Sanders leads group without Jeffery
When wide receiver Alshon Jeffery was taken by the Chicago Bears with the No. 45 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the South Carolina Gamecocks lost 33 percent of their catches, 40 percent of their receiving yards and 41 percent of their receiving touchdowns from the last two seasons.
The departure of Jeffery left a tremendous void in the Gamecock receiving corps, one the team has worked all summer to fill. With the addition of freshman wide receiver Shaq Roland and the return of wideouts like junior Ace Sanders and senior D.L. Moore, wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. believes his group will be just fine in 2012.
“D.L. Moore has got a chance to be a really good player,” Spurrier Jr. said. “He’s had an excellent preseason, so I’m really counting on him to have his best year as a Gamecock. Hopefully, DeAngelo (Smith) comes in there and gets ready for his opportunities to play. Jeffery had 49 catches a year ago, and I think we’ll be able to replace that. We’ll probably spread it out a little bit more this year and should have a good season.”
As for Sanders, he takes over Jeffery’s No. 1 spot and No. 1 jersey. With that top spot comes added responsibility for the 5-foot-8-inch, 175-pound Florida native. While Jeffery was able to out jump defenders for the ball, Sanders will use his quickness and route running to separate himself from opposing secondaries. A positive for Sanders this summer has been the consistency at the quarterback position, unlike his previous two seasons on campus.
“It has been a big improvement working with the same quarterback,” Sanders said. “We don’t have to go through working with two of them now. Only time will tell, but I feel really confident in what we’ve got going on.”
In addition, Sanders has become a veteran on the team, and that means the younger receivers, like Roland, now look up to him. The new role is one Sanders has embraced.
“I try my best to guide the guys in the right direction,” Sanders said. “It has been a lot more teaching this year, more of me being a coach and a player. It has been a learning experience.”
Sanders is eight inches shorter than Jeffery, but with only three receivers on the roster who are taller than 6 feet 1 inch, there isn’t expected to be much change in the route running from a year ago.
“The only thing that is really different is the players that are out there,” Sanders said.
It won’t only be wide receivers making up for lost production, as several tight ends have also made their mark over the summer.
Head coach Steve Spurrier has repeatedly praised the efforts of freshman tight ends Jerell Adams, Drew Owens and Kelvin Rainey. Owens missed all of the preseason with a knee injury, while Rainey missed some of the preseason with a concussion.
With the return of Rory Anderson and Justice Cunningham, who combined to catch 26 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns last year, more than one tight end could be on the field at the same time. Tight end sets became popular in the NFL last year, as the New England Patriots were successful with it in their offense. Adams, a Fork Union Military Academy transfer, has particularly impressed Spurrier with his ability to use his 6-foot-6-inch frame to his advantage.
“I knew he was a guy who could really play basketball,” Spurrier said. “If you can play basketball, you can usually run and catch, and he can run and catch. He’s a talent.”
When the Gamecocks take the field against Vanderbilt next Thursday, there will be a noticeable difference in who is running down the sideline in the No. 1 jersey; however, the 2012 group is ready to get out and prove they will be just fine this season.
“Everyone is excited about the Vandy game,” Roland said. “First night (of college football), national television — I’m sure it’s going to be crazy.”
