Muse could be 'dominant, in-line player' with Gamecocks

It's still unclear if Nick Muse will play any meaningful snaps this season at South Carolina, but the Gamecocks like what they've seen so far through the first two days of practice.

Muse, who transferred in from William and Mary this offseason, is waiting to see if his appeal to be immediately eligible will be approved by the NCAA and, if it is, he's a guy who would compete for starting snaps right away.

“He’s a guy that can be a dominant in-line player with his size and athleticism," tight ends coach Bobby Bentley said.

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Bentley said if his appeal is granted, Muse is a guy who would immediately throw himself into the starting competition, but Gamecocks are in an intriguing spot with Muse since they don't know whether or not he'll be able to suit up game one.

That means they can't give him the bulk of starter reps because his appeal may get denied.

The Gamecocks have four veteran tight ends—Kiel Pollard, Kyle Markway, Will Register and Evan Hinson—listed on the two-deep and Muse is still learning the offense two days into camp.

That means he's spending a lot of his time between practices in the film room.

“You kind of keep him ready. The meeting room is really important to him," Bentley said. "That’s where he has to be the most competitive. To be honest with you, he’s probably one of the alpha males in the room. He stands out. He’s a leader. He’s really going to be special.”

Muse played two seasons at William and Mary, playing in 13 games and hauling in 34 passes for 508 yards. He's coming off a career year where he saw highs in receptions (30) and yards (453).

He committed to South Carolina, a school much closer to home, after what Will Muschamp called an "off the charts" workout at a camp.

The coaching staff thinks the 6-foot-3, 232 pounder will be a great fit and do a lot of things they ask tight ends to do in the offense.

“First of all, he’s got size and length," Bentley said. "He’s got length, so he can be the guy who can block the 6-5, 280-pound defensive end. Yet he can still flex out and do some things on the perimeter you’d like to do. We don’t really substitute our personnel and would like to keep that tight end in the game.”

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Muse's brother, Tanner, is a safety at Clemson and both are back in the Palmetto State now after growing up in Belmont, North Carolina.

Bentley said part of the reason Muse is one of the "alpha males" now in the room after two days is because of the competitive spirit he grew up around at home before going to Virginia to play.

“It’s a tremendous family with a competitive spirit," he said. "He’s got an older brother that spanked him a little bit growing up. He wants to go up and beat that big brother up there.”