South Carolina Gamecocks running back position wide open after Saturday scrimmage

The Gamecocks lost a strong candidate for the starting job two days into practice when MarShawn Lloyd tore his ACL and now four guys are splitting first team snaps during preseason camp.

Whoever wins the job isn’t guaranteed to start as the season wears on, Will Muschamp said.

“I think not just next week, the next two weeks and the next four months,” he said. “At the end of the day they all have to be ready for their number to be called. You never know what’s going to happen in any situation. All these guys have to be ready to play. We can’t sit there and think we’re going to rep these two guys and get them ready.”

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With Coronavirus looming over everyone’s head, it could cause players to miss games if they test positive. That means South Carolina needs to have a stable of viable options at every position, especially running back.

To build depth in a relatively young room, the offensive staff is mixing and matching each back with the first three teams during practices and scrimmages to get them comfortable in case they do have to start.

“We have to have all guys on hand,” Muschamp said. “That’s why we rep the way we rep. three different groups are getting opportunities and we’re mixing groups and commingling those guys and putting them with the first group or third group to continue to get those guys to come on for us.”

One of the dark horse candidates emerging in camp is freshman Rashad Amos, who’s come in and impressed the coaching staff with his physical ability.

He’s still picking up on the mental aspect of Mike Bobo’s offense, but was met with mostly positive reviews from his head coach after Saturday’s scrimmage in Williams-Brice.

“Rashad Amos had a couple nice runs for a young guy. He can really see the inside zone well, in my opinion, on the duo play,” Muschamp said. “He makes nice cuts and gets North-South. He has to hang on to the football. He held it loose a couple times. We can’t tolerate that. He won’t play if he turns it over.”

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The Gamecocks have two unproven returners at the moment with redshirt sophomore Deshaun Fenwick and sophomore Kevin Harris who have combined for just 64 carries in 13 career games.

Both guys are in the mix for the position as well with a more physical style of running.

“I thought Kevin and Deshaun got some positive runs moving the pile,” Muschamp said Saturday.

There’s also the case for junior college running back ZaQuandre White who enrolled a little late to finish his academic work coming out of junior college.

White comes in as one of the best junior college running backs in the country, scoring 10 touchdowns and averaging 6.4 yards per carry last season at Iowa Western.

“He’s an explosive guy that’s got really good top-end speed. I think he brings a lot to that room. In the short time he’s been here our guys have really enjoyed him being here and being around. I think we have some ability in the room,” Muschamp said before camp started. “Some of it is inexperienced but I’d rather be coaching an explosive, fast-twitch guy that maybe lacks experience at that position as opposed to an experienced guy that can’t make any plays.”