Why Kiel Pollard can be a frontline player

Bobby Bentley starts every day before practice showing his group of tight ends clips of Gamecock tight ends of the past as a teaching tool, hoping something permeates into the heads of the players he’s responsible for.

It’s a way to show this crop of tight ends what good tight ends—the likes of Jerell Adams and Hayden Hurst—did in their time at South Carolina.

But for a guy like Kiel Pollard, who did his waiting behind guys like Hurst, K.C. Crosby and Jacob August, it’s now his turn to take over the offense and become hopefully a guy Bentley’s showing videos of next year.

“He’s definitely a threat outside. As he’s gotten better with his footwork he’s become a better blocker. The thing about Kiel is he’s a competitor. He’s a guy you want on your team just to go play basketball, whatever your doing, volleyball. He’s that guy that’s competitive and has a little juice to him.”

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Pollard, who’s entering his senior season, had to wait his turn for a chance to be the frontline tight end in the Gamecocks’ offense.

He played in 25 of 26 possible games his first two years on campus, primarily on special teams with just two catches for 22 yards before his junior season.

Last year, he showed flashes of being that go-to tight end, finishing with 15 receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns, one of which included a 67-yard touchdown catch and run against Clemson.

Now entering his final year of eligibility, he’s in line to see his role grow in the Gamecocks’ offense, listed as one of two starters at tight end opposite Kyle Markway.

It’s a cool moment for Bentley, who helped flip Pollard from Arkansas in Will Muschamp’s first recruiting class, to now be able to coach him as one of the team’s listed starters.

“It’s real special. When we first go the job, a few of us on staff, Coach Muschamp and I went down to see him down in South Georgia,” Bentley said. “I know his family, his high school coaches. Its’ very exciting to see his development and where he’s come from. I’m looking forward to his future and his senior year. I’m hoping it’s a good one.”

Markway, the other starter at the other tight end spot, is off to a solid start of preseason practice this year, Bentley said, and is in a similar position as Pollard.

The 6-foot-4 , 250-pounder has a much different game than Pollard but battled injuries in 2016 and 17 before starting one game and catching three passes for 53 yards in 2018.

Now, he’s hoping to make the most out of his opportunity as a junior to have a solid season.

“He’s that Marcus Lattimore type. He makes everyone around him better,” Bentley said. “He’s a no excuse guy. If he makes a mistake, there’s no traffic report and no excuse on what he did wrong. It’s just, ‘coach, I’ll do better.’ He had a great day today.”

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Outside of those two starters, the Gamecocks have a decently deep tight end room with Evan Hinson and Will Register listed as the two backups with talented freshmen Trae Kenion and KeShawn Toney added to the mix as well.

They also have Nick Muse, who Bentley said could be a “dominant, in-line player” once he’s eligible.

“You don’t ever turn down a good tight end or wide out. As deep as we can get the tight end room, the better,” Bentley said. “I think that’s a good thing for us.”