The South Carolina football team will begin the 2025 season ranked No. 13, for the first time since 2014, following last year’s 9-4 season, the best under head coach Shane Beamer.
One of the key weapons amongst the Gamecocks was sixth-year tight end Joshua Simon, who led the team with seven receiving touchdowns.
With Simon now gone, the Gamecocks will look for another weapon for redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
Simon’s successful 2024 campaign
Simon transferred to South Carolina in 2023 after four years at Western Kentucky. In his first season in the Garnet and Black, Simon played all 12 games, started four and finished the year with 28 receptions for 256 yards and two touchdowns.
The following year, Simon would be instrumental in the Gamecocks closing out the regular season with six straight wins. He scored five of his seven touchdowns in that time span which included four receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Texas A&M.
Simon also made history in the 2024 season, becoming the first tight end to lead the team in receptions, touchdowns and receiving yards in a single season.
After going undrafted in the 2025 NFL draft, Simon signed with the Atlanta Falcons with a three year deal for nearly $3 million.
Returning weapons
Even with the absence of Simon, the rest of the tight end group is ready to take a step forward with four tight ends from last year's team returning this season, including sophomore Michael Smith and redshirt senior Brady Hunt.
“Compete,” Smith said. “Josh left some size 17 shoes to fill. So we just (have) got to all compete and live up to that production that Josh left off.”
Last season Smith recorded 10 receptions for 106 yards and scored one touchdown against Missouri.
In early August, Smith talked about how important blocking is when it comes to playing for tight end coach Shawn Elliot, and how that has been something he has worked on over the summer.
“With Coach Elliot, you're gonna have to block, so just being ready for that,” Smith said. “It's really a mindset thing, going in there, technique and just trying to move that man against his will.”
Hunt returned for his second season as a Gamecock after spending three years at Ball State. This past season, Hunt recorded two catches for 22 yards and missed the final three games of the season.
Hunt has received praise from teammates, including Smith, as someone who is constantly setting the tone at practice, allowing for other tight ends to feed off of his energy.
“Brady is Mr. Lunchbox,” Smith said. “Brady knows everything, he comes ready to work. Everyone comes ready to work, but Brady takes it to the next level. And you know, we all feed off of Brady's energy and feed off each other.”
As a redshirt freshman for Ball State, Hunt posted nearly 500 yards receiving on 46 catches with five touchdowns. He missed his entire redshirt sophomore season with an ankle injury.
Back in April, Hunt mentioned how we was excited to see how first year offensive coordinator Mike Shula would run the offense and how he feels the Gamecocks have a good chance to a more explosive offensive team this season.
“Every offensive coordinator has their own twist on things,” Hunt said. “But I really like what we've been doing. I feel like we've got, you know, the opportunity to be explosive this year.”
Another returner for the Gamecocks is junior tight end Maurice Brown II. Brown began his football career at South Carolina as a walk on, but was given a scholarship last season. He played all 13 games with the special teams but was able to catch his first touchdown pass in the win against Wofford.
New faces
South Carolina brings in redshirt senior tight end Jordan Dingle, who spent his previous four seasons at Kentucky. While he was a Wildcat, he caught 43 passes for 615 yards and four touchdowns.
Dingle looks at the competition between tight ends as a way to make each other better and an opportunity to compete everyday.
“We're all coming together,” Dingle said. “We're all sharpening each other, making each other better. And I feel like the competition is all making us better, honestly.”
Dingle said he and the other tight ends are ready to try get to work and do whatever the team asks of them in order to win.
“I just really feel like we're a group of hard-nosed guys, put our head down and work and grind and we got to get dirty as tight ends,” Dingle said. “So, that's all a part of it. We're willing to do that for the team.”
The Gamecocks also bring in freshman tight end Mike Tyler, a three-star recruit who hails from Columbia, SC. Tyler was originally committed to LSU but then decommitted. He then committed to the Gamecocks on Dec. 4, 2024.
Tyler finds himself in a room with several older players, but Smith said he has been able to help guide the true freshman through his first college football season.
“He's in the exact same position I was in last year,” Smith said. “I feel like I can take on that role and be like a leader for him, I was just right here last year, let me show you some steps.
What's next?
South Carolina will play its first game against Virginia Tech on Sunday Aug. 31, in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. The game's kickoff is at 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN.