Zacch Pickens did his waiting, two years of it.

Playing behind the likes of Javon Kinlaw, Kobe Smith, Kier Thomas and a few others, the former five-star prospect had to bide his time, knowing once those guys left he’d get his moment.

That moment is now as Pickens transitions to a starter up front as part of what is on paper a stacked defensive line.

“Since I’m starting I have to have a breakout year to let people know I was right in my decision to come here,” Pickens said. “We have Jabari (Ellis), JJ (Enagbare), Aaron (Sterling) and some big names around.”

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Pickens—the No. 9 player in the 2019 who committed to South Carolina over offers from Clemson, Florida State, Georgia and others—spent the first two years learning and soaking in as much as possible from the already talent group on campus, led by future first round pick and current 49er Javon Kinlaw.

His first two seasons he played in 18 games with 51 total tackles, 2.5 a loss and one sack.

This year, though, he and the Gamecock coaching staff expect those numbers to change.

Pickens, listed at 6-foot-4, 305 pounds, is one of the elder statesmen of the group in both age and experience and will line up as a starter Saturday night against Eastern Illinois.

It’s been a long two years waiting to get to this point, but his coaches think once he gets consistent playing time and transfers his practice habits into games, the sky is the limit for him.

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“The really good coaches get the great players to improve and stay consistent. That’s what coach (Jimmy) Lindsey’s doing with Zacch. He’s a great player who’s gotten better and gotten better every single week,” defensive coordinator Clayton White said.

“We’re looking forward to seeing him play in the game on Saturday and see if those practice habits and those drills and technique translates to the game on Saturday and continue to do that. If he does that he’s going to be one of the best tackles in the conference, without a doubt.”

Lindsey arrived on campus this winter as part of Shane Beamer’s new staff and immediately got to work with his embarrassment of riches that is South Carolina’s defensive tackle room.

He spent the spring working with Pickens, improving his technique and ready to see what the junior does in games and if those practice habits make their way to Saturday.

"What I’ve challenged Zacch with is now we have to go do it in games…From a buy-in and from a fundamental standpoint trying to get better he’s checked all those boxes,” Lindsey said.

“Now we just have to continue to build on it and we got to do it in the games. That’s what it boils down to. There are no magic potions; it’s black and white. Just produce between the white lines, when the lights are on.”

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South Carolina’s front four—led by the likes of Pickens and Enagbare—is expected to be the strength of White’s newly-installed 4-2-5 defense predicated on playing fast and being uniquely complex for a quarterback to understand.

Pickens should be a key cog in it this season with his main goal to prove to his coaches what he can do when the games count.

“I’m going to try to do everything I can to make sure coach Beamer is happy, coach Lindsey is happy, coach White is happy,” Pickens said.

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