Thirteen seconds.
That’s all it took for Deebo Samuel to race 97 yards to the end zone and send the Gamecock faithful inside Bank of America Stadium into a frenzy. It wasn’t the last time he would do it either.
“He’s a really good player,” South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp said after the game.
After suffering an injury in the early portion of last season, Samuel returned to finish the season strong. His late surge gave Carolina fans thoughts of what could be in store for their number one receiver heading into 2017. Some of those thoughts came to fruition during Saturday's season opener.
Samuel worked with his one-on-one with quarterback Jake Bentley during the off-season. So far, the extra work in the spring has helped the two strike a connection that can lead the Gamecock offense.
“I think it just goes back to the reps during the summer, reps during the off-season," Bentley said Saturday. “When everybody else isn't working, we’re out there just throwing and hanging out ... the little things that make a quarterback and receiver connection great. He runs great routes so it's easy to get it to him.”
Samuel would finish the game with 83 yards and a pair of scores on five catches. The best of the day came with the score tied at 21 in the third quarter. Bentley rolled right to avoid the rush and heaved one towards to the back corner of the end zone where he knew his guy would be.
Samuel reached out with one hand to bring in the pass and put Carolina up a score.
“We were just faking a run to the left and faking come around," Bentley said. “Truth be told, it was actually supposed to go to Hayden (Hurst) and I get my head around and I see him (the rush) right in my face so I kind of stiff-arm him and I was about to run. I see Deebo just running across the field, and I just gave him a chance and he made an unbelievable play, like I said. It’s great to have a guy like him out there.”
Fans couldn't believe the highlight catch on what looked like a broken play. But to Samuel, it was just a product of the hard work in practice.
“We work on scramble drill every other day at practice,” Samuel said. “When he rolled out, I just kept on going on the route and I seen the ball come out and I just had to make a play.”
That play help swing the momentum in the third quarter. A fumble recovery by the Carolina defense on NC State’s next possession set up the Gamecocks to take a two-score mail.
As the season moves on, a lot of praise could come Samuel’s way, including some high praise from his quarterback.
“You know he probably won’t ever say it because he’s a humble guy, but I don’t think anyone in the country can guard him," Bentley said. “Especially the way we’ve trained together, I know where to put the ball when he’s covered you know ... to put it in a place where he can make a play on it.”
Samuel will take the praise but it won’t change him. When asked about what Bentley said, the ever-humble Samuel responded with “no comment.”