Thirteen of South Carolina’s 15 allotted spring football practices are down, and the Head Ball Coach has a better idea of what his team will be capable of this upcoming season.
As with every team at this stage, there are some things that cannot be answered just yet. One of those is the wide-open race in the receiver position.
Junior Pharoh Cooper emerged last year as one of the SEC’s most dangerous offensive weapons. This season, the Havelock, North Carolina, native is the only returning 1000-yard receiver in the conference. A lack of other proven players at the position, however, will put more pressure on him than a season ago.
Aside from Cooper, the Gamecocks will return a total five players who recorded a catch last season, including three running backs and a tight end.
The only returning wide receiver that caught a pass last season was redshirt senior Shamier Jeffery. But Jeffery is still better known as Alshon Jeffery’s little brother than as a legitimate receiving threat.
This season, Jeffery will have the opportunity to prove himself as a target for Gamecock quarterbacks. The 6-foot-1 St. Matthews, South Carolina, native will compete for the third receiver position.
A trio of redshirt freshmen will compete for playing time this season. The player with the most upsides, according to receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr., is Inman, South Carolina native Deebo Samuel.
“[Samuel] is strong, quick and physical,” Spurrier Jr. says. “He’s got some Bruce Ellington characteristics, he really does. He catches the ball well. Toward the end of last year, he really did some good things.”
With all the high praise, Samuel still has to prove himself in summer practices. At 6 feet and 206 pounds, Samuel is a crisp route runner with good quickness and top-end speed. Despite the height difference, Samuel’s playing style is still very similar to former Gamecock receiver Bruce Ellington.
Samuel is currently listed as the starter at the X, or second receiver position, with Cooper slotted to start as the first receiver. The third receiver position however, is up in the air.
On the spring depth chart, head coach Steve Spurrier did not list a starter for the third receiver position. Instead, Jeffery along with redshirt freshman Terry Googer and senior Carlton Heard are competing for the spot. Though Heard has game experience, he has not caught a pass in college.
The Gamecock receiving corps was left bare with the departure of five players from last season. Senior wideouts Nick Jones and Damiere Byrd expended all of their eligibility while KJ Brent, Kane Whitehurst and Shaq Roland all transferred from South Carolina.
The lack of experience for the Gamecocks opens up the door for newcomers at a position where the Gamecocks have had recent success. Byrd is predicted to be at worst a priority free-agent signing after the 2015 draft, but if he is drafted, it will mark the fourth straight year that a Gamecock wideout has been drafted.
Last season at this point, Cooper had limited experience at wideout. He became a first team All-SEC player.
“A year ago today, Pharoh had three receptions,” Spurrier Jr. said.
South Carolina hopes another receiver steps up in 2015.