Tight ends going to be a 'major part' of South Carolina's offense

Erik Kimrey might be a happy man this fall at South Carolina.

The former player turned assistant coach is probably always going to be happy—he’s wanted to join the staff for the better part of a decade—but he might be happier for even more reasons.

That is, if his position group of the tight ends is used the way he thinks they’ll be used.

“Knowing coach Satt and how many tight ends coaches are on the staff I can tell you they’re going to be utilized," Kimrey said. "When you have a group of guys with different skill sets, I’m excited to see the different ways we can use these guys in the future. I feel very confident in saying tight ends are going to be a major part of this offense.”

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The Gamecocks have a deep but mostly unproven group of tight ends outside of incumbent starter Nick Muse.

Muse finished second on the team last year with 30 receptions for 425 yards and a touchdown but the rest of the tight end group combined for just four catches for 139 yards and no scores in 2020.

Satterfield said the Gamecocks are going to rely heavily on the tight end this year with it being one of the most important positions offensively, mentioning there were almost 50 passes completed to tight ends the first three practices of spring.

“There’s nowhere else in the country that could begin to rival that. I think there were nine different routes on the route tree,” Satterfield said. I mean it’s a great position to play and (Muse) fits the mold. We have a bunch of different guys in that room that do certain things athletically and trait wise that will allow that position to keep growing and growing and growing.”

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Mused finished second on the team last year in targets with 40 but no other tight end had more than five targets last season, but that could change.

The Gamecocks have some guys who Kimrey said are having good spring seasons, mentioning Trae Kenion as one of those. They also bring in 6-foot-7 transfer EJ Jenkins, who’s been working a lot at tight end this spring.

After spending last season in primarily in one tight end sets, Muse has seen an increase in two tight end sets this spring.

“Hopefully we see two tight ends 90 percent of the time. In my opinion I feel like we should,” he said. “I think it’s our strongest room, in my opinion. That’s an unbiased opinion. Hopefully we’re used the way we should be used. We have a lot of people who can make plays in that room.”

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Through spring it’s not just tight ends being attached to the line, but coaches have moved guys around and tried them in different areas.

Tight ends have been used split wide in the slot, Muse said, and Kimrey mentioned Jaheim Bell carrying the ball some as well. Roles and scheme won’t be clearly defined, obviously, until the spring but Muse likes what he’s seen so far.

“I’ll be big in the inside run game and can help fit a linebacker or a D-end, however they need me. I can also play slot or DB if need be. They’ve worked me a lot at slot but not much outside. Hopefully I can earn their trust one day to run some fades and get some back shoulder balls,” he said. “Hopefully he uses me the way I feel like I can be used and we make some great things happen this year."