Three things we've learned - Diggs emerging
South Carolina is now 15 practices, including one scrimmage, into its 2016 preseason camp. While there are still plenty of questions, we've learned a lot through the first two-plus weeks of practice.
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Diggs is big part of secondary equation
After missing the entire spring (in which he was also listed as a linebacker), South Carolina senior Jordan Diggs was a bit of an afterthought in the South Carolina secondary equation. Through 15 practices, we've learned that he's going to be a major part of making things work for Carolina on the back end, where they're trying to find playmakers and build depth.
Muschamp said Sunday that Diggs is currently the Gamecocks starter at nickel and is also working in at safety. For a secondary that was razor thin entering preseason camp, this development shouldn't be downplayed. While at nickel, Diggs will play a role similar to the SPUR position he played for the Gamecocks prior to last year. He's likely a far better fit doing that than he was being asked to play half the field at safety in Jon Hoke's cover 2 defense.
Rashad Fenton, who would have likely been the starter at nickel, is simply too valuable on the outside right now to play the position. Thus Diggs' emergence there, where he'll be asked to also be physical against the run, also increases the depth at cornerback. South Carolina's defensive back situation is still less than ideal, but this staff knows something about building defenses, and by crosstraining their most versatile players, they've been able to start to build depth.
Not much is decided in quarterback battle
Will Muschamp had hoped to begin to narrow the focus of his quarterback competition following Saturday's first scrimmage of the preseason, but if anything it appears to be expanding. Senior Perry Orth and freshman Brandon McIlwain have been the frontrunners to start Carolina's season opener at Vanderbilt, but the dark horse, freshman Jake Bentley, doesn't appear to be going away.
Muschamp wishes his quarterbacks had played a bit more error free in the scrimmage, but was pleased with the fact that all three had lengthy drives and is especially excited about the future of the position. That can't be overlooked considering the position was a huge part of the reason his tenure at Florida didn't work out as planned.
"There were far more positives at that position than there were negatives," Muschamp said. "And as I've said before, the future at that position is outstanding."
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Still plenty of unknowns
Will Muschamp asked any member of his team who has started more than 12 games at South Carolina to raise his hand. About six obliged, Muschamp says. As much as Muschamp and staff try to simulate gameday, there's still the realization that an SEC road contest simply can't be duplicated in a practice atmosphere. That's not going to stop Muschamp -- who told freshman Randrecous Davis that there will be more people in the bathrooms at half time than watched him play in high school -- from trying.
"I don't really know how these guys are going to respond," Muschamp said. "We've created a lot of game situations, a lot of 1-minute, a lot of end-of-game, we've done more than I've probably ever done, for that reason of the uncertainty of putting them in those situations where they've got to make decisions. They've got to make critical decisions. We, as a staff, have got to make critical decisions, so we're just trying to continue to put them in those situations as much as possible."
