W
Wes Mitchell
Guest
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who came out to the Gamecock Central Kickoff Party at Steel Hands on Friday and certainly everyone who helped make an amazing night possible. It was a complete team effort that wouldn't have been possible without a massive list of people.
Now that I've finally shaken out the cobwebs from what was one of the longest and most awesome nights of my professional life, I've been able to gather up some notes throughout the day from Saturday's scrimmage and on the team in general.
** If you missed the team notes we put out on Friday, we strongly hinted at the chances of new quarterback Zeb Noland playing this season and the feedback we've received since then has only strengthened that thought.
Noland appears to be firmly in the mix with Jason Brown for the starting spot for Game 1 if injured first-stringer Luke Doty is unable to go against Eastern Illinois.
To be clear, no such decision has been made/announced among the team (that we have been made aware of anyway) with Noland, Brown and Colten Gauthier all getting reps, but in reading the tea leaves with the number of first-team reps that Noland has been getting and what Marcus Satterfield has said he's looking for in the position to start the season, it would appear that Noland is firmly in the conversation, if not the favorite, to start the opener if Doty can't go.
Noland, who I believe took the first reps of the scrimmage, had a long TD to Dakereon Joyner, who continues to trend as being a big part of the offense.
Satterfield also mentioned the need to not rush Doty back and we are told that Noland's command of both the offense and the huddle has been apparent and that he's got a big arm and throws a catchable ball.
Satterfield strongly suggested wanting to have a decision made soon after working through Saturday's scrimmage.
** The talk of the preseason as far as surprises go continues to be freshman running back Juju McDowell. Most of you probably saw the long TD run that McDowell had in scrimmage 1 after breaking off a nasty spin move. Well for the second straight week, McDowell broke off a long run in Saturday's scrimmage.
I believe that McDowell is firmly in the mix for the starting kickoff return job and has been strongly making his case to get some reps on offense as well in what is clearly already a very deep running back room.
** I was told at the end of this past week that the staff has already started the process of narrowing down the reps on defense as they get closer and closer to being in a game week situation, when you really focus in as far as reps and game planning/play calling.
Every time that we've been able to watch practice, the first team unit consisted of Aaron Sterling, Zacch Pickens, Jabari Ellis and JJ Enagbare at defensive line, Brad Johnson and Sherrod Greene at linebacker, David Spaulding at NICKEL, Marcellas Dial and Darius Rush at cornerback, and RJ Roderick and Jaylan Foster at safety.
Again, reading the tea leaves there, it seems like that's the way the starting lineup on that side of the ball is trending with the obvious exception being the potential to add back Cam Smith, who Beamer has said they hope/expect to have back for that game. Smith did not play in the scrimmage but is walking better and better from the feedback we've heard.
R.J. Roderick has been singled out to me as someone who has taken full advantage of having a new staff, new approach and new defense to play in. He's had by far the best preseason of his career from the feedback I've heard and is playing with confidence.
We told you that Tyrese Ross got off to a late start to camp because of COVID protocols but as he's worked his way back into the mix, it's already been apparent that he's a big hitter. If he can continue to come on, he is someone who should be able to push his way onto the field at safety.
Don't let the fact that Jordan Burch and Jordan Strachan aren't listed in that projected lineup fool you. I've heard great feedback about the progress of both guys and believe Carolina truly has a full two deep of talented playmakers at the EDGE spot.
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