Gamecocks Complete Change Of Tide As 2024 WR Mazeo Bennett Commits

It was a bit of a gut punch to Gamecock nation back in mid-October when after leading for his commitment for much of the process, 2024 WR Mazeo Bennett opted to sign with the Tennessee Vols following an official visit to the offensive powerhouse. We explained to the Insider's Forum back then that Bennett had become convinced that the Vols could properly feature him in ways that perhaps South Carolina hadn't shown much propensity to at that point in the season. Since then, three significant things happened. 1. The Gamecocks ended their season with back-to-back top-10 wins, including beating the Vols at their own game in an offensive performance for the ages. 2. OC Marcus Satterfield opted to take his services to Nebraska and his old friend Matt Rhule. 3. Tennessee OC Alex Golesh took the head coaching job at USF.

These things got Bennett's attention, and following a visit to Greenville High School on an early December Monday by Shane Beamer and WR Coach Justin Stepp, Bennett decided perhaps his future was better served staying home and playing for the up-and-coming Gamecocks. Shortly thereafter, Bennett decommitted from Tennessee on December 8th.

Now South Carolina has completed the flip after a late January visit last weekend in which he committed to Beamer and his staff. Bennett becomes the second skill player of the 2024 class for South Carolina, and he'll become very familiar with the first, QB Dante Reno who told Gamecock Scoop recently that he had continued to be in constant contact with Bennett even after he committed to Tennessee.

If the Gamecocks can hold Bennett's commitment through his senior season, they are getting a nifty route runner with excellent speed and room to fill out his 6'0 165 lb frame. While South Carolina has had some success finding pass catchers in the portal thus far, especially with the breakout performance of Juice Wells in 2022, there's little doubt that WR is a position of need for the Gamecocks moving forward, and Bennett would go a long way in shoring up that position for the future.

Beamer's new OC Dowell Loggains should have plenty of talent to work with for years to come if Beamer can keep landing players of Bennett's caliber.