Here's a nice, positive article from Shamier's hometown paper on his stepping up this spring.
With Ace gone, he's one of the keys to the offense being able to move forward this fall, so I hope he keeps up the good work.
COLUMBIA — Shamier Jeffery patiently waited for his turn.
The former Calhoun County star has seen little action since signing to play for South Carolina back in 2011. He redshirted his first year in Columbia and sat out most of the 2012-13 season after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee. Having time to just roam the sidelines and watch the game wasn’t something to which Jeffery was accustomed.
“It was kind of difficult,” he said. “At the same time, it’s life. I really couldn’t do anything about it. Now that I’m at this point in my life, I’m doing great. I’m trying to stay on the right path and I’m not trying to take any steps back. I’m trying to take steps forward.”
The time Jeffery spent watching the game may have been difficult to bear at times, but it may also have proven to be just what he needed as the third-year Gamecocks’ wide receiver has turned heads during South Carolina’s spring practice with what’s he been able to do on the practice field.
“Being on the sidelines motivated me a lot because I wanted to get the chance to play,” Jeffery said. “Now, it’s kind of like I’ve gotten to this point. I’m working harder. I’m running faster. I’m doing what I can to get on the field each and every day. I’m learning plays and everything.”
Whatever he’s learned over that timeframe has become fairly evident to Gamecocks’ receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr., who praised Jeffery on his improvement.
“He’s much more ready,” Spurrier Jr. said. “He wasn’t ready last year. He’s giving better effort. He’s smarter. He’s paying attention better. He’s working harder. He’s much more prepared right now. But again, there’s a lot more time between now and next year. His attitude and his work ethic and his knowledge of the game is a lot better than it was last year.”
Having only made three appearances and recording no stats during his tenure at South Carolina, the 2013-14 season is extremely important to Jeffery. With the expectations set by himself and others at a high level, Jeffery knows that he has to become more than a blip on the radar.
“It’s very important to me,” Jeffery said. “I’m trying to help them just as much as they’ve helped me. We’re all together as one.”
With Connor Shaw out, Dylan Thompson has seen a lot of time at quarterback during spring practice and has also seen a change in Jeffery. Even as a member of the Gamecocks’ third-team unit, he’s making the most of the opportunity to work with the quarterback out of Boiling Springs.
“We’ve got a great connection,” Jeffery said about working with Thompson. “We worked over the summer a lot. He just tells me to keep running faster, working harder. We have our little talks and what not.”
The Gamecocks have posted back-to-back 11-2 seasons with no BCS bowl appearances to show for their efforts. To Jeffery, however, the next step for this program is winning college football’s top prize.
“First, (we must win) the SEC championship. Then, hopefully, we’ll win the national championship, but we’ve got to take it one day at a time. We can’t forget that. We’ve got to keep the Lord first and just keep working hard.”
Following Thursday’s practice, Jeffery told reporters that “it’s almost my turn” to play and be a factor for the Gamecocks’ offense. It’s a day that he’s looked forward to since he signed his National Letter of Intent in 2011.
“I can’t wait to go out there with my teammates and have fun,” he said, “to just go around, have fun and win games.”
Link: http://thetandd.com/sports/s_carolina/ex-saints-star-shamier-jeffery-ready-to-make-an-impact/article_d5b00eba-9438-11e2-8cb4-0019bb2963f4.html
With Ace gone, he's one of the keys to the offense being able to move forward this fall, so I hope he keeps up the good work.
COLUMBIA — Shamier Jeffery patiently waited for his turn.
The former Calhoun County star has seen little action since signing to play for South Carolina back in 2011. He redshirted his first year in Columbia and sat out most of the 2012-13 season after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his right knee. Having time to just roam the sidelines and watch the game wasn’t something to which Jeffery was accustomed.
“It was kind of difficult,” he said. “At the same time, it’s life. I really couldn’t do anything about it. Now that I’m at this point in my life, I’m doing great. I’m trying to stay on the right path and I’m not trying to take any steps back. I’m trying to take steps forward.”
The time Jeffery spent watching the game may have been difficult to bear at times, but it may also have proven to be just what he needed as the third-year Gamecocks’ wide receiver has turned heads during South Carolina’s spring practice with what’s he been able to do on the practice field.
“Being on the sidelines motivated me a lot because I wanted to get the chance to play,” Jeffery said. “Now, it’s kind of like I’ve gotten to this point. I’m working harder. I’m running faster. I’m doing what I can to get on the field each and every day. I’m learning plays and everything.”
Whatever he’s learned over that timeframe has become fairly evident to Gamecocks’ receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr., who praised Jeffery on his improvement.
“He’s much more ready,” Spurrier Jr. said. “He wasn’t ready last year. He’s giving better effort. He’s smarter. He’s paying attention better. He’s working harder. He’s much more prepared right now. But again, there’s a lot more time between now and next year. His attitude and his work ethic and his knowledge of the game is a lot better than it was last year.”
Having only made three appearances and recording no stats during his tenure at South Carolina, the 2013-14 season is extremely important to Jeffery. With the expectations set by himself and others at a high level, Jeffery knows that he has to become more than a blip on the radar.
“It’s very important to me,” Jeffery said. “I’m trying to help them just as much as they’ve helped me. We’re all together as one.”
With Connor Shaw out, Dylan Thompson has seen a lot of time at quarterback during spring practice and has also seen a change in Jeffery. Even as a member of the Gamecocks’ third-team unit, he’s making the most of the opportunity to work with the quarterback out of Boiling Springs.
“We’ve got a great connection,” Jeffery said about working with Thompson. “We worked over the summer a lot. He just tells me to keep running faster, working harder. We have our little talks and what not.”
The Gamecocks have posted back-to-back 11-2 seasons with no BCS bowl appearances to show for their efforts. To Jeffery, however, the next step for this program is winning college football’s top prize.
“First, (we must win) the SEC championship. Then, hopefully, we’ll win the national championship, but we’ve got to take it one day at a time. We can’t forget that. We’ve got to keep the Lord first and just keep working hard.”
Following Thursday’s practice, Jeffery told reporters that “it’s almost my turn” to play and be a factor for the Gamecocks’ offense. It’s a day that he’s looked forward to since he signed his National Letter of Intent in 2011.
“I can’t wait to go out there with my teammates and have fun,” he said, “to just go around, have fun and win games.”
Link: http://thetandd.com/sports/s_carolina/ex-saints-star-shamier-jeffery-ready-to-make-an-impact/article_d5b00eba-9438-11e2-8cb4-0019bb2963f4.html
