A week ago the Gamecocks were trying out six players at punt returner and now the competition is getting tighter with players beginning to separate themselves.
Assistant coach Kyle Krantz, who helps on special teams, said there are three players the Gamecocks are eyeing now to take over that spot.
“The three guys right now that I think are doing a really good job are Shi Smith, Bryan Edwards and Nick Harvey,” Krantz said. “Competing as you know, competition breeds getting better. I think that’s across the board.”
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It’s a position that’s been a struggle under Will Muschamp with a few different miscues and miscommunications over the course of his tenure.
Over the course of fall camp, it’s a special teams battle that’s been a focal point with Keisean Nixon, Josh Vann and Jamyest Williams also taking snaps back there during practice.
The main thing both special team coordinator Coleman Hutzler and Krantz want is someone that protects the ball, but “to be able to score” is the next thing on the checklist.
“I think we have the right guys back there that can do it and help us be successful at that spot,” Krantz said.
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Of those three that have moved to the front of the pack, only one has fielded punts at the collegiate level before.
Harvey, a graduate transfer from Texas A&M, took snaps there when he was still playing for the Aggies. He took back six total punts, picking up 137 yards and a touchdown.
It’s something that comes pretty natural to him, and Krantz has been impressed with his ability to adapt to the punt return job at South Carolina while learning two different spots in the Gamecocks’ defensive backfield.
“He’s smart and he works hard and we knew coming in that he could do a lot of different things for us,” he said. “It’s been good and he’s been a good addition.”
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Edwards has some experience taking back punts, doing it when he played high school football at Conway, but hasn’t taking those snaps in his two seasons so far at South Carolina.
Fielding punts is something he says he’s comfortable with, and if it helps the team win, he’s all for it.
“I did it in high school,” he said. “If they want me back there and they think I’m the best guy to do it, whatever to make this team win, I’m for.”
