Gamecocks feel they have the makings for great offensive line

Watching the national title game, Eric Wolford noticed something: the defensive lines for both teams were getting into the backfield, and they were doing it quickly.

Fans might chalk that up to just the NFL talent on both Georgia and Alabama’s defensive lines, but for Wolford and a few other offensive line coaches, it represent a concern of no more dominating offensive lines.

“You saw two teams struggle to block either team’s defensive line,” Wolford said. “Those are supposedly the best two teams in college football playing each other and neither one could really block the team’s defensive line. It’s a growing concern.”

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South Carolina’s trying to buck that trend this year, and a few players think they have the squad to be one of those unique dominating offensive lines this season.

There are three full-time starters returning on the offensive line from last season—Zack Bailey at guard, Donell Stanley switching from guard to center and Dennis Daley at left tackle.

Sadarius Hutcherson and Blake Camper, who combined for six starts last season after a few injuries along the line, round out the starting five.

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Returning all of that experience, that starting five has spent the spring working on building chemistry together so they’re ready when the season rolls around in September.

And the way things are going right now, some of those guys think they’re up for the task of being one of the best lines in the country next season.

“I feel like we can be one of the best offensive lines in the nation, honestly,” Hutcherson said. “The way that we’re improving right now, the way we’re playing right now in the spring I really feel like we can be on top.”

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A dominant offensive line, according to Wolford, comes with putting players in advantageous matchups and letting players be successful inside a good scheme.

The offensive line’s already made some jumps in Wolford’s short second stint at South Carolina so far.

Last season the Gamecocks rushed for at least 150 yards in six games, including twice. Over the team’s last six regular season games, averaged 157.5 yards per game on the ground.

With almost every piece from that line returning, the Gamecocks hope they can be one of those staunch offensive lines Wolford imagines.

“We got a standard around here,” Daley said. “We want to be the best we can be.”