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Wes Mitchell
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** As you know by now, South Carolina wide receiver transfer Jalen Brooks saw his waiver to play this season denied by the NCAA and the Gamecocks will now have to appeal that decision. Look no further than this Saturday's opponent, Tennessee, and Cade Mays who saw his initial waiver denied before ultimately getting approval following an appeal (Mays will need SEC approval now before he can play, something Brooks wouldn't have to worry about) as an example that hope still isn't lost. Other than pointing out that it's ridiculous to me that a guy gets denied for a season that doesn't even count against his eligibility, I'll focus more on what this means for the Carolina receiving corps.
You'll see no sugarcoating here on this. I had been told by several people previously that there was a need for Brooks to be eligible to play this year and that there was an expectation that he could make an impact, something we've reported previously. Brooks quickly joined the team and showed a knack for making plays, even against the talented DBs Carolina has. He's still trying to clean some things up and get more consistent, but the ability is there to have helped.
That puts the receiving group back to where it was when we talked about them this summer, with the need for Shi Smith and Xavier Legette to step up and show they can be top 2-type receivers in this league. Don't get me wrong, that need was still there, even with Brooks, but having an extra threat on the field was going to definitely be helpful in an offense that I certainly believe is going to have to spread the ball to all of its offensive weapons, as opposed to being one where there's one dominant target. There's a hope that both Smith and Legette can be what this staff needs out of them, but they'll have to go prove it.
After those two, I think you'll see a wide receiver group that rotates heavily in an effort to find out which guys are ready to consistently help this team. The word consistency may just be the word of the offseason since all of those guys listed have shown they can make plays, but it's just a matter of consistently going and doing it.
Dakereon Joyner, as his teammates told us today, has shown marked improvement since the spring and will get his chance to start. Joyner has been adjusting to some of the more physical aspects of playing WR, as opposed to QB, but has shown flashes of being someone who can make something happen after the catch. Jaycee Horn said Joyner reminds him of Deebo after the catch, but I wouldn't say we should go that far yet.
After Joyner, it appears the three freshmen in Rico Powers, Ger-Cari Caldwell, and Luke Doty will all get a chance to play. There's definitely some upside within that group and the more guys like Powers and Caldwell can play early, the quicker they should be able to come along and help the team as consistent threats at that position.
Powers has come in ready to play from the beginning and is probably the farthest along of those guys as far as the understanding of this offseason and what's expected of him. He's also got natural playmaking talent with the ability to get open and make things happen with the ball in his hands. Ger-Cari Caldwell has continued to push and improve and has especially impressed in winning those jump ball situations meaning he can bring something a little different to the field compared to his teammates.
As we've said many times, Doty is just a natural athlete who can do anything on the field. He's obviously been bouncing back and forth from quarterback too, but he has a knack for making plays. While not listed on the depth chart at this point, Josh Vann has also had some solid moments in practice and is in the conversation. While I write all of that to give you an idea of each guy's skillset, the receiver position is obviously one that remains a wait and see as far as what this group will be capable of against another opponent.
** Getting to some of the other positions groups, it probably shouldn't be a surprise that Kevin Harris and Deshaun Fenwick have an OR between their names on the depth chart since the staff has been hesitant to name a starter. Harris has been deemed the "most consistent" back which probably lends itself to him getting the first crack at it, but I suspect you'll see a lot of rotation at this position. Fenwick has taken advantage of a clean slate under a new offensive staff and has shown flashes.
One of the biggest takeaways from today is that ZaQuandre White has been running around and looked "great" in practice this week. The hamstring injury has obviously hindered him from getting on the depth chart at this point, but I still think he's the most dynamic back of the bunch and the feedback I've heard backs that up. He's going to have a chance to come on sooner rather than later, in my opinion.
** Keveon Mullins quickly moving up the tight end depth chart, has to be considered a positive development, especially when combining it with the progress Will Register has made at tight end and the steady practice play of KeShawn Toney. Eric Shaw has impressed since getting back healthy and has a nice combination of size, speed, athleticism and ball skills. He may not be on the depth chart, but I think all of those guys find their way onto the field this season.
** On the defensive side of the ball, there are few, if any, surprises, though Damani Staley being listed as an OR starter with Sherrod Greene at the WILL did catch me off guard and speaks to the camp he's had. Brad Johnson being the starter at SAM was expected, but I'm not sure we've talked enough about just how good he's been in practice. Johnson was actually named the defensive player of camp by Muschamp with Jovaughn Gwyn (someone else we need to talk about more) the offensive player of camp.
** The special teams depth chart is as expected other than the noteworthy aspect of them finally releasing some names at kickoff returner where Xavier Legette, Shi Smith and Jammie Robinson are all in the running for that position.
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