With the South Carolina football team set to kickoff the 2025-26 season in less than a week, the offensive line is another position under the microscope of roster turnover.
The Gamecocks return just two starters on the offensive line from last season's group, sophomore left tackle Josiah Thompson and redshirt junior right tackle Cason Henry.
The interior of the offensive line gained some experience through the transfer portal with the additions of Troy transfer redshirt junior Boaz Stanley and Wake Forest transfer redshirt senior Nick Sharpe.
Offensive coordinator Mike Shula said the group is prioritizing communication with many new faces and the season just around the corner.
"I think they're communicating much better, they've got a higher comfort level of the calls being made," Shula said. "So, they're doing a better job with that. You know, we're all striving for more consistency."
Thompson is the crown jewel of the South Carolina offensive line after starting 12 games as a true freshman and earning Freshman All-SEC honors. A former four-star recruit, Thompson was named to the Freshman All-America teams by the FWAA and On3.
Henry returns to South Carolina after starting all 13 games last season. In 2023, Henry missed much of the season due to injury, but was able to put together a healthy and productive 2024 campaign.
Stanley is expected to start at center for the Gamecocks after starting all 12 games for Troy last season. Stanley started seven games at center and five games at right tackle for the Trojans.
Transitioning from the Sun Belt Conference to the SEC, Stanley credits the help from strength and conditioning coach Luke Day and his work in the weight room to help his preparation for playing in the SEC.
"I definitely came in here ready to work, ready to put in as much work as I needed to, and Coach Day has definitely gotten my body ready for spring ball and for fall camp," Stanley said. "So that's definitely been something that I've felt ready just from the training and the conditioning we've been doing."
Sharpe comes to South Carolina after spending four seasons with the Demon Deacons. Sharpe started 10 games for Wake Forest in 2024, but missed a large chunk of spring action with the Gamecocks after injuring his right ankle.
One of the incomers expected to make an impact is true freshman Shedrick Sarratt Jr. The former four-star recruit enrolled at South Carolina in the spring and won Newcomer of the Spring for the offense in his short time with the team. Sarratt is expected to get significant time at one of the guard positions in his freshman year.
"(Sarratt's) just come a long way in the weight room, and his mindset and everything," Henry said. "(Sarratt's) going to get after it no matter what. I think he'll really impress a lot of people this year, and I think he's someone to watch out for in the next few years."
Junior Trovon Baugh and redshirt sophomore Tree Babalade are expected to get an uptick in playing time as rotational offensive linemen this season. Baugh has an opportunity to start at one of the guard positions, while Babalade will mostly rotate in at tackle. Baugh started in eight games at right guard as a true freshman in 2023 before moving into a backup role this past season.
"Tree's definitely stepped up a lot," Stanley said. "I think he's just working really hard and I think (Baugh) is also. They're just both really hard workers. I think everyone in the facility can see that. They're fun to be around."
As the season approaches, the offensive line as a unit has only gotten better and continued to mesh, Henry said.
"Guys know what they're doing at a faster rate, and I think if you can play fast, you can play better as an offensive line," Henry said. "I think we're meshing together really well on that front and starting to figure it out."
What's next?
Catch the new offensive line and the rest of the South Carolina football team in action when the Gamecocks kick off the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia against Virginia Tech on Aug. 31. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.