Heading into the season opener, the word "inexperienced" was tossed around frequently when discussing the South Carolina wide receivers. After Thursday night's win over Vanderbilt, "talented" may be thrown into the mix as well.
The Gamecock offense struggled mightily in the first half, particularly through the air, as Perry Orth and Brandon McIlwain completed just six of their combined 15 attempts, amassing 47 yards. The Gamecocks were in trouble at half, trailing 10-0 with an offense that hadn't even logged 100 yards on the evening.
Sophomore Deebo Samuel came into the season with the most career catches (12) among the Gamecock wide receivers, and it was expected that he would be the main target for whoever was under center, particularly in crunch time. Instead, it became the prized four-star recruit from Conway, South Carolina: Bryan Edwards.
Edwards caught six balls for 89 yards in the second half, none more impressive than his contested 33-yard grab to flip field position late in the third quarter. The freshman used his three-inch height advantage to leap over cornerback Bryce Lewis and elevate for the catch.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound wideout was on the receiving end of a handful of screens as well, using his agility to make defenders miss in the open field. He also had a key 16-yard catch to kick off the game-winning drive, taking the Gamecocks to their own 43.
When asked about his trust in the early-enrollee, Orth's answer was simple, saying he has "all the confidence" in Edwards.
"You saw tonight what he's capable of," the fifth-year senior said. "He's been doing that since we started spring ball back in March. He's that kind of talent, and he's going to be huge for us the rest of the season."