When South Carolina lines up in its bowl game Saturday, it’ll be doing so without three of its most impactful players from this season.
Mike Bobo confirmed Monday night all three players who declared for the NFL Draft—Sadarius Hutcherson, Shi Smith and Ernest Jones—won’t play in the bowl game and the Gamecocks are going to need to find ways to replace their production.
“Up front, we’re going to mess around with some different combinations and maybe move (Jakai) Moore inside. Maybe we get Tyshawn Wannamaker some reps, a guy who hasn’t played this year but it’s a bowl game. Give him some opportunities,” Mike Bobo said. “Our numbers are good at the offensive line as far as capable bodies that have got a lot of reps; we just have to find the right combination.”
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Hutcherson spent the last four seasons as an anchor on the offensive line, playing tackle last season and settling at guard in 2020.
He started every game this year, and leaves a massive hole (roughly 6-foot-4, 320-pounds) at left guard.
The good news is the Gamecocks have bodies there and shouldn’t have any trouble finding someone.
Moore, who has started six games at tackle (four at left, two at right), could bump inside, leaving a gap at tackle or the Gamecocks could opt to play freshman Tyshawn Wannamaker as well.
Wannamaker (6-foot-3, 335 pounds) hasn’t played this year but is a big body who can play inside. He came to South Carolina a three-star prospect and the No. 35 guard in the class.
Regardless of who starts there, the Gamecocks are preparing to play a few guys up front against UAB.
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“Maybe have a tackle rotation with three guys working the tackle positions, some inside guys being able to rotate,” Bobo said. “At the end of the day we’re not going to just put them out there to put them out there, but have some competition. If they deserve to play, let them play in this game. That’s good for experience moving down the road.”
The bigger issue is receiver, with numbers now as thin as they’ve been this season.
With Smith leaving, the Gamecocks have six scholarship players currently healthy at the position and four of those are newcomers.
Xavier Legette, who’s dealt with injuries all year, could be back but if not the Gamecocks are going to lean heavily on some newcomers or inexperienced guys like Dakereon Joyner.
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“Guys like Dakereon are going to have step up with Trey Adkins in the slot. We might move Josh Vann to the slot and have Ger-Cari Caldwell step up outside. There’s a slight chance Xavier Legette is back in this game. There’s a guy who we had a lot of high hopes for but he’s been bothered with injuries all year,” Bobo said.
“There’s a chance we’ll get him back. We’re still trying to piece things together at the receiver position and we’ll have to be a little creative in the passing game to throw the ball.”
With linebacker, the Gamecocks will also have to rely on walk-on or young players. Sherrod Greene, Spencer Eason-Riddle, Jahmar Brown and Rosendo Louis have all dealt with injuries and it seems like Damani Staley and Mo Kaba will shoulder the bulk of those reps in the game.
The Gamecocks take on UAB Saturday in the Gasparilla Bowl, which is scheduled for noon on ABC.
