SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL
Deebo Samuel won't be suiting up for the Gamecocks this season, but senior wide receiver Bryan Edwards believes South Carolina still has the dudes to get it done on offense.
That sentiment was echoed by his head coach last week at SEC Media Days as Will Muschamp said he believes the Gamecocks have recruited well at receiver and that should play itself out on the field this season.
"I think that there's a lot of competition," Muschamp said. "Bryan, obviously, and Shi (Smith) have been two guys that have distanced themselves. OrTre Smith is going to be back full speed. It really hurt not having him last year. Randrecous Davis is healthy for the first time in two years. He's had a really good summer. Josh Vann has had a fantastic summer; we really challenged him as far as getting stronger in the weight room and doing the things you've got to do to be successful, and he's answered all of those things and really come on for us.
"Chavis Dawkins is a senior who has been a very dependable guy for us. Chad Terrell has been a guy that we've been excited about. Jay Urich is going to be a part of that equation as well, so again, we've got a lot of competition there and it's going to be good for us."
The Gamecocks will likely take a by-committee approach to replacing Samuel's production of 62 catches for 882 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns last season as the senior put together one of the best years in school history.
"I don't think you can replace (Samuel)," McClendon said this spring. "The biggest thing you have to do is to do everything you can do to get your playmakers the ball and defining who exactly those guys are going to be. That's the purpose of spring; that's the purpose of [fall] camp. We've just to to do a good job of making sure we're honing those down and finding ways to get those guys the ball."
The Gamecocks know what they have in Edwards and Shi Smith. With a big year, Edwards will re-write the South Carolina record book at the wide receiver position. Shi Smith has started both of his first two years on campus and should take another step as a go-to weapon this season. Those two have combined for 237 career catches for 3,311 yards and 23 touchdowns.
South Carolina also gets back OrTre Smith, who caught 30 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman two seasons ago before playing in just two games last season before a lingering knee injury ended his season.
But past those three, the rest of Carolina's receivers have combined for just 50 receptions for 421 and three touchdowns in their careers.
The Gamecocks should see a big jump from Vann, who is a former four-star prospect that has received strong reviews for his offseason work. Freshmen Keveon Mullins, a four-star as well, and Xavier Legette, are already on campus with Tyquan Johnson set to join them in August.
Past Edwards and Shi Smith, the competition should be fierce, and quarterback Jake Bentley has seen Edwards take it upon himself to try and get the rest of the group ready.
"I've really been proud of Bryan the way he's poured himself into the young receivers," Bentley said. "I think that's something he's really learned to do, is to really give back to them, because he knows we're only going to be as good as the rest of the guys too. Me and Bryan can't do it ourselves. Josh Vann, Shi Smith, OrTre Smith. they're going to have big years too. I think he understands that and is doing whatever he can do to help them along the way as well."
Even without Samuel, Edwards doesn't seem concerned. A starter from the second he stepped foot on campus as a freshman, Edwards knows what it takes at the position, and he's confident his group can get it done this season.
"We can be whatever we want to be this year, I feel like," Edwards said. "We have the talent to do whatever we want to do. We have bigger guys like OrTre Smith, we have smaller slot guys like Shi Smith. Josh Vann is a guy that's coming along very well. We have all the tools to be whatever we want to be this year."
