Ward: Clowney has to improve technically, play harder to be No.1 draft pick next year
Since defensive end Jadeveon Clowney’s dominant sophomore season, capped by a game-changing hit in South Carolina’s Outback Bowl win in January, he has been the subject of endless discussion.
But after South Carolina’s first spring practice at Bluff Road fields Tuesday afternoon, his coaches said he has handled the attention well, not paying attention to speculation that he could increase his draft stock by sitting out his junior year.
Instead, defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward said Clowney has to do a lot this season to improve technically and fundamentally.
“If he wants to be the No. 1 player picked in the draft, he has to play harder,” Ward said. “He understands that.”
Clowney will not participate in the scrimmages USC has to close out its practices, but he led the defensive linemen during drills, occasionally helping newly hired defensive end coach Deke Adams with demonstrations.
“He knows what he has to do,” coach Steve Spurrier said. “He just has to be a good teammate and do what everybody else does. He knows all that, and I think he’s trying pretty hard to do that.”
Beyond Clowney, the defense does not have a clear leader. Spurrier said redshirt junior defensive end Chaz Sutton will step up to fill that role, and Ward singled out junior safety Brison Williams, saying he doesn’t talk much but sets an example.
Asked what kind of leadership he expects out of redshirt junior cornerback Victor Hampton, Ward said, “I need him to be a leader.”
Spurrier called redshirt freshman Kelvin Rainey the star of the first spring practice after the linebacker had two interceptions in the scrimmage. Rainey is currently listed third in South Carolina’s depth chart.
Ward and Spurrier were both complimentary of Adams in his first few months on the job. Spurrier said Adams, who came to South Carolina after one year as defensive line coach at North Carolina, has a track record of success and “didn’t work his way up to this job by being an average coach.”
But the Gamecocks will primarily look to Clowney to improve upon his record-setting season. The defensive end finished last season with 13 sacks, a program high, and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
“If he wants to make a play, he’s obviously shown that he can do that,” Ward said. “I want him to make a play every time.”
New receiving corps: With the departure of Ace Sanders for the NFL and junior Bruce Ellington’s commitment to the basketball team, the Gamecocks will look to a new set of faces at the position this season. Junior Damiere Byrd was at the practice but did not participate due to a recent eye surgery. Spurrier said improved vision will help him on the field this year.
The coach said redshirt sophomore Shamier Jeffery has made substantial improvements in the offseason.
“Somehow he decided he wants to be a ballplayer,” Spurrier said. “You can tell his body shape is completely different. He’s probably lost 15 pounds or more. He’s fit. He can run faster and catch the ball, and I think he’s going to be a real player for us.”
The coach added that some of the other receivers still need to be reminded to catch the ball when it hits their hands.
Lattimore’s leadership: Spurrier said he spoke with tailback Marcus Lattimore Tuesday, adding that he looks forward to seeing Lattimore at the spring game April 13.
The tailback suffered a season-ending injury in South Carolina’s game against Tennessee last year and has declared for the draft.
“We were able to play at a level because of him, really,” Spurrier said. “He helped the entire team, so when he got hurt, we kept trying to carry on the way that Marcus always did.”
Spurrier called him the best player ever to come through South Carolina and added that his influence helped the team win games even when he was no longer on the field.