Out with the old, in with the new: That's the story of South Carolina’s specialist group this season.
With veteran place kicker Elliott Fry, long snapper Drew Williams and punter Sean Kelly all graduating last season, the Gamecocks are hoping their young homegrown talent can step up in replacement.
Redshirt freshman Alexander Woznick or redshirt Parker White are listed as the starting place kicker in place of Fry, the Gamecocks’ all-time leading scorer. Woznick showed his upside during the 2016 Annual Garnet & Black Spring Game, kicking three field goals of 47, 48 and 50 yards. During spring and fall camp, Muschamp recreated high-pressure situations in effort to simulate the loud atmosphere of 80,000 fans at Williams-Brice Stadium.
“I could go back to one time he did it during the spring. He basically said, ‘Hey, if you miss this, the whole team has to [run].’ I wasn’t having a good day from the beginning and ended up missing it. Hopefully, I’ll get more chances like that. He’ll put more pressure situations on as the fall goes on.”
Redshirt freshman walk-on Parker White has emerged as a contender and is battling with Alexander Woznick for the starting kicking job.
“I think it’s great. I think it brings out the best in both of them. They’ve done a good job,” Hutzler said. “It’s been good. I think competition any time is a good thing.”
White went to Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, where he was a two-time Special Teams Player of the Year. He walked onto the squad in January after not participating in football during his freshman year.
“It’s neat, man,” Hutzler said. “You hear great stories about walk-ons all the time across the country. To have a guy come in, you know, a South Carolina kid, a Carolina-made kid that comes in and steps into a role and takes advantage of it and competes and does a lot of things for you is exciting at any position. He’s done a good job.”
Redshirt sophomores Joseph Charlton and Michael Almond were in a tight race for the starting punter job throughout the entire fall camp. While Almond made his first career punt in the Birmingham Bowl against South Florida on Dec. 29, Charlton is listed to start against NC State. Almond, who walked onto the team in 2015, said he was initially very nervous to make the start, but his performance proved otherwise. In two punts, he averaged 44 yards, with his longest traveling 48 yards. South Florida, which averaged nearly 10 return yards per punt in 2016, was held to two total yards against USC.
Like the punter position, the long snapper starting role was up for grabs. The Gamecocks listed Ben Asbury or Harrison Freeman as the starter for the spring. Asbury, who walked onto the team in 2015 after playing as a tight end at Berry College in Rome, Ga., won the role for the season opener as a redshirt junior. Freeman, a redshirt freshman, walked onto the team and took a redshirt year last season. Asbury went through his second spring practice with the Gamecocks, giving him a slight leg up on the competition.
“Drew [Williams] is a huge asset for us as far as in coverage and reliability with the snap,” Muschamp said. “We need to make some strides as far as special teams are concerned.
As for return duties, the Gamecocks seek to make a major improvement from last season, in which they totaled 825 yards in 32 kick returns and 89 yards in 14 punt returns. For starting kick returner, the Gamecocks listed wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who averaged 26.9 yards per return last season, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown. Behind Samuel, is running backs Rashad Fenton.
For punt returns, Chris Lammons is listed as the starter after carrying most of the duties last season and leading the team with an average of 7.9 yards per return. Fenton, who made two punt returns last season totaling eight yards, is listed as the backup punt returner.
Regardless of who starts, the specialists are a tight-knit group and want to see each other succeed, Almond said.
“You can ask any of the other specialists, it doesn’t matter who’s playing,” Almond said. “We’re all for each other … I didn’t have a problem waiting for my turn or anything like that.”
“There’s definitely some big shoes to fill. Like I said, we have a really talented group of specialists. We should be alright. We’re all really confident this season.”