South Carolina tailback Deshaun Fenwick talks maturing on the field of play
March 26, 2019
When most fans think of South Carolina tailback Deshaun Fenwick, the first thing that comes to mind was the way he ran all over a hapless Chattanooga team in his first collegiate action.
It was a strong debut considering how the staff had held him back, ensuring the 226-pound runner would get a redshirt season. But as his relative anonymity gave way to a 114-yard rushing performance, it overshadowed an area he admits he’d been lacking through most of the season.
Call it focus, attitude or approach.
“Last year, I probably played around a lot as a far as not being engaged every time I touch the ball, every time I’m on the field,” Fenwick said.
He wasn’t on the field in games all that much — just two contests, in which he carried the ball 21 times. But his focus this offseason is his consistency, and he hopes he’s put one thing behind him.
“Me personally, I just thought it was me being immature coming out of high school,” Fenwick said. “Not being ready and not taking everything seriously. Now I have an ‘everything matters’ mindset.”
That’s something that can set in when a player is redshirting, not getting the payoff of taking the field for a game each week. Fenwick said he had to change his mindset, attitude and effort.
He came to USC as a 6-foot-1, 222-pound tailback, a well-built man coming off a 1,400-yard season. With his size and speed combination, then-running backs coach Bobby Bentley said Fenwick was at worst expected to play on special teams.
Instead, he was on the sideline for the first 10 games.
His new position coach, Thomas Brown, sees a potentially powerful runner who can move the pile. But he has yet to see the consistency Fenwick is striving for.
“He’s been up and down,” Brown said. “I think he’s got a lot of ability.
“At times he’s his own worst enemy from a mental standpoint, but I think he’s coming along well.”
Fenwick echoed that sentiment.
He said he’s trying to learn off the limited film he got last year. He was going against a decent rush defense, granted in the late stages of a blowout, and he broke off a few long runs.
He’s also been lobbying special teams coordinator Coleman Hutzler for a chance to contribute there. At the moment, he’s battling for carries with a group that includes veteran Mon Denson, freshman Kevin Harris and senior part-time defender A.J. Turner. The group will get more crowded as Rico Dowdle returns from injury and Fenwick’s classmate Lavonte Valentine returns from track.
As he looked back at the past year, Fenwick didn’t regret having a small role and saving the year of eligibility.
“I recommend redshirting for almost anyone because it gets you ready for times like this,” Fenwick said. “When your team needs you and you’ve been working hard.”
Now he aims to do that and do something simple. His coach saw him as not being the same player every day, and ironing that out is his chief goal.
“Just being consistent and just getting better every single day,” Fenwick said. “And if I don’t get better every day, I’m just making it worse for myself.
March 26, 2019
When most fans think of South Carolina tailback Deshaun Fenwick, the first thing that comes to mind was the way he ran all over a hapless Chattanooga team in his first collegiate action.
It was a strong debut considering how the staff had held him back, ensuring the 226-pound runner would get a redshirt season. But as his relative anonymity gave way to a 114-yard rushing performance, it overshadowed an area he admits he’d been lacking through most of the season.
Call it focus, attitude or approach.
“Last year, I probably played around a lot as a far as not being engaged every time I touch the ball, every time I’m on the field,” Fenwick said.
He wasn’t on the field in games all that much — just two contests, in which he carried the ball 21 times. But his focus this offseason is his consistency, and he hopes he’s put one thing behind him.
“Me personally, I just thought it was me being immature coming out of high school,” Fenwick said. “Not being ready and not taking everything seriously. Now I have an ‘everything matters’ mindset.”
That’s something that can set in when a player is redshirting, not getting the payoff of taking the field for a game each week. Fenwick said he had to change his mindset, attitude and effort.
He came to USC as a 6-foot-1, 222-pound tailback, a well-built man coming off a 1,400-yard season. With his size and speed combination, then-running backs coach Bobby Bentley said Fenwick was at worst expected to play on special teams.
Instead, he was on the sideline for the first 10 games.
His new position coach, Thomas Brown, sees a potentially powerful runner who can move the pile. But he has yet to see the consistency Fenwick is striving for.
“He’s been up and down,” Brown said. “I think he’s got a lot of ability.
“At times he’s his own worst enemy from a mental standpoint, but I think he’s coming along well.”
Fenwick echoed that sentiment.
He said he’s trying to learn off the limited film he got last year. He was going against a decent rush defense, granted in the late stages of a blowout, and he broke off a few long runs.
He’s also been lobbying special teams coordinator Coleman Hutzler for a chance to contribute there. At the moment, he’s battling for carries with a group that includes veteran Mon Denson, freshman Kevin Harris and senior part-time defender A.J. Turner. The group will get more crowded as Rico Dowdle returns from injury and Fenwick’s classmate Lavonte Valentine returns from track.
As he looked back at the past year, Fenwick didn’t regret having a small role and saving the year of eligibility.
“I recommend redshirting for almost anyone because it gets you ready for times like this,” Fenwick said. “When your team needs you and you’ve been working hard.”
Now he aims to do that and do something simple. His coach saw him as not being the same player every day, and ironing that out is his chief goal.
“Just being consistent and just getting better every single day,” Fenwick said. “And if I don’t get better every day, I’m just making it worse for myself.