Head coach Will Muschamp hasn’t hidden the fact that he’s been underwhelmed with what he’s seen at the secondary position, and based on how they played last season, he’s got a right to be. Back in spring, he gave a short sentence that summed up his concerns as well as the concerns of Gamecock fans.
“We need to find some answers in the secondary,” he said.
Perhaps the answer could be junior college transfer Jamarcus King.
King comes into 2016 as the top-rated JUCO cornerback and ranked No. 9 overall. Like former JUCO commit Marquavius Lewis (who was ranked No. 1 overall and was expected to dominate the defensive line), King's impact on the defense is expected to be immediate — so immediate that he’s snagged the second spot at cornerback already, only a few months after arriving on campus.
However, he’s got to prove he’s worth the hype and has had to battle for a position, especially since his head coach was a walk-on at Georgia as a safety.
At Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, King had 37 tackles, six of them for a loss and three interceptions. His 6-foot-1 stature and physicality make him a candidate to play a lockdown corner role in man coverage, something the Gamecocks are currently lacking. He even used to play wide receiver exclusively in high school, so he understands the other side of the cornerback position. He chose South Carolina over the likes of Arkansas and Auburn.
In front of him, more Division 1 experienced players will see the field first. Junior Chris Lammons and sophomore Rashad Fenton get the nod to the first slots at cornerback. Lammons started four games last year and played in eight, but had to sit out part of the season because of a knee injury. Fenton proved himself more on the special teams side as being the main kickoff returner and even taking one to the house against LSU last season, but he did see time on the defensive side of the ball. As a true freshman, he played in 10 games last season as a cornerback, which included extensive time against Georgia and Kentucky.
With Rico McWilliams departing from the team for personal matters, Steven Montac, former teammate of King, will be the second man off the bench for cornerbacks. Montac joined the team late in August when he picked up an offer from the Gamecocks. Montac had 17 tackles and one interception playing for the Red Ravens last year.
Come Thursday against Vanderbilt, though, it will be tough to keep a player like King with such a physical style of play and potential to shut down the Commodores’ No. 1 receiver, even if more experienced and day-one-ready players will start ahead of him.
Maybe one day, Jamarcus will be the Gamecocks’ secondary King, but for now, he’s waiting for the opportunity to prove himself.