With the quarterback competition likely coming to a close soon, one of the key special teams positions battles is coming down to the wire as well.

The Gamecocks have five guys competing at the punt returner spot vacated by Bryan Edwards with the decision on a starter potentially coming over the next week after Saturday’s scrimmage.

“We haven’t really identified the guy back there year,” Travaris Robinson said. “I think that should be coming in the next week or so. They’re all doing a great job and have equal amount of catches. Everything’s being charted.”

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Will Muschamp has said repeatedly defensive backs Jaycee Horn and Jammie Robinson are the team’s top two guys but Robinson said receivers Shi Smith, Xavier Legette and walk-on Trey Adkins are all getting the same amount of reps in practice.

All five will get a chance to return during Saturday night’s scrimmage where they’ll do different live scenarios.

Robinson mentioned having Jammie Robinson and Horn go back and return punts after long drives when they’re tired to mimic a real game day situation.

“They have to go back and make the catch. Coach will do that and give them some game day realistic looks of going back and catching it while they’re tired,” Robinson said. “I think it’ll be important for those guys. That’s us as coaches trying to put them in the best game day situations we can so when they get in the game they’ve done it before. That’s one thing we’re looking for in the scrimmage.”

Edwards was a very productive punt returner—returning 19 punts for 220 yards, an 11.6 average—but he and some of the Gamecock returners struggled to catch the ball at times, which is priority number one when the coaches are evaluating punt returners.

“The guy that catches the best and the guys that don’t put the ball in jeopardy, guys that can communicate to the punt return team to get away from the football when it’s on the ground are going to play,” Robinson said. “Those guys understand it. They all want to do it. That’s the best thing about it because that hasn’t always been the case.”

Regardless of who wins the job, South Carolina feels it has a bevy of guys it can trot out there and be productive on special teams.

“They all want to do it. That’s the best thing about it because that hasn’t always been the case. Some guys, that punt is a little different back there,” Robinson said. “I think those guys have stepped up to the table and they want to do it. I’m excited about it. They have to continue to work on it but they’ll be ready to rock and be able to catch it and go. That cost us a bunch of field position last year.”