When South Carolina’s 2015 spring practice comes to a close Saturday with the annual Garnet & Black Spring Game, the Gamecocks will have completed one of the bigger transitional periods since head coach Steve Spurrier took over in 2004.
For the first time in quite some time, someone not named Connor Shaw or Dylan Thompson took first-team reps at quarterback and the Gamecocks had to replace its leading-rusher and their top two offensive linemen.
Coming off a poor season, the South Carolina defense has also had to adjust to a new coach in co-defensive coordinator Jon Hoke and his new scheme.
The quarterback position is still up for grabs and there are several other unknowns with the Gamecocks, but here are three questions that have been answered this spring about South Carolina.
Who will step up as a potential No. 2 wide receiver to compliment Pharoh Cooper?
Even with an experienced supporting cast at wide receiver last season, it felt like now-junior Pharoh Cooper was Mr. Do-Everything for South Carolina. Now surrounded with inexperienced teammates at the position in 2015, Cooper may have to do even more for the Gamecocks.
With that said, there has been one player who has stood out this spring as wide receiver and his name is Deebo Samuel.
Now a redshirt freshman, Samuel watched the Gamecocks from the sidelines on Saturdays this past year, but he seems ready to take on a major role on the field come fall.
“Deebo is doing well,” Spurrier said. “Deebo is going to play a lot.”
What type of changes would new co-defensive coordinator Jon Hoke make to the defense?
Following a very disappointing and struggle-filled season on defense, Spurrier knew he needed to make a change, so he reunited with his old pal Jon Hoke. Hoke was Spurrier’s defensive coordinator for several seasons at Florida and he’s now a co-defensive coordinator along with Lorenzo Ward.
Hoke has installed a more traditional 4-3 style defense, a change from the 4-2-5 the Gamecocks have run in the past.
While South Carolina still has a lot more to learn about the way Hoke wants them to play, the defense seems to be coming together.
“We're definitely making great strides,” South Carolina redshirt junior spur Jordan Diggs said. “Each day, everybody is coming out and working hard.”
How would Marquavius Lewis look upon his arrival?
When junior college transfer Marquavius Lewis decided to make South Carolina his new home, Spurrier and his staff rejoiced. The Gamecocks’ pass rush was non-existent in 2014 and Lewis has the ability to make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
Still, no one quite knew how Lewis would look when he arrived for the start of spring practice, but the Greenwood, South Carolina native has impressed to this point.
“He’s a great player. He fits in perfect,” South Carolina junior linebacker Skai Moore said of Lewis. “As soon as he came here, you could tell he was a great teammate.”
While the South Carolina coaches would like Lewis to lose a bit more weight before the season starts, he already appears to be the Gamecocks’ most athletic player along the defensive line.