B
Brian Shoemaker
Guest
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Gamecock Nation Today
- Thursday, May 2, 2019 -
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
Reminders:
Israel Mukuamu/Chris Gillespie
1. Cornerbacks rundown
South Carolina put a bow on spring football last month with the Garnet & Black Game inside Williams-Brice Stadium. In this series, Gamecock Central takes a look at where things stand at each position now that spring ball is over.
Today focuses on the cornerbacks.
• Two seniors depart the roster from last season in Rashad Fenton, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs recently, and Keisean Nixon, an undrafted free agent signing for the Oakland Raiders.
Both of those players were starters during their careers for the Gamecocks, but Will Muschamp has a couple youngsters with experience who will be counted on to lead this unit.
• Those two players are Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu, former big-time recruiting acquisitions for Muschamp. Both players factored in as true freshmen, particularly at season’s end when the injuries were piling up for USC.
Horn and Mukuamu are extremely close and two of the hardest workers on the team, in addition to having ample talent. Muschamp has spoken numerous times of the strong springs that both had. Both stayed healthy this spring, and it’s paramount that continues this summer and throughout the season.
• It would be fair, along those same lines, to consider the depth at this position a concern. Behind Horn and Mukuamu, it gets dicey in terms of proven players. Other “true” corners on the roster this spring were walk-ons.
Jamel Cook and Jamyest Williams have corner experience during either practice or games at USC, but both are slated to play safety at this time.
• The lack of depth makes it all the more important that some newcomers arrive ready to play. There’s a tremendous opportunity for four-stars Cam Smith and John Dixon from the 2019 class to step in and contribute early this season as backups. Both will enroll at some point this summer.
Ditto for three-star signee Shilo Sanders, who will likewise draw a strong look in preseason camp to see if he has a chance to help early.
Four-star Jammie Robinson has corner coverage skills, but seems more destined to start out at nickel or safety right now.
– Chris Clark
2. This, that, and the other
Football: Why player-run practices are critical to success - Spring practice and fall camp may receive the media attention, but the less talked about days in the Columbia summer heat, with no coaches or coverage around, are equally as important. (link)
Baseball: Carolina to honor Bass with jersey retirement Saturday night - The USC athletic department will posthumously retire the jersey of Earl Bass prior to the May 4 game against Vanderbilt. (link)
MLB: Gamecocks in the pros - The pro baseball season is about a month old, and there have been a few standout performances already with a couple of players already getting promoted. (link)
Football Recruiting: First 2021 commit in action - When you watch Lovasea Carroll's highlight video, it's easy to see why he has early offers from schools such as South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi State. (link)
Football Recruiting: 10 defensive targets to watch - In this feature, Gamecock Central takes a closer look at 10 players on the defensive side of the ball we are prominently tracking where USC is concerned. (subscription)
Football Recruiting: Wyman oficial visit note - The latest on South Carolina four-star wide receiver commit Mike Wyman. (subscription)
WBB: Boston, Cooke set for World Cup Trials - USC signees Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke have accepted invitations to participate in the 2019 USA Women's U19 World Cup Team Trials. (link)
– Jackson Fields
3. This Date in Gamecock History
May 2, 2010 – In one of the wildest slugfests in Gamecock history, USC fell behind twice before outscoring Alabama, 20-15, and taking control of first place in the SEC.
4. Birthdays and Celebrations!
Sam DeLuca - DeLuca was a backup tackle in 1954 and took over as the starting right tackle in 1955. He really took a step forward in 1956, earning all-state, second-team all-ACC honors as well as winning the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the best blocker in the state. The notice of his play wasn’t just local, DeLuca was also named an All-American by Paul Williamson and third-team All-America by the Associated Press. He played in the North-South Shrine Game and Senior Bowl after his senior season. He went to training camp with the New York Giants in 1957 then played two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. He next played for the San Diego Chargers (1960-63) and New York Jets (1964-66) before a knee injury ended his career. DeLuca worked as an announcer for the Jets and for NBC Sports after retiring. He was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002 and the USC Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. He died in September 2011.
Ross Grosvenor (baseball/first base, 2016-17)
Ike Houck (football/offensive guard, 1971-72)
Joe Rhett (basketball/forward, 1988-92)
Rob Rinehart (baseball/outfielder, 1984-85)
David Small (baseball/outfielder, 1974-77)
Corey Taylor (football/wide receiver, 2002)
Corey Taylor (track & field, 2000-03)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
5. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (6 days)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (19)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (74)
• July 20 – Ladies Football Clinic (79)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (121)
More happenings
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 3 – Football season ticket deadline
• May 4 – Baseball: Earl Bass jersey retirement
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Marion Gamecock Club meeting
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
• May 18 – SC Legends Baseball Camp
Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including locations and ticket prices, can be found here.
DID YOU KNOW? You can receive this report (Gamecock Nation Today) early each morning in your email inbox. Sign up here.
------------------------
Gamecock Nation Today
- Thursday, May 2, 2019 -
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
Reminders:
- The Spurs Up Tour makes a stop in York County today (info).
- The deadline to renew football season tickets is tomorrow. You can renew here. If you don’t have season tickets, you can purchase them here.
- The next team action is tomorrow when the women's tennis team hosts North Florida in the NCAA Championships, the baseball team hosts Vanderbilt and the softball team plays at Missouri.
Israel Mukuamu/Chris Gillespie
1. Cornerbacks rundown
South Carolina put a bow on spring football last month with the Garnet & Black Game inside Williams-Brice Stadium. In this series, Gamecock Central takes a look at where things stand at each position now that spring ball is over.
Today focuses on the cornerbacks.
• Two seniors depart the roster from last season in Rashad Fenton, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs recently, and Keisean Nixon, an undrafted free agent signing for the Oakland Raiders.
Both of those players were starters during their careers for the Gamecocks, but Will Muschamp has a couple youngsters with experience who will be counted on to lead this unit.
• Those two players are Jaycee Horn and Israel Mukuamu, former big-time recruiting acquisitions for Muschamp. Both players factored in as true freshmen, particularly at season’s end when the injuries were piling up for USC.
Horn and Mukuamu are extremely close and two of the hardest workers on the team, in addition to having ample talent. Muschamp has spoken numerous times of the strong springs that both had. Both stayed healthy this spring, and it’s paramount that continues this summer and throughout the season.
• It would be fair, along those same lines, to consider the depth at this position a concern. Behind Horn and Mukuamu, it gets dicey in terms of proven players. Other “true” corners on the roster this spring were walk-ons.
Jamel Cook and Jamyest Williams have corner experience during either practice or games at USC, but both are slated to play safety at this time.
• The lack of depth makes it all the more important that some newcomers arrive ready to play. There’s a tremendous opportunity for four-stars Cam Smith and John Dixon from the 2019 class to step in and contribute early this season as backups. Both will enroll at some point this summer.
Ditto for three-star signee Shilo Sanders, who will likewise draw a strong look in preseason camp to see if he has a chance to help early.
Four-star Jammie Robinson has corner coverage skills, but seems more destined to start out at nickel or safety right now.
– Chris Clark
2. This, that, and the other
Football: Why player-run practices are critical to success - Spring practice and fall camp may receive the media attention, but the less talked about days in the Columbia summer heat, with no coaches or coverage around, are equally as important. (link)
Baseball: Carolina to honor Bass with jersey retirement Saturday night - The USC athletic department will posthumously retire the jersey of Earl Bass prior to the May 4 game against Vanderbilt. (link)
MLB: Gamecocks in the pros - The pro baseball season is about a month old, and there have been a few standout performances already with a couple of players already getting promoted. (link)
Football Recruiting: First 2021 commit in action - When you watch Lovasea Carroll's highlight video, it's easy to see why he has early offers from schools such as South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi State. (link)
Football Recruiting: 10 defensive targets to watch - In this feature, Gamecock Central takes a closer look at 10 players on the defensive side of the ball we are prominently tracking where USC is concerned. (subscription)
Football Recruiting: Wyman oficial visit note - The latest on South Carolina four-star wide receiver commit Mike Wyman. (subscription)
WBB: Boston, Cooke set for World Cup Trials - USC signees Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke have accepted invitations to participate in the 2019 USA Women's U19 World Cup Team Trials. (link)
– Jackson Fields
3. This Date in Gamecock History
May 2, 2010 – In one of the wildest slugfests in Gamecock history, USC fell behind twice before outscoring Alabama, 20-15, and taking control of first place in the SEC.
- Alabama had an 8-4 lead in the fourth when Carolina tallied six runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a pinch-hit homer by Brady Thomas.
- Five more runs came in the next inning, including a two-run homer by Kyle Enders, who had five hits and five runs on the day.
- Evan Marzilli and Jackie Bradley Jr. also had home runs, as USC finished with 25 hits.
- Tyler Webb, pitching a 1.2 innings in relief, picked up his second win as the Gamecocks improved to 34-9 overall and 16-5 in the SEC.
4. Birthdays and Celebrations!
Sam DeLuca - DeLuca was a backup tackle in 1954 and took over as the starting right tackle in 1955. He really took a step forward in 1956, earning all-state, second-team all-ACC honors as well as winning the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the best blocker in the state. The notice of his play wasn’t just local, DeLuca was also named an All-American by Paul Williamson and third-team All-America by the Associated Press. He played in the North-South Shrine Game and Senior Bowl after his senior season. He went to training camp with the New York Giants in 1957 then played two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. He next played for the San Diego Chargers (1960-63) and New York Jets (1964-66) before a knee injury ended his career. DeLuca worked as an announcer for the Jets and for NBC Sports after retiring. He was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002 and the USC Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. He died in September 2011.
Ross Grosvenor (baseball/first base, 2016-17)
Ike Houck (football/offensive guard, 1971-72)
Joe Rhett (basketball/forward, 1988-92)
Rob Rinehart (baseball/outfielder, 1984-85)
David Small (baseball/outfielder, 1974-77)
Corey Taylor (football/wide receiver, 2002)
Corey Taylor (track & field, 2000-03)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
5. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (6 days)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (19)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (74)
• July 20 – Ladies Football Clinic (79)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (121)
More happenings
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 3 – Football season ticket deadline
• May 4 – Baseball: Earl Bass jersey retirement
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Marion Gamecock Club meeting
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
• May 18 – SC Legends Baseball Camp
Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including locations and ticket prices, can be found here.
