Burch, Strachan both are rising to challenge as edge rushers replacing Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare and Aaron Sterling are defensive ends to the NFL
March 31, 2022
Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer and defensive coordinator Clayton White aren’t fretting. Strachan is back. So too, is former five-star recruit Jordan Burch. Both are being challenged to take on the roles vacated by Enagbare and Sterling. “I think both those guys realize there’s no JJ and Aaron Sterling here anymore,” Beamer said earlier this spring. “It’s time for them to step up.
Jordan Strachan came back for another year to take another step, and Jordan Burch knows it’s his time, so to speak.” Strachan came to South Carolina with expectations, albeit as a bit of an unknown. He was the most high-profile of the Gamecocks’ transfer imports during Beamer’s first spring as head coach. Strachan also had to make the physical and mental jump from playing in the Sun Belt to the Southeastern Conference. That shift came with mixed results. Strachan retooled his body to better handle the physicality of SEC offensive and defensive line play. He worked into the mix alongside Enagbare and Sterling as more of a rotational piece than as a starter, capping the year with 23 tackles the lowest output of his three full seasons at the college level.
While Strachan was a headliner in last year’s transfer class, Burch ranks as the second-best recruit to sign with South Carolina in the modern recruiting era, per 247Sports. The only player rated higher? That’d be Jadeveon Clowney. Burch’s career hasn’t so much been a disappointment as it has taken time to develop. Rated the No. 8 player in the 2020 class out of Hammond School by 247Sports, the hope was he could quickly turn into an impact player at the college level. The Columbia product showed in flashes a season ago after notching 19 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss as a freshman. Burch returned an interception 61 yards for a touchdown against Eastern Illinois. He earned his first career sack against Florida. He also recorded at least four tackles in games against Clemson, Auburn and North Carolina.
March 31, 2022
Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer and defensive coordinator Clayton White aren’t fretting. Strachan is back. So too, is former five-star recruit Jordan Burch. Both are being challenged to take on the roles vacated by Enagbare and Sterling. “I think both those guys realize there’s no JJ and Aaron Sterling here anymore,” Beamer said earlier this spring. “It’s time for them to step up.
Jordan Strachan came back for another year to take another step, and Jordan Burch knows it’s his time, so to speak.” Strachan came to South Carolina with expectations, albeit as a bit of an unknown. He was the most high-profile of the Gamecocks’ transfer imports during Beamer’s first spring as head coach. Strachan also had to make the physical and mental jump from playing in the Sun Belt to the Southeastern Conference. That shift came with mixed results. Strachan retooled his body to better handle the physicality of SEC offensive and defensive line play. He worked into the mix alongside Enagbare and Sterling as more of a rotational piece than as a starter, capping the year with 23 tackles the lowest output of his three full seasons at the college level.
While Strachan was a headliner in last year’s transfer class, Burch ranks as the second-best recruit to sign with South Carolina in the modern recruiting era, per 247Sports. The only player rated higher? That’d be Jadeveon Clowney. Burch’s career hasn’t so much been a disappointment as it has taken time to develop. Rated the No. 8 player in the 2020 class out of Hammond School by 247Sports, the hope was he could quickly turn into an impact player at the college level. The Columbia product showed in flashes a season ago after notching 19 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss as a freshman. Burch returned an interception 61 yards for a touchdown against Eastern Illinois. He earned his first career sack against Florida. He also recorded at least four tackles in games against Clemson, Auburn and North Carolina.
