Bobo breaks down left tackle spot

Mike Bobo is still getting used to his personnel and what he has to work with. That’s true at quarterback, skill positions and even at the arguably the most important position on the field at left tackle.

With Sadarius Hutcherson bumping back inside to guard, the Gamecocks need to fill that void. While he doesn’t know who will play there to start the season, he has noticed one trend.

“They’re all 6-foot-6 and huge,” he said, smiling. “Jaz (Turnetine) has played some tackle, the junior college kid from Kansas, and (Jakai) Moore from Virginia, them two have been playing left tackle. (Jaylen) Nichols from up in Charlotte is right tackle. It’s mainly been those three with the ones.”

With Hutcherson now at his more natural position, the Gamecocks can work in those two young players at left tackle with Moore being the more seasoned guy in the program.

Moore, a former three-star prospect, is in his second year at South Carolina, redshirting his first year. He played in three games, starting two of those including one against Clemson.

Turnetine is part of the Gamecocks’ 2020 class, coming in from Hutchinson Community College where he earned second-team All-American honors as a sophomore.

He comes to South Carolina having three years to play two and has the chance to legitimately help the offensive line this year. He’s listed at 6-foot-7, 330 pounds, by far the biggest player on the roster.

Even with his size, Will Muschamp likes what the versatile player brings to the table.

“You watch him in the offseason program, you watch his lower body flexibility, you watch his hips, you watch his change of direction with his feet, he is extremely impressive moving around,” Muschamp said.

One of the team’s best linemen, Dylan Wonnum, was out for the spring after hip surgery which gives Turnetine, Moore and another freshman tackle in Jaylen Nichols to get more reps before practice was suspended.

They serve as a wave of youth on the offensive line that makes Muschamp optimistic about what the Gamecocks have at guard for the foreseeable future.

“All three guys are bright, all three guys can learn anything you want them to learn,” he said. “I mean, just the number of reps you get, the better off you're going to be as a football player. And the number of reps you're getting in live competition and understanding whether it's in the run game or the pass game, there's no question you're going to improve and get better. And we need all three of those guys to improve and get better. And I think all three have the traits we're looking for at the position.”

The Gamecock offensive line is losing an entrenched starter in Donell Stanley but is expected to return four starters on the line next season in Hutcherson, Jovaughn Gwyn, Jordan Rhodes and Wonnum.

Gwyn and Rhodes are both coming off year one as starters and Wonnum has been a starter for the last two years as well and that unit is by far the most seasoned of any offensively.

“I’ve been pleased with the line of scrimmage up front,” Bobo said. “You have the most experience you have of any group offensively. I think there are eight guys back who have at least started the game. There’s a lot of experience up front. They’re doing a nice job.”