Kurt Roper talks about wide receiver depth, plan for Jamyest Williams

Kurt Roper and several members of the Gamecocks’ offense met with the media Tuesday.

It was the first media availability since preseason camp started Monday, and here is some major news to come out of what was said.

Picking up the playbook

Camp is not only a chance for players to start getting into in-season shape, but it’s a chance for younger players to start learning the team’s scheme and playbook terminology.

It’s a big step up from high school, and players are expected to know more and absorb different audibles, formations and plays in the team’s first 26 practices.

“It’s pretty hard. I’m not going to lie; it’s pretty hard. It’s a lot of dedication,” wide receiver Chavis Dawkins said. “When we’re not in the meeting room, when you get home you really have to look through your playbook for the next day. It’s really tough.”

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The Gamecocks’ are returning 10 of 11 starters on the offense, with all having learned the team’s plays last season. Quarterback Jake Bentley has a good mental grasp of the offense, but the challenge becomes not throwing too much at him too fast.

“He works at it. he studies and knows what’s going on, but sometimes communicating it and being able to execute it are two different things,” offensive coordinator Kurt Roper said. “We’re probably asking him to do too much early on. Not that he can’t get all of that but you’re dealing with a guy that I have a lot of trust in, so you’re saying, ‘More, more, more.’ You just have to be careful in that way.”

The Gamecocks had to force young players last year to learn the playbook quick because numerous true freshmen—Bentley, running backs A.J. Turner and Rico Dowdle and wide receiver Bryan Edwards—started last year.

Roper said the playbook could be tough to pick up for tight ends and offensive linemen, but he could get skill position players ready to go over the team’s first four weeks of camp.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be good, but you can get them ready to play.”

Also see: Updates from the Gamecocks' first preseason camp availability

No plan for Jam

Four-star cornerback Jamyest Williams started his first preseason camp Monday, but there’s no immediate plan to use him on offense.

Roper said he hasn’t had any conversation about Williams, who played on offense in high school, and utilizing him on the offensive side of the ball. He said the true freshman who hasn’t played a down of college football would likely have too much on his plate trying to learn the defense.

Williams was one of the cornerstones of the 2017 recruiting class, and will train this preseason at nickel and cornerback.

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Versatility in action

It’s no secret who the Gamecocks’ starting wide outs will be, but preseason camp will help determine the help around them.

Deebo Samuel and Edwards are the entrenched starters at the position, but there are almost four or five different candidates vying for a spot in the rotation.

Roper said Terry Googer, Chavis Dawkins and Randrecous Davis could help the offense along with newcomers OrTre Smith and Shi Smith.

Dawkins said Shi really stood out in practice and Roper said he’s shown “flashes” while OrTre has also impress through the first two days.

“If you had five or six that you feel really good about, then you have a great number. The best year I had throwing the football, we played three guys,” Roper said. “That’s not ideal, but that’s the best year I had throwing the football.”

In Roper’s offense, he said he wants eight formations the Gamecocks can use to run five plays out of, which will make it hard on an opposing team to game plan against his offense.

He said he likes to switch receiver roles, like putting Samuel in the slot with Hayden Hurst outside or vice versa. He also didn’t rule out adding in a Wildcat package.

“The more you have, the more they have to work,” Roper said. “The more formations you throw out there the better. I do think if you can use the same personnel groupings and get in the same formations, then that’s harder on a defensive coordinator.”