Bringing in defensive guru Will Muschamp as the head guy in Columbia is expected to do wonders for South Carolina's defense as soon as 2016. While the Gamecocks don't have the raw talent that Coach Boom had at Florida, there are plenty of playmakers who can make a positive impact.
Let's take a look at some of the guys who will be making up the defensive front.
Marquavius Lewis: Lewis, a junior college transfer, was expected to be the savior of the South Carolina pass rush in 2015 after the unit recorded just 14 sacks in the 2014 season. The Gamecocks took a step in the right direction by coming up with 20 sacks last season, three of which came from Lewis. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive end is expected to be one of the vocal leaders as he returns for his senior season. As the only returning player who started every game in 2015, Lewis will need to improve on last season's numbers for the defensive line to take a step forward.
Kelsey Griffin: Griffin has plenty of SEC experience, having logged time in 26 games over his collegiate career, making no starts but receiving significant time in the rotation up front. The 302-pound defensive tackle had 3.5 tackles for loss in his junior campaign, including 2.5 sacks. The former ESPN150 recruit should be a mainstay in the middle of the line, and he'll provide leadership for a group that needs a boost in production.
Taylor Stallworth: Stallworth doesn't have the level of experience of Lewis or Griffin, but the junior has played 17 games in the garnet and black and started in five of them. The Alabama native made just eight stops in 2015. Stallworth should be regularly penciled in as a starter, which should lead to better numbers, but his biggest influence will come from providing quarterback pressure from the inside.
Daniel Fennell: Fennell redshirted after coming to Columbia in 2015, but a strong spring performance was enough to propel him to the top of the depth chart. At just 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, Fennell doesn't have the prototypical size to play the defensive end position, and he will likely factor into the pass rush. The Georgia native was rated as a three-star prospect out of high school, so it is yet to be seen if he has the talent to fend off senior Darius English.
Darius English: Speaking of English, the fifth-year senior is listed behind Fennell on the preseason depth chart. English, rated as a four-star prospect by 247 Sports, hasn't fully lived up to expectations in Columbia. Playing primarily in a passing down role in 2015, English led the team with 4.5 sacks while forcing two fumbles. If the Gamecocks are going to continue to push their sack total upward, English will need to put up a big number.
Keir Thomas: Thomas, an early enrollee, was a highly touted recruit from Florida powerhouse Miami Central. The 6-foot-1, 255-pound defensive end recorded 22 sacks during his senior season, when he won his fourth state championship. Thomas has the talent to work his way into the rotation this fall and, because the Gamecocks are starved for guys who can get after the quarterback, could see significant playing time.
Dante Sawyer: Sawyer sat out the spring after a shoulder injury, but he gained valuable experience last season after transferring from a junior college. The junior could challenge Stallworth for an interior defensive line spot. Sawyer recorded 17 tackles in 2015, including 2.5 sacks.