The South Carolina football team concluded their spring practice session with their annual "Garnet and Black" spring game that resulted in the Black team defeating the Garnet squad, 38-24.
The event was your typical spring affair that enabled the younger players to showcase their talent while some key individuals were limited to protect from injury.
Now that the spring is behind the team, the focus shifts to summer workouts and preparation for the 2012 season. It is also a time to firm up the depth chart. Here is a look at the post-spring two-deep
Offensive Backfield
Looking at the offensive backfield for USC, you see that the Gamecocks are loaded with talent.
At quarterback, the No. 1 slot still belongs to Connor Shaw as he presents the best scenario for USC in 2012. What was interesting to watch during the spring was the battle for the job as backup between Dylan Thompson and Tanner McEvoy.
Exiting spring and going into the summer session, Dylan Thompson solidified his status as the team's No. 2 signal-caller after a impressive 15-for-20 passing attack during the spring game for 168 yards.
At running back, the top spot goes to Marcus Lattimore even though he did not participate. The backup heading into summer is going to be senior tailback Kenny Miles.
When talking about the running back stable for USC, it is deep which will lead to shared carries for all so expect Brandon Wilds and Shon Carson to be in the mix in 2012.
The fullback position still remains a question mark now that Matt Coffee had decided to give up football after being plagued with chronic knee issues. This is on top of losing Dalton Wilson, who also gave up football but his reason was to begin his working career.
Qua Gilchrist and Jacob Baker got some reps this spring. There is also talk of using Brandon Wilds to provide a one-two punch with Marcus Lattimore.
Passing Targets
One of the top stories heading into spring for USC was who would replace the production from the departed Alshon Jeffery. Answer is a host of players.
At the ‘X’ position, junior DeAngelo Smith will open as the first-team player here and will be backed up by Shamier Jeffery and Lamar Scruggs. The younger Jeffery was showing signs of good things to come before being sidelined due to a knee injury.
The other outside receiver position is the ‘B’ spot, and D.L. Moore, Nick Jones and K.J. Brent will be there. Out of these three, Brent had the better spring ball and could surprise in the fall.
The slot receiver is known as ‘Z’ and Ace Sanders and Damiere Byrd will open spring at that position. Exiting spring, there is talk of finding ways to have these two players on the field at the same time as they are the most reliable players in this position.
Bruce Ellington is also back with the football team and expect him to be in the mix at both the ‘B’ and ‘Z’ positions.
USC is also awaiting the summer arrival of three talented freshmen receivers in Shaq Roland, Kwinton Smith and Jody Fuller. Look for Roland to start his career at ‘X,’ with Smith at ‘B’ and Fuller in the slot at ‘Z.’ All three could factor in come fall ball.
At tight end, look for Justice Cunningham to be the starter, especially when the run game is the focal point. When a mismatch is needed, then USC will go with Rory Anderson.
The Gamecocks also will have a deep roster at the spot with Drew Owens, Jerell Adams and Kevin Rainey. Those three guys will provide a spark but there is only so many reps to go around.
Offensive Line
For USC, success begins at the line.
At left tackle, expect redshirt freshman Brandon Shell, 6'7", 320-pounder, to be the starter. Sophomore Cody Gibson will open as the first-team right tackle.
When looking at depth at tackle there is still some decisions to be made, expect the names of Brock Stadnik, Mike Matulis, Cody Gibson and Will Sport to be in the mix.
Sophomore A.J. Cann will be the starting left guard with junior Ronald Patrick running first team at right guard.
Senior T.J. Johnson will be the starting center, but you may see him at right guard at times. When he shifts to guard, redshirt freshman Kyle Harris will work at center.
Kaleb Broome will also work in some at right guard. Kenny Davis is also back for his senior season and should add depth at the guard spot.
Defensive Line
The bookends of the line will Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney as they will be the starters.
Defensive end Chaz Sutton is a player the staff is counting on playing a bigger role in 2012, and will be a backup at the end spot behind Taylor. Also Aldrick Fordham is likely to see more time at defensive end this year than he did in 2011, that is when Clowney needs a rest.
Byron Jerideau will open spring as the starting defensive tackle opposite Kelcy Quarles.
There are quite a few players behind both Quarles and Jerideau that could push for reps but you are likely to see Clowney shifted to the inside at times to really provide a elite pass rush that is sure to give opposing quarterbacks a nightmare.
Secondary
The South Carolina football team concluded their spring practice session with their annual "Garnet and Black" spring game that resulted in the Black team defeating the Garnet squad, 38-24.
The event was your typical spring affair that enabled the younger players to showcase their talent while some key individuals were limited to protect from injury.
Now that the spring is behind the team, the focus shifts to summer workouts and preparation for the 2012 season. It is also a time to firm up the depth chart. Here is a look at the post-spring two-deep:
Offensive Backfield
Looking at the offensive backfield for USC, you see that the Gamecocks are loaded with talent.
At quarterback, the No. 1 slot still belongs to Connor Shaw as he presents the best scenario for USC in 2012. What was interesting to watch during the spring was the battle for the job as backup between Dylan Thompson and Tanner McEvoy.
Exiting spring and going into the summer session, Dylan Thompson solidified his status as the team's No. 2 signal-caller after a impressive 15-for-20 passing attack during the spring game for 168 yards.
At running back, the top spot goes to Marcus Lattimore even though he did not participate. The backup heading into summer is going to be senior tailback Kenny Miles.
When talking about the running back stable for USC, it is deep which will lead to shared carries for all so expect Brandon Wilds and Shon Carson to be in the mix in 2012.
The fullback position still remains a question mark now that Matt Coffee had decided to give up football after being plagued with chronic knee issues. This is on top of losing Dalton Wilson, who also gave up football but his reason was to begin his working career.
Qua Gilchrist and Jacob Baker got some reps this spring. There is also talk of using Brandon Wilds to provide a one-two punch with Marcus Lattimore.
Passing Targets
One of the top stories heading into spring for USC was who would replace the production from the departed Alshon Jeffery. Answer is a host of players.
At the ‘X’ position, junior DeAngelo Smith will open as the first-team player here and will be backed up by Shamier Jeffery and Lamar Scruggs. The younger Jeffery was showing signs of good things to come before being sidelined due to a knee injury.
The other outside receiver position is the ‘B’ spot, and D.L. Moore, Nick Jones and K.J. Brent will be there. Out of these three, Brent had the better spring ball and could surprise in the fall.
The slot receiver is known as ‘Z’ and Ace Sanders and Damiere Byrd will open spring at that position. Exiting spring, there is talk of finding ways to have these two players on the field at the same time as they are the most reliable players in this position.
Bruce Ellington is also back with the football team and expect him to be in the mix at both the ‘B’ and ‘Z’ positions.
USC is also awaiting the summer arrival of three talented freshmen receivers in Shaq Roland, Kwinton Smith and Jody Fuller. Look for Roland to start his career at ‘X,’ with Smith at ‘B’ and Fuller in the slot at ‘Z.’ All three could factor in come fall ball.
At tight end, look for Justice Cunningham to be the starter, especially when the run game is the focal point. When a mismatch is needed, then USC will go with Rory Anderson.
The Gamecocks also will have a deep roster at the spot with Drew Owens, Jerell Adams and Kevin Rainey. Those three guys will provide a spark but there is only so many reps to go around.
Offensive Line
For USC, success begins at the line.
At left tackle, expect redshirt freshman Brandon Shell, 6'7", 320-pounder, to be the starter. Sophomore Cody Gibson will open as the first-team right tackle.
When looking at depth at tackle there is still some decisions to be made, expect the names of Brock Stadnik, Mike Matulis, Cody Gibson and Will Sport to be in the mix.
Sophomore A.J. Cann will be the starting left guard with junior Ronald Patrick running first team at right guard.
Senior T.J. Johnson will be the starting center, but you may see him at right guard at times. When he shifts to guard, redshirt freshman Kyle Harris will work at center.
Kaleb Broome will also work in some at right guard. Kenny Davis is also back for his senior season and should add depth at the guard spot.
Defensive Line
The bookends of the line will Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney as they will be the starters.
Defensive end Chaz Sutton is a player the staff is counting on playing a bigger role in 2012, and will be a backup at the end spot behind Taylor. Also Aldrick Fordham is likely to see more time at defensive end this year than he did in 2011, that is when Clowney needs a rest.
Byron Jerideau will open spring as the starting defensive tackle opposite Kelcy Quarles.
There are quite a few players behind both Quarles and Jerideau that could push for reps but you are likely to see Clowney shifted to the inside at times to really provide a elite pass rush that is sure to give opposing quarterbacks a nightmare.
The Gamecocks secondary should be solid just like in 2011.
Looking at the linebacking unit, senior Reginald Bowens will open spring drills at the middle linebacker spot. He will split time with Shaq Wilson.
Senior Damario Jeffery has been moved from spur to weak-side linebacker, a change that should allow him to be more productive. Senior Quin Smith will back him up.
Going past the linebackers and into the next line of defense, expect senior DeVonte Holloman to lead the way at the spur position.
Holloman will be backed up by sophomore Sharrod Golightly.
Sophomore Brison Williams will be the first-team boundary safety, and he’ll be backed up by redshirt Kadetrix Marcus.
The free safety spot will be held by D.J. Swearinger and he will have redshirt freshman Sheldon Royster backing him up.
Fifth-year senior Akeem Auguste is considered the first-team field cornerback. Junior Jimmy Legree is slated to be behind him.
Sophomore Victor Hampton will exit spring drills as the first-team boundary cornerback, and he’ll be spelled by sophomore Cadarious Sanders.
link: http://bleacherrepor...eep-depth-chart
The event was your typical spring affair that enabled the younger players to showcase their talent while some key individuals were limited to protect from injury.
Now that the spring is behind the team, the focus shifts to summer workouts and preparation for the 2012 season. It is also a time to firm up the depth chart. Here is a look at the post-spring two-deep
Offensive Backfield
Looking at the offensive backfield for USC, you see that the Gamecocks are loaded with talent.
At quarterback, the No. 1 slot still belongs to Connor Shaw as he presents the best scenario for USC in 2012. What was interesting to watch during the spring was the battle for the job as backup between Dylan Thompson and Tanner McEvoy.
Exiting spring and going into the summer session, Dylan Thompson solidified his status as the team's No. 2 signal-caller after a impressive 15-for-20 passing attack during the spring game for 168 yards.
At running back, the top spot goes to Marcus Lattimore even though he did not participate. The backup heading into summer is going to be senior tailback Kenny Miles.
When talking about the running back stable for USC, it is deep which will lead to shared carries for all so expect Brandon Wilds and Shon Carson to be in the mix in 2012.
The fullback position still remains a question mark now that Matt Coffee had decided to give up football after being plagued with chronic knee issues. This is on top of losing Dalton Wilson, who also gave up football but his reason was to begin his working career.
Qua Gilchrist and Jacob Baker got some reps this spring. There is also talk of using Brandon Wilds to provide a one-two punch with Marcus Lattimore.
Passing Targets
One of the top stories heading into spring for USC was who would replace the production from the departed Alshon Jeffery. Answer is a host of players.
At the ‘X’ position, junior DeAngelo Smith will open as the first-team player here and will be backed up by Shamier Jeffery and Lamar Scruggs. The younger Jeffery was showing signs of good things to come before being sidelined due to a knee injury.
The other outside receiver position is the ‘B’ spot, and D.L. Moore, Nick Jones and K.J. Brent will be there. Out of these three, Brent had the better spring ball and could surprise in the fall.
The slot receiver is known as ‘Z’ and Ace Sanders and Damiere Byrd will open spring at that position. Exiting spring, there is talk of finding ways to have these two players on the field at the same time as they are the most reliable players in this position.
Bruce Ellington is also back with the football team and expect him to be in the mix at both the ‘B’ and ‘Z’ positions.
USC is also awaiting the summer arrival of three talented freshmen receivers in Shaq Roland, Kwinton Smith and Jody Fuller. Look for Roland to start his career at ‘X,’ with Smith at ‘B’ and Fuller in the slot at ‘Z.’ All three could factor in come fall ball.
At tight end, look for Justice Cunningham to be the starter, especially when the run game is the focal point. When a mismatch is needed, then USC will go with Rory Anderson.
The Gamecocks also will have a deep roster at the spot with Drew Owens, Jerell Adams and Kevin Rainey. Those three guys will provide a spark but there is only so many reps to go around.
Offensive Line
For USC, success begins at the line.
At left tackle, expect redshirt freshman Brandon Shell, 6'7", 320-pounder, to be the starter. Sophomore Cody Gibson will open as the first-team right tackle.
When looking at depth at tackle there is still some decisions to be made, expect the names of Brock Stadnik, Mike Matulis, Cody Gibson and Will Sport to be in the mix.
Sophomore A.J. Cann will be the starting left guard with junior Ronald Patrick running first team at right guard.
Senior T.J. Johnson will be the starting center, but you may see him at right guard at times. When he shifts to guard, redshirt freshman Kyle Harris will work at center.
Kaleb Broome will also work in some at right guard. Kenny Davis is also back for his senior season and should add depth at the guard spot.
Defensive Line
The bookends of the line will Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney as they will be the starters.
Defensive end Chaz Sutton is a player the staff is counting on playing a bigger role in 2012, and will be a backup at the end spot behind Taylor. Also Aldrick Fordham is likely to see more time at defensive end this year than he did in 2011, that is when Clowney needs a rest.
Byron Jerideau will open spring as the starting defensive tackle opposite Kelcy Quarles.
There are quite a few players behind both Quarles and Jerideau that could push for reps but you are likely to see Clowney shifted to the inside at times to really provide a elite pass rush that is sure to give opposing quarterbacks a nightmare.
Secondary
The South Carolina football team concluded their spring practice session with their annual "Garnet and Black" spring game that resulted in the Black team defeating the Garnet squad, 38-24.
The event was your typical spring affair that enabled the younger players to showcase their talent while some key individuals were limited to protect from injury.
Now that the spring is behind the team, the focus shifts to summer workouts and preparation for the 2012 season. It is also a time to firm up the depth chart. Here is a look at the post-spring two-deep:
Offensive Backfield
Looking at the offensive backfield for USC, you see that the Gamecocks are loaded with talent.
At quarterback, the No. 1 slot still belongs to Connor Shaw as he presents the best scenario for USC in 2012. What was interesting to watch during the spring was the battle for the job as backup between Dylan Thompson and Tanner McEvoy.
Exiting spring and going into the summer session, Dylan Thompson solidified his status as the team's No. 2 signal-caller after a impressive 15-for-20 passing attack during the spring game for 168 yards.
At running back, the top spot goes to Marcus Lattimore even though he did not participate. The backup heading into summer is going to be senior tailback Kenny Miles.
When talking about the running back stable for USC, it is deep which will lead to shared carries for all so expect Brandon Wilds and Shon Carson to be in the mix in 2012.
The fullback position still remains a question mark now that Matt Coffee had decided to give up football after being plagued with chronic knee issues. This is on top of losing Dalton Wilson, who also gave up football but his reason was to begin his working career.
Qua Gilchrist and Jacob Baker got some reps this spring. There is also talk of using Brandon Wilds to provide a one-two punch with Marcus Lattimore.
Passing Targets
One of the top stories heading into spring for USC was who would replace the production from the departed Alshon Jeffery. Answer is a host of players.
At the ‘X’ position, junior DeAngelo Smith will open as the first-team player here and will be backed up by Shamier Jeffery and Lamar Scruggs. The younger Jeffery was showing signs of good things to come before being sidelined due to a knee injury.
The other outside receiver position is the ‘B’ spot, and D.L. Moore, Nick Jones and K.J. Brent will be there. Out of these three, Brent had the better spring ball and could surprise in the fall.
The slot receiver is known as ‘Z’ and Ace Sanders and Damiere Byrd will open spring at that position. Exiting spring, there is talk of finding ways to have these two players on the field at the same time as they are the most reliable players in this position.
Bruce Ellington is also back with the football team and expect him to be in the mix at both the ‘B’ and ‘Z’ positions.
USC is also awaiting the summer arrival of three talented freshmen receivers in Shaq Roland, Kwinton Smith and Jody Fuller. Look for Roland to start his career at ‘X,’ with Smith at ‘B’ and Fuller in the slot at ‘Z.’ All three could factor in come fall ball.
At tight end, look for Justice Cunningham to be the starter, especially when the run game is the focal point. When a mismatch is needed, then USC will go with Rory Anderson.
The Gamecocks also will have a deep roster at the spot with Drew Owens, Jerell Adams and Kevin Rainey. Those three guys will provide a spark but there is only so many reps to go around.
Offensive Line
For USC, success begins at the line.
At left tackle, expect redshirt freshman Brandon Shell, 6'7", 320-pounder, to be the starter. Sophomore Cody Gibson will open as the first-team right tackle.
When looking at depth at tackle there is still some decisions to be made, expect the names of Brock Stadnik, Mike Matulis, Cody Gibson and Will Sport to be in the mix.
Sophomore A.J. Cann will be the starting left guard with junior Ronald Patrick running first team at right guard.
Senior T.J. Johnson will be the starting center, but you may see him at right guard at times. When he shifts to guard, redshirt freshman Kyle Harris will work at center.
Kaleb Broome will also work in some at right guard. Kenny Davis is also back for his senior season and should add depth at the guard spot.
Defensive Line
The bookends of the line will Devin Taylor and Jadeveon Clowney as they will be the starters.
Defensive end Chaz Sutton is a player the staff is counting on playing a bigger role in 2012, and will be a backup at the end spot behind Taylor. Also Aldrick Fordham is likely to see more time at defensive end this year than he did in 2011, that is when Clowney needs a rest.
Byron Jerideau will open spring as the starting defensive tackle opposite Kelcy Quarles.
There are quite a few players behind both Quarles and Jerideau that could push for reps but you are likely to see Clowney shifted to the inside at times to really provide a elite pass rush that is sure to give opposing quarterbacks a nightmare.
The Gamecocks secondary should be solid just like in 2011.
Looking at the linebacking unit, senior Reginald Bowens will open spring drills at the middle linebacker spot. He will split time with Shaq Wilson.
Senior Damario Jeffery has been moved from spur to weak-side linebacker, a change that should allow him to be more productive. Senior Quin Smith will back him up.
Going past the linebackers and into the next line of defense, expect senior DeVonte Holloman to lead the way at the spur position.
Holloman will be backed up by sophomore Sharrod Golightly.
Sophomore Brison Williams will be the first-team boundary safety, and he’ll be backed up by redshirt Kadetrix Marcus.
The free safety spot will be held by D.J. Swearinger and he will have redshirt freshman Sheldon Royster backing him up.
Fifth-year senior Akeem Auguste is considered the first-team field cornerback. Junior Jimmy Legree is slated to be behind him.
Sophomore Victor Hampton will exit spring drills as the first-team boundary cornerback, and he’ll be spelled by sophomore Cadarious Sanders.
link: http://bleacherrepor...eep-depth-chart
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