place at the Jerri and Steve Spurrier indoor practice facility beginning at 8 am and is closed to the general public.

THE HISTORY: 2020 will mark the 127th season of intercollegiate football at the University of South Carolina, dating back to 1892. It is the 114th-consecutive year in which South Carolina has competed on the gridiron. The University did not field a team in either 1893 or 1906. Carolina owns an all-time record of 612-587-44, a .510 winning percentage.

IT JUST MEANS MORE: The 2020 season will mark South Carolina’s 29th year in the Southeastern Conference. South Carolina and Arkansas joined the league prior to the 1992 campaign. The Gamecocks earned the SEC Eastern Division title in the 2010 season. The Gamecocks are 97-126-1 (.435) all-time in SEC regular-season play, but posted a 42-38 (.525) record in conference action in the last decade.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: The 2020 season will mark the 10th anniversary of the 2010 squad that captured the SEC Eastern Division title and went on to appear in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta against eventual national champion Auburn. It’s the Gamecocks only division title since joining the SEC.

2019 IN REVIEW: South Carolina concluded its 126th season of intercollegiate football in 2019 with a record of 4-8, including a 3-5 mark in the SEC. The highlight of the season was a 20-17 double-overtime win at Georgia, a team that finished fourth in the final Associated Press poll. Four of the Gamecocks’ eight losses were to teams that finished the season in the top-20 in the A.P.’s final poll, including No. 2 Clemson, No. 6 Florida, No. 8 Alabama and No. 19 Appalachian State.

BEATING THE BEST: The Gamecocks’ double-overtime win at Georgia matched the second-best win in school history, based on the AP rankings, topped only by the 2010 win over No. 1 Alabama. Six of Carolina’s top eight wins have come since 2009:

No.        Date        Opponent        AP Rank    Score
1.        10/09/10    vs Alabama            1            35-21
2.        10/24/81    at North Carolina    3            31-13
3.        10/12/19    at Georgia              3            20-17
4.        09/24/09    vs Ole Miss            4            16-10
5.        10/06/12    vs Georgia             5            35-7
           10/26/13    at Missouri             5            27-24
7.        09/24/88    vs Georgia             6            23-10
           09/13/14    vs Georgia             6            38-35
9.        10/04/07    vs Kentucky           8            38-23
           11/21/87    vs Clemson            8            20-7
           11/14/53    at West Virginia      8            20-14

NO EXCUSES, BUT THAT WAS TOUGH: The Gamecocks faced the nation’s toughest schedule during the 2019 season. Gamecock opponents averaged 8.9 wins, the high-water mark for any school in 2019, and all nine of their opponents that appeared in bowl games, won a bowl game. South Carolina’s Division I opponents combined for a 101-44 record, a .697 winning percentage. Using the NCAA formula, the Gamecocks (99-46, .683) faced the toughest schedule in the country, just ahead of Auburn (107-50, .682).

WHERE THERE’S A WILL: Will Muschamp has posted a 26-25 record in his first four seasons as the Gamecocks’ head football coach. His .510 winning percentage is exactly the same as that of the University through its first 126 years of intercollegiate football. The 26 wins ranks him in a tie for ninth on the school’s all-time list with Sol Metzger, while his 51 games coached ranks 10th in school history. Overall, Coach Muschamp has been a head coach for eight seasons, logging a 54-46 record, a .540 winning percentage.

COACHING CAROUSEL: Head football coach Will Muschamp made some changes to his coaching staff in the off season. Former Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo was brought in to serve as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Joe Cox takes over as the tight ends coach with Bobby Bentley moving back mentor the running backs. Veteran SEC coach Tracy Rocker will coach the defensive line with former Gamecock Rod Wilson taking over the linebackers. Kyle Krantz assumes the duties as the special teams coordinator and assistant defensive backs coach.

THEY DO THE HEAVY LIFTING: The entire strength and conditioning staff has been overhauled, with Paul Jackson now in charge. Joining Jackson on the strength staff are Scott Salwasser, Julian Whitehead, Anthony Henderson and Jordan Sims.

BREAKING IT DOWN: The 96-man spring roster consists of two graduate transfers, 17 seniors, 22 juniors, 24 sophomores, 19 redshirt freshmen and 12 true freshmen.

THEY’RE BACK: The Gamecocks welcome 45 returning letterwinners to begin the 2020 spring session. The lettermen consist of 22 offensive players, 21 on defense and two special teams players.

RETURNING STARTERS: The Gamecocks list 13 returning starters from the 2019 squad, six on offense, six on defense and one specialist. The returning offensive starters are RG Jovaughn Gwyn, QB Ryan Hilinski, LT Sadarius Hutcherson, LG Jordan Rhodes, WR Shi Smith and RT Dylan Wonnum. The returning defensive starters are LB Sherrod Greene, CB Jaycee Horn, LB Ernest Jones, CB Israel Mukuamu, S R.J. Roderick and DE Aaron Sterling. The specialist is PK Parker White.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: The Gamecocks said good-bye to 24 lettermen including 11 starters off last year’s team, five on both sides of the ball and one specialist. The departed starters include WR Chavis Dawkins, RB Rico Dowdle, WR Bryan Edwards, TE Kyle Markway and OC Donell Stanley on the offensive side of the ball, and LB T.J. Brunson, S J.T. Ibe, DT Javon Kinlaw, DT Kobe Smith, B/S D.J. Wonnum on defense, along with punter Joseph Charlton.

EVERY TIME OUT: The Gamecocks had eight players start every game in 2019 includes LT Sadarius Hutcherson, TE Kyle Markway, OC Donell Stanley, CB Jaycee Horn, LB Ernest Jones, DT Javon Kinlaw, CB Israel Mukuamu and DE D.J. Wonnum. Hutcherson (26 consecutive starts), Mukuamu (14), Horn (13) and Jones (12) return in 2020.

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME: Carolina returns 20 percent of its rushing yards, 95 percent of its passing yards and 43 percent of its receiving yards from 2019. Kevin Harris (179 yards) and Deshaun Fenwick (111 yards) are the top returning rushers, while Shi Smith (489 yards) and Josh Vann (171 yards) are the top receivers. The Gamecocks also return their top passer in Ryan Hilinski (2,357 yards). Six of the squad’s top eight tacklers return for the 2020 season, including team-leader Ernest Jones (97 tackles) and Jammie Robinson (62 tackles). Aaron Sterling returns after leading the team in tackles for loss (10.0) and sacks (6.0), while Israel Mukuamu paced the team with four interceptions.

NO SPRING FOR YOU: Several Gamecocks will sit out the spring while rehabbing from off-season surgeries. Those who are expected to be sidelined include wide receiver Randrecous Davis (lower leg), linebacker Spencer Eason-Riddle (knee), defensive lineman Kingsley Enagbare (hip), quarterback Collin Hill (knee), defensive lineman Tyreek Johnson (knee), linebacker Mohamed Kaba (knee), tight end Nick Muse (knee) and offensive tackle Dylan Wonnum (hip).

ABOUT THE SCHEDULE: The Gamecocks have another challenging schedule on tap for 2020. Carolina’s 2020 opponents combined for a 102-54 record and a .654 winning percentage during the 2019 season. The month of November will be especially daunting as the Gamecocks will face Georgia, LSU and Clemson, three teams that finished in the top-4 in the final 2019 Associated Press poll, included two that played in the National Championship game.

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: The Gamecocks are 32-11 in their last 43 non-conference games, with six of the 11 losses in that stretch coming against Clemson.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE: Carolina has won 31 of its last 36 home games against non-conference foes. The Gamecocks had won a school-record 22-straight home games against non-conference teams before dropping the final two games of the 2015 regular season to The Citadel and Clemson.

ENROLLING EARLY: The Gamecocks’ spring roster features nine high school recruits who graduated a semester early and enrolled in time for spring drills in 2020. Here is the list of the Gamecocks who have enrolled early since 2006:
2006:    Clark Gaston
2007:    Stephen Garcia, Travian Robertson
2008:    Jay Spearman, C.C. Whitlock, Shaq Wilson
2009:    Jarvis Giles, Stephon Gilmore, DeVonte Holloman
2010:    Connor Shaw
2011:    Martay Mattox
2012:    Kelvin Rainey, Brock Stadnik, Clayton Stadnik
2013:    Connor Mitch, D.J. Park
2014:    None
2015:    Jalen Henry, Christian Owens, Sherrod Pittman, Jerad Washington
2016:    Bryan Edwards, C.J. Freeman, Brandon McIlwain, Chris Smith, Kobe Smith, Keir Thomas
2017:    Summie Carlay, Jaylin Dickerson, OrTre Smith, M.J. Webb
2018:    Wyatt Campbell, Kingsley Enagbare, Deshaun Fenwick, Maxwell Iyama, Ernest Jones, Dakereon Joyner, Rosendo Louis Jr., Hank Manos, Israel Mukuamu, R.J. Roderick, Darius Rush, Lavonte Valentine
2019:    Joseph Anderson, Derek Boykins, Rodricus Fitten, Kevin Harris, Ryan Hilinski, Jalen Nichols, Zacch Pickens, KeShawn Toney
2020:    Luke Doty, O’Donnell Fortune, Dominick Hill, Trai Jones, Mohamed Kaba, Vershon Lee, MarShawn Lloyd, Tyshawn Wannamaker, Michael Wyman

FAMILY TIES: Senior linebacker Damani Staley is the son of former Gamecock and NFL running back Duce Staley; junior cornerback Jaycee Horn is the son of former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn; sophomore safety Shilo Sanders is the son of former NFL and MLB standout Deion Sanders.

FALL ACADEMICS: The Gamecocks placed 47 players on the 2019 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll including: Trey Adkins, Jake Bentley, Davonne Bowen, TJ Brunson, Eddie Buckhouse, Summie Carlay, Slade Carroll, Joseph Charlton, Devontae Davis, Chavis Dawkins, Mon Denson, Eric Douglas, Spencer Eason-Riddle, Chandler Farrell, Daniel Fennell, Corbett Glick, Sherrod Greene, Jovaughn Gwyn, Cole Hanna, Dawson Hoffman, Jaycee Horn, Sadarius Hutcherson, J.T. Ibe, Max Iyama, Tyreek Johnson, John Kanaan, Christian Kinsley, Rosendo Louis Jr., Hank Manos, Sean McGonigal, Israel Mukuamu, Jazuun Outlaw, Kiel Pollard, Patrick Reedy, Will Register, Jordan Rhodes, Darius Rush, Rick Sandidge, Kobe Smith, Will Tommie, Jay Urich, Jordan Villafane, Noah Vincent, MJ Webb, Parker White, Dylan Wonnum, and D.J. Wonnum.

COACHES CLINIC: The fourth annual Will Muschamp Football Coaches Clinic, hosted by Coach Muschamp and the Carolina football coaching staff, will be held March 20-21, 2020 at the Long Family Football Operations facility in Columbia. The early registration cost is $20 per person. Call 803-777-4271 for more information.

ALL-DECADE TEAM: The State newspaper, GamecockCentral.com and TheBigSpur.com all produced South Carolina All-Decade Teams of the 2010s. Here is the consensus Gamecock team of the decade:

OFFENSE:
QB: Connor Shaw
RB: Marcus Lattimore
WR: Pharoh Cooper, Bryan Edwards Alshon Jeffery
TE: Hayden Hurst
OL: Zack Bailey, A.J. Cann, Dennis Daley, T.J. Johnson, Corey Robinson, Brandon Shell

DEFENSE:
DL: Jadeveon Clowney, Melvin Ingram, Javon Kinlaw
LB: T.J. Brunson, Skai Moore, Shaq Wilson
DB: Antonio Allen, Stephon Gilmore, Victor Hampton, DeVonte Holloman, D.J. Swearinger

SPECIAL TEAMS:
KR: Deebo Samuel
PR: Ace Sanders
PK: Elliott Fry
P: Joseph Charlton