Jay Wooten

Fifth-year senior who looks to take over the kicking duties vacated by Spencer Lanning… enters the fall atop the depth chart at placekicker and in a dead heat with Joey Scribner-Howard for the kickoff responsibilities… also in the mix as team[apos]s punter.

2010: Handled the majority of kickoff duties throughout the season… logged five touchbacks on 65 kickoffs… made his Gamecock debut against Georgia… took over the kickoff duties against Furman… converted his only extra point attempt of season vs. Troy… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2009: Transfer from the University of North Carolina who walked on to the Gamecock program in the fall… was not eligible to compete.

2008: Played for UNC… hit 4-of-6 field goal attempts… was 3-for-3 from 20-29, 0-of-1 from 30-39, 1-of-1 from 40-49 and 0-of-1 beyond 50… longest field goal was 43 yards at Rutgers… also converted all 11 extra point tries for 23 total points.

2007: Redshirted as a true freshman.

HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Scotland County High School in Laurinburg, N.C. in 2007… coached by Mark Barnes… ranked as the No. 6 kicker in the country by Rivals and the No. 17 placekicker in the country by Scout.com… ranked among the top 35 players in North Carolina by SuperPrep… member of recruiting analyst Tom Lemming[apos]s All-Southeast Team… four-year starter… averaged 38 yards per punts and converted 7 of 14 field goals and 40 of 44 extra-point attempts as a senior… member of North Carolina[apos]s Shrine Bowl team… earned all-state honors… made 8-of-13 FG attempts, including a 48-yarder, as a junior… nearly 75 percent of his kickoffs went for touchbacks… made four game-winning field goals as a junior.

PERSONAL: James Wooten is pursuing a degree in sociology.