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Wes Mitchell
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** As we reported a couple of weeks ago, the rest of South Carolina's newcomers are scheduled to start arriving on campus Tuesday in order to move in and get ready for the start of one of the summer sessions on June 1, which is also when the rest of the returning players will start back classes as well.
The Gamecocks currently have 10 newcomers for the 2021 roster who were not already on campus for spring practice and many will arrive this week while there are a few who will arrive later in the summer.
USC has a 9-week summer school session that begins on June 1 and then a 6-week session that begins on June 21. While the June 1 guys will start arriving today with other trickling in as the week goes in, it appears the June 21 guys will get in on June 14.
As of now, I've confirmed with the following prospects that they're currently scheduled to start school on these dates (this is almost the same list as a couple of weeks ago with the exception of O'Mega Blake who was pushed to the second date):
June 1 (report on or around May 25)
DB Carlins Platel
LB Kolbe Fields
LB Bam Scott
DB LaDareyen Craig
RB Juju McDowell
OL JonDarius Morgan
June 21 (report on or around June 14)
WR O'Mega Blake
DL T.J. Sanders
We have not heard from JUCO DB Isaiah Norris and while I'm not sure when exactly transfer Tyreke Ross will officially start classes, he tells me he's set to arrive in Columbia on June 7, which is a good sign for Carolina considering we weren't sure exactly when the rules would allow him to arrive and he was still finishing up online classes with Washington State a couple of weeks ago.
Here are some thoughts on which of these guys I believe will best have the chance to make an impact this season...
The DB Transfers - Of the 10 newcomers, the two transfers Carlins Platel and Tyreke Ross may have the best chance to play right away this year if you were to handicap it. That's not to say they have the highest upside of the bunch, but both are at a major position of need and both have played college ball, obviously, with Platel putting together a long, successful career at the Division II level and Ross having appeared in 14 games at the Power 5 level giving them an edge in potentially being ready the fastest.
Both players were recruited with the thought process of potentially playing multiple spots in the secondary but there's already a decent idea of how they're most likely to be slotted. I spoke to Platel a couple of weeks ago and he told me he was already diving into some of the concepts Carolina uses defensively and that he was trying to mentally learn the cornerback and nickelback spots for a smooth landing when he arrives. Both of those spots make sense for Platel, and ultimately need will probably determine where he plays, but I personally think the nickel spot could be where he ends up if everyone else stays healthy. His 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame should be a good fit there and it's wide open at the position with fellow transfer David Spaulding getting the nod at the position in the spring game.
While Platel is more of a corner/nickel, Ross seems to be more of a safety/nickel. He has played primarily safety in his career and will likely compete for immediate playing time there but also could slide down to the nickel if Carolina wants to put a bigger body there. Ross wasn't a difference-maker necessarily for WSU at that point in his career but was a projected starter and big hitter, who should also excel on special teams. In fact, both of these guys should help there.
What to expect from the JUCOs - The impact of junior college prospects is traditionally extremely hard to predict and even some of the great ones take a little time to get settled in (Javon Kinlaw was the 14th overall pick and he didn't really get rolling until towards the end of his first season on campus). It's really all about how quickly they can adjust to the playbook and the additional speed of the game.
Bam Scott comes in as a four-star prospect and I'll say this, he looks the part of SEC 'backer. Scott is listed at 6-foot-3, 225-pounds on the Dodge City website (up 15 pounds from his listing last season). If their website stats are correct, then he's had a solid if not spectacular spring season, accumilating 15 tackles in about five games but that number is completely without context as I'm not sure how much rotating he's having to do and of his health and any other factor that contributes to production.
On film, he's a big kid with long arms who moves well. He chases plays from behind and from great distances even in practice clips, so I like the motor. Scott also appears to have some real "juice" off the edge as a pass-rusher, so he's probably a linebacker who can do quite a bit of pass rushing and if it doesn't work out at LB, continuing to bulk him up and playing him as a more of a BUCK or pass-rush specialist would also be an option.
With Isaiah Norris, I can't say I know a ton about him other than what we've been told by those around the T.L. Hanna community and they speak very highly over his coverage ability out of high school. There may be some rust to knock off here but obviously it's a position of need on the Gamecocks' roster.
Will any of the high school prospects be ready? - Of the high school prospects, running back Juju McDowell may play a position that's a strength for South Carolina but there's still been talk that he can help the team as a true freshman. For one, Montario Hardesty was high on McDowell out of high school, even though he was obviously signed before Hardesty got to South Carolina. And two, Shane Beamer has publicly mentioned that they expect McDowell to impact the team. The emergence of ZaQuandre White this spring makes the hill to climb even more steep but the Gamecocks need playmakers and McDowell has the ability to make people miss. Does he help on special teams? Could he play in the slot? Do any of the running backs get banged up and miss time? It always seems to happen at that position.
Kolbe Fields will almost surely be a candidate to help on special teams right away. He's got the mindset and skillset, so I think you can lock that in. Immediately contributing at linebacker will depend on how quickly he picks it up and how well the veterans play.
LaDayeren Craig is a bit of a mystery in that he was a late bloomer on the recruiting radar who wasn't as well known. He was excellent in man coverage in high school and has the length and speed schools cherish these days. The things you are looking for are there and we should know more about how quickly to project him to contribute once summer workouts get rolling and we start to hear some reports.
O'Mega Blake is a bit of a wild card in that he's at a position that has plenty of bodies but obviously needs playmakers to step up. Blake has a knack for making plays. My gut is that he'll likely have a greater chance to help in Year 2 but you can't rule out an early impact either.
It's hard to project OL Jondarius Morgan or DL T.J. Sanders to make major impacts as true freshmen as it's rare for offensive linemen or interior defensive linemen to play that early. The Gamecocks also already have solid depth at both of those spots, so I would project them more as Year 2 or 3 contributors. But I can tell you that the previous staff was extremely high on their upsides. Both were priority targets for the Gamecocks that they were happy to have and didn't want to lose in the transition of staffs.
An interesting PWO - As you probably know, many successful kickers and punters come in as preferred walk-ons and then eventually earn a scholarship once they land a role on the team. The key is usually to bring in one or two each recruiting cycle and then see who rises to the top of the competition once they're on campus.
Spartanburg (S.C.) kicker/punter William Joyce is scheduled to move in today as well as a preferred walk-on and has some impressive credentials. Joyce checks in at 6-foot-3, 220-pounds and was ranked the No. 24 kicker and No. 44 punter in his class by Kohl's Kicking. Joyce was a Shrine Bowl selection this past season and had a top 5 finish in the field goal competition at the 2020 Kohl's National Underclassman Challenge last year.
The place-kicking job is locked in this season with Parker White's return but Joyce is a name to file away in the back of your mind for the future competition.
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