This preseason camp has had a few freshmen standouts but none more notable than cornerback Jaycee Horn.
The freshman has already worked his way into first team reps this summer, and Will Muschamp shed some light Wednesday on how much he expects Horn to play once the Gamecocks start their season.
“Jaycee’s had a really good camp. He’s a guy that’s certainly going to be one of our best five,” Muschamp said on the Jamie Bradford Show on Charleston Sports Radio. “You talk in terms of our nickel grouping going out there he’s going to be on the field. He’s progressed well and he’s really mature.”
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Horn’s already worked himself into the team’s first team rotation and, from what Muschamp said, would be in the team’s nickel package if the season started today.
In the nickel grouping, the Gamecocks put five defensive backs on the field: two safeties, two outside corners and one nickel defensive back to cover a slot receiver.
So far this camp, the Gamecocks have been working Steven Montac at one of the safety spots with Nick Harvey and Jamyest Williams working at the other.
Rashad Fenton and Horn have been working at the two outside corner spots, meaning Keisean Nixon could fill in at the nickel spot if Horn’s on the field.
Nixon’s kind of a Swiss Army Knife for the Gamecocks secondary, playing both outside and nickel so far this camp.
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“We’ve played him a little bit at the nickel but he’s been playing mostly corner for us right now,” Muschamp said on the show. “He’s a guy that needs to play well.”
Nixon played in 12 games last season, including getting a start in the Outback Bowl against Michigan. He has eight career tackles and two interceptions.
The senior cornerback, along with Horn will likely be major factors in the Gamecock secondary this season.
“He’s heavy handed in coverage, and he ‘does a really good job in press coverage, especially on the line of scrimmage he continues to improve,” Muschamp said, “and we need Keisean to play well for us this year.”
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The Gamecocks also have Israel Mukuamu, a 6-foot-4 freshman corner, and J.T. Ibe, a graduate transfer safety working to get fully healthy, expected to compete for snaps in the secondary as well.
