Another offensive player expected to take defensive snaps
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL
With the Gamecocks incredibly thin in the secondary, another offensive player will be tasked with moving sides of the ball and play defense this week.
A.J. Turner is taking reps at nickel back this week, Will Muschamp said, and is expected to play there Saturday when the Gamecocks host Akron.
“A.J. Turner’s going to rep at nickel for us this week. A.J.’s a guy that on special teams you see instinctively him being able to make plays and field block," Will Muschamp said. "He’s a good tackler and a good space player and has the ability to be a good man coverage guy. He’s a good athlete, so we’ll give him an opportunity to play on the defensive side of the ball.”
Also see: Will Muschamp's full press conference recap
Turner has played in 35 games over his career, piling up 1,322 career yards and eight touchdowns as a running back and kick returner.
Along with returning kicks, Turner's been a vital part of the Gamecocks' other special teams units, getting in on punt team as well.
Muschamp said Turner's "been kidding with me for three years," trying to move over to the defensive side of the ball, so this week's change has been a welcomed one.
"He’s had a great attitude," Muschamp said. "He met with T-Rob a lot of Monday to go through and make sure he’s learning some different concepts we teach and get him aligned and play. A.J.’s extremely bright.”
Also see: Players preview this week's Akron game
Turner's played in all but two games this season, missing those because of a concussion, and has 294 rushing yards and two touchdowns as part of the running back rotation. He's also caught eight passes for 75 yards and two scores as well.
The Gamecocks (6-5, 4-4 SEC) are expected to get Rico Dowdle and Ty'Son Williams—two backs that have missed a lot of the season with injuries—back into the fold this week, so this as perfect a time as any to see if Turner can match up on the other side of the ball.
"We have some depth at the running back position and have some guys we have confidence in," Muschamp said. "It’s nothing he hasn’t done at running back, it’s just an opportunity for him to move over and certainly he’ll help us this week and we’ll see about this moving forward."
Also see: More thoughts after a promising game Saturday
The Gamecocks are without safeties Jaymest Williams and Javon Charleston for the rest of the year. Jaylin Dickerson is expected to be out until the bowl game and cornerback Jaycee Horn is in a walking boot and the coaches are hoping he'll be back for Saturday's game.
Defensive backs J.T. Ibe (knee) and Nick Harvey (concussion) are still out as well.
Shi Smith is also another player that's repped some at defensive back and could be called upon if needed.
