SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL

Will Muschamp and Travaris Robinson have never been scared to start freshmen in the secondary, and this year won’t be any different.

Last season, three different freshmen—Jaycee Horn, Israel Mukuamu and RJ Roderick—started at defensive back last season and it looks like Jammie Robinson is coming in ready to continue the trend.

“He’s a really talented young man,” “The impressive thing about Jammie is he’s a smart guy. As a freshman he’s able to compute calls with the guys and he’s signaling different things like that, which is uncommon for a freshman, especially playing safety. That’s one of the toughest positions to play as a freshman, safety, and he’s doing a good job of that.”

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Robinson stepped on campus this summer and quickly started turning heads and, once training camp started, surged up the depth chart to where he’s taking first-team reps at nickel and safety as the season approaches.

If the season started today, it looks like he’d be the team’s starting nickel and doesn’t look like the typical freshman.

“He has a pretty good skill set. He’s got instincts and has come along. He’s understanding the scheme faster than I thought he would,” Jamyest Williams said. “He’s kind of thick. He’ll come downhill.”

Williams is another guy who will likely be in the Gamecocks’ starting lineup at safety, coming off a shoulder injury. He’s healthy now and is having a really good camp entering his junior season.

“Jam’s been in the room a long time and the defense ain’t changed. He’s more confident making calls. The good thing is he’s back there with Jammie where he has to make some calls. He’s doing a great job,” Robinson said. “He’s coming in, meeting extra, doing all the things he needs to do to be a good player. He hadn’t been healthy in a long time, but his hamstring and everything is working. He’s in great shape; we’re excited about him. he had a great offseason and it’s paying dividends in camp.”

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With Horn and Mukuamu the starters at corner, it looks like the competition comes down to the final starting safety spot between Roderick and J.T. Ibe.

Both have been limited a little this camp but there could be a spot for both of them in the rotation. Roderick started in five games last year with 56 tackles—13 of which came against Ole Miss—and is one of the harder hitters defensively.

When healthy this camp, Roderick’s also taking snaps at nickel and could play there if Jammie is taking snaps at safety.

“We’re trying to find where guys fit and where guys are comfortable playing,” Robinson said. “We’re trying to figure out if RJ’s going to be the nickel, the safety when we’re in nickel. It depends on how Jammie’s doing, and he’s doing well. We have a good chance to see how it all plans out.”

Ibe is another guy competing for starting snaps but hasn’t practiced much dealing with a strained pectoral. He won’t practice this weekend but Muschamp expects him back before the season starts.

“He’s been doing really good with all his rehab stuff and starting to move around really good,” Robinson said. “Hopefully we can get him out there as soon as possible and get him rolling, but I believe he will be, from everything I’ve heard from the training staff, he’ll be ready in time to do this.”

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Last year the safety position was decimated with injury and it showed on the field, but this year looks like a different story.

The Gamecocks are confident in their depth back there and say things are progressing to where they need to be before Aug. 31 against North Carolina.

“Communication is probably right around 70 percent because it’s lining up fast and letting everyone know what’s going on with checks and things like that,” “It’s all about being consistent.”