Advertisement
football Edit

Safeties show progress in Monday scrimmage

Two days after saying he needed more from the safety position, South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp sounded more optimistic about the position group following the Gamecocks' first preseason full scrimmage Monday.

"I thought Nick Harvey and Jamyest (Williams), both at safety, played better, and we needed them to improve," Muschamp said. "Really challenged them the other night. That was, to me, pleasing, because that's where we really need to take some steps forward. We've got to get better there. I think Steven Montac is having a really good camp."

Muschamp has constantly praised the senior Montac, who has been the team's most steady performer at the position this preseason. But past that, he's been looking for more production from the position.

Harvey, a graduate transfer from Texas A&M, started camp working at cornerback, but was added to the safety competition on Saturday as Muschamp looks to sort out the position that he personally handles.

"The last three days, we've really just wanted (Harvey) to stay at the safety position and learn the position," Muschamp said. "He's an extremely bright young man, so that's not been an issue. He learns well. He's playing nickel as well, so he can do a lot of things for us."

Another transfer, Rice graduate J.T. Ibe, should join the mix when he's cleared for individual and skeleton drills on Wednesday after missing the start of camp with a hip injury.

"We need to get him out there and get him up to speed as far as getting ready to play this year," Muschamp said.

While Muschamp has seemed confident in his first team units on both offense and defense, safety is the position he's expressed the most concern with among the starters.

Though it appears with Montac locking down one spot, and Harvey, Williams and Ibe fighting it out for the other, that the talent is in place for that position to ultimately get sorted out.

*** Limited time offer: New Annual Subscribers get $99 gift card towards Gamecocks gear (click for details) ***

Advertisement