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Brian Shoemaker
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Gamecock Nation Today
Friday, April 19, 2019
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
Here is this weekend's schedule:
Friday, April 19
• All day - Women's Golf: SEC Championships (Birmingham)
• 8 am - Men's Tennis: vs Texas A&M, SEC Championships (Gainesville)
• 10:30 am - Beach Volleyball: vs Tulane, CCSA Tournament (Emerson)
• 11 am - Women's Tennis: SEC Championships (College Station)
• 4:30 pm - Beach Volleyball: vs Georgia State, CCSA Tournament (Emerson)
• 6 pm - Softball: UNC Greensboro, SECN+
• 7 pm - Baseball: Texas A&M, SECN+, TuneIn
Saturday, April 20
• All day - Women's Golf: SEC Championships (Birmingham), SECN+
• All day - Track & Field: USC Outdoor Open
• 2 pm - Softball: UNC Greensboro, SECN+
• 4 pm - Baseball: Texas A&M, SECN, TuneIn
• TBD - Women's Tennis: SEC Championships (College Station)
Sunday, April 21
• All day - Women's Golf: SEC Championships (Birmingham), SECN
• TBD - Women's Tennis: SEC Championships (College Station)
1. Spring review: DL rundown – edge players
South Carolina put a bow on spring football earlier this month with the Garnet & Black Spring Game inside Williams-Brice Stadium. In this series, GamecockCentral.com takes a look at where things stand at each position now that spring ball is over. Today focuses on the defensive line with a focus on edge players.
• USC’s front will be bolstered this season by the return of D.J. Wonnum for his final year. The Gamecocks sorely missed him during the many games he missed in 2018 battling an ankle injury sustained in the opener. A player who’s garnered honors from the conference on multiple occasions for his play, Wonnum is a technically sound, steady, and productive player at the BUCK or end spot.
• Wonnum’s backup last season – and it should be the same this season – is junior Brad Johnson. It’s hard to believe the Pendleton native is already heading into his third season, but he’s played a lot of ball for the Gamecocks in his career. Position coach Mike Peterson seemed to indicate that the light came on for Johnson during spring ball in terms of some fundamentals that should enhance his play. He’s a talented player who can run.
• Perhaps the star of the spring game overall was sophomore J.J. Enagbare, who’s moved out to a more natural defensive end position this season. And if spring is any indication, it may be hard to keep him out of the starting lineup. A former four-star recruit that USC beat Georgia on, Enagbare played inside last regular season out of necessity. He’s quick and does a great job with his hands, and is another reason to feel better about the potential for this group’s production this season.
• Aaron Sterling, who’s started a handful of games and played in 21 during his career, is also back for another year at defensive end. He’s not the biggest, but is quick and has a knack for being around the ball in the run game and as a possible pass-rusher. He also missed several games last season but is ready to go for summer and preseason camp after going through a full slate of spring ball.
• Danny Fennell did not participate in spring ball after tearing his ACL late last season, but should be full strength by the time preseason camp rolls around. He’s done some good things during his USC career and can play the SAM linebacker or BUCK position.
• In terms of position, ditto for true freshman Rodricus Fitten. It’s hard to tell right now if Fitten will factor in as a frosh given some of the others ahead of him, but he did show some flashes of his talent during spring. He reminds some of Bryson Allen-Williams as far as his twitch and skill set.
• Senior Keir Thomas worked a lot inside this spring, but has played end as well during his career and could do so if needed this season. Zacch Pickens was ranked out of high school as a defensive end, but has worked mostly as an inside player so far.
• Another freshman, Joseph Anderson, impressed the staff this spring by being ahead of the curve as a pass-rusher. He has a unique body type in that he is built more like an interior player, but USC is playing him outside. It will be interesting to see whether or not he can make a push for playing time in year one.
– Chris Clark
2. ⚾ Baseball: Gamecocks lose Game 1
• The Gamecocks fell Thursday 8-2 to Texas A&M, making them winless in all six SEC series openers. In those six games they’re being outscored 51-15.
• Reid Morgan turned in another quality start, going 6.1 innings and giving up three earned runs, but it wasn’t enough against Aggie starter John Doxakis.
• With the Gamecocks leading 2-1 in the seventh, Morgan and John Gilreath combined to give up seven runs on five hits, two walks and a wild pitch in one of the biggest innings this staff’s given up all year.
• After getting two runs but leaving the bases loaded in the third, the Gamecocks put just two runners on base the final six innings and only one got into scoring position.
– Collyn Taylor
3. This, that, and the other
Football: Projecting the special teams depth chart - A look at the post-spring depth chart on special teams. (subscription)
Football Recruiting: Why Michael Wyman's mom was so comfortable with USC- If South Carolina was going to land Michael Wyman, his mom needed to be on board. (subscription)
Baseball: Inside what's made Brett Kerry so successful this season - Plus more on the meeting that turned his freshman season around. (link)
Women's Basketball: Postseason notebook - Dawn Staley held her year-end press conference on Wednesday, and she talked about recruiting, transfers, and scheduling. (link)
Women's Basketball: Signees collect USA Today awards - USC's No. 1-ranked women's basketball signing class continued to collect recognition this week as USA Today High School Sports announced its annual awards. (link)
Softball: Gamecocks to face UNCG for weekend series - The softball team is set to host UNCG this weekend as it closes out its non-conference portion of the 2019 season. First pitch today is set for 6 p.m. while the two teams conclude the two-game series on Saturday at 2 p.m. (link)
Men's Tennis: Gamecocks take out LSU - The men's tennis held off a late surge to escape with a 4-2 win over LSU in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday. (link)
Beach Volleyball: Gamecocks prepare for CCSA Tournament - The beach volleyball team begins its postseason today at the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Championship. The Gamecocks are the No. 4 seed. (link)
– Jackson Fields
4. This Date in Gamecock History
April 19, 2003 – Pitcher David Marchbanks pulled off a rare feat, getting wins in both games of a doubleheader sweep of Mississippi State.
5. Birthdays and Celebrations!
Jackie Bradley Jr. – One of the most beloved figured in USC sports, Bradley had been an all-state outfielder in Virginia before signing on at Carolina. He hit .349 with 11 homers as a freshman in 2009, earning freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball as well as making SEC All-Freshman. Bradley's 2010 season climaxed with him winning Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series as he led Carolina to a national championship. He hit .368 that season with 13 homers and 60 RBI. His biggest moment at the CWS that year may have been when Carolina was down to its last strike in the bottom of the 12th but Bradley hit a two-out, two-strike single, eventually coming around to score the winning run. An injury slowed Bradley as a junior, but he returned to contribute four hits in the CWS as USC won its second straight championship. Bradley then moved on to the Boston Red Sox. He's played seven years in Boston, making the MLB All-Star Game in 2016, winning a Gold Glove in 2018. and being named MVP of the 2018 AL Championship Series.
• Reggie Alexander (football/fullback, 1993-95
• Luther Dixon (football/offensive guard, 1991-95
• Maurice Henderson (football/defensive back, 1994-98
• Dominique Moxie (women's soccer/forward, 2017-18
• Victoria Patrick (women's basketball/guard, 2016-18
• Vic Penn (football/quarterback, 1996-97)
• Emma Scheider (swimming & diving, 2018-19)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
6. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• April 25 – NFL Draft begins (6 days)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (19)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (32)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (87)
• July 20 – Muschamp Ladies Football Clinic (92)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (134)
More happenings
• April 23 – Augusta, Spurs Up Tour
• April 24 – Midlands, Spurs Up Tour
• April 29 – Lancaster, Spurs Up Tour
• April 30 – Greenville, Spurs Up Tour
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 4 – Baseball: Earl Bass jersey retirement
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
• May 18 – SC Legends Camp
Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including specific locations and ticket prices, will be announced as it becomes available.
DID YOU KNOW? You can receive this report (Gamecock Nation Today) early each morning in your email inbox. Sign up here.
------------------------
Gamecock Nation Today
Friday, April 19, 2019
Good morning from Gamecock Central.
Here is this weekend's schedule:
Friday, April 19
• All day - Women's Golf: SEC Championships (Birmingham)
• 8 am - Men's Tennis: vs Texas A&M, SEC Championships (Gainesville)
• 10:30 am - Beach Volleyball: vs Tulane, CCSA Tournament (Emerson)
• 11 am - Women's Tennis: SEC Championships (College Station)
• 4:30 pm - Beach Volleyball: vs Georgia State, CCSA Tournament (Emerson)
• 6 pm - Softball: UNC Greensboro, SECN+
• 7 pm - Baseball: Texas A&M, SECN+, TuneIn
Saturday, April 20
• All day - Women's Golf: SEC Championships (Birmingham), SECN+
• All day - Track & Field: USC Outdoor Open
• 2 pm - Softball: UNC Greensboro, SECN+
• 4 pm - Baseball: Texas A&M, SECN, TuneIn
• TBD - Women's Tennis: SEC Championships (College Station)
Sunday, April 21
• All day - Women's Golf: SEC Championships (Birmingham), SECN
• TBD - Women's Tennis: SEC Championships (College Station)
1. Spring review: DL rundown – edge players
South Carolina put a bow on spring football earlier this month with the Garnet & Black Spring Game inside Williams-Brice Stadium. In this series, GamecockCentral.com takes a look at where things stand at each position now that spring ball is over. Today focuses on the defensive line with a focus on edge players.
• USC’s front will be bolstered this season by the return of D.J. Wonnum for his final year. The Gamecocks sorely missed him during the many games he missed in 2018 battling an ankle injury sustained in the opener. A player who’s garnered honors from the conference on multiple occasions for his play, Wonnum is a technically sound, steady, and productive player at the BUCK or end spot.
• Wonnum’s backup last season – and it should be the same this season – is junior Brad Johnson. It’s hard to believe the Pendleton native is already heading into his third season, but he’s played a lot of ball for the Gamecocks in his career. Position coach Mike Peterson seemed to indicate that the light came on for Johnson during spring ball in terms of some fundamentals that should enhance his play. He’s a talented player who can run.
• Perhaps the star of the spring game overall was sophomore J.J. Enagbare, who’s moved out to a more natural defensive end position this season. And if spring is any indication, it may be hard to keep him out of the starting lineup. A former four-star recruit that USC beat Georgia on, Enagbare played inside last regular season out of necessity. He’s quick and does a great job with his hands, and is another reason to feel better about the potential for this group’s production this season.
• Aaron Sterling, who’s started a handful of games and played in 21 during his career, is also back for another year at defensive end. He’s not the biggest, but is quick and has a knack for being around the ball in the run game and as a possible pass-rusher. He also missed several games last season but is ready to go for summer and preseason camp after going through a full slate of spring ball.
• Danny Fennell did not participate in spring ball after tearing his ACL late last season, but should be full strength by the time preseason camp rolls around. He’s done some good things during his USC career and can play the SAM linebacker or BUCK position.
• In terms of position, ditto for true freshman Rodricus Fitten. It’s hard to tell right now if Fitten will factor in as a frosh given some of the others ahead of him, but he did show some flashes of his talent during spring. He reminds some of Bryson Allen-Williams as far as his twitch and skill set.
• Senior Keir Thomas worked a lot inside this spring, but has played end as well during his career and could do so if needed this season. Zacch Pickens was ranked out of high school as a defensive end, but has worked mostly as an inside player so far.
• Another freshman, Joseph Anderson, impressed the staff this spring by being ahead of the curve as a pass-rusher. He has a unique body type in that he is built more like an interior player, but USC is playing him outside. It will be interesting to see whether or not he can make a push for playing time in year one.
– Chris Clark
2. ⚾ Baseball: Gamecocks lose Game 1
• The Gamecocks fell Thursday 8-2 to Texas A&M, making them winless in all six SEC series openers. In those six games they’re being outscored 51-15.
• Reid Morgan turned in another quality start, going 6.1 innings and giving up three earned runs, but it wasn’t enough against Aggie starter John Doxakis.
• With the Gamecocks leading 2-1 in the seventh, Morgan and John Gilreath combined to give up seven runs on five hits, two walks and a wild pitch in one of the biggest innings this staff’s given up all year.
• After getting two runs but leaving the bases loaded in the third, the Gamecocks put just two runners on base the final six innings and only one got into scoring position.
– Collyn Taylor
3. This, that, and the other
Football: Projecting the special teams depth chart - A look at the post-spring depth chart on special teams. (subscription)
Football Recruiting: Why Michael Wyman's mom was so comfortable with USC- If South Carolina was going to land Michael Wyman, his mom needed to be on board. (subscription)
Baseball: Inside what's made Brett Kerry so successful this season - Plus more on the meeting that turned his freshman season around. (link)
Women's Basketball: Postseason notebook - Dawn Staley held her year-end press conference on Wednesday, and she talked about recruiting, transfers, and scheduling. (link)
Women's Basketball: Signees collect USA Today awards - USC's No. 1-ranked women's basketball signing class continued to collect recognition this week as USA Today High School Sports announced its annual awards. (link)
Softball: Gamecocks to face UNCG for weekend series - The softball team is set to host UNCG this weekend as it closes out its non-conference portion of the 2019 season. First pitch today is set for 6 p.m. while the two teams conclude the two-game series on Saturday at 2 p.m. (link)
Men's Tennis: Gamecocks take out LSU - The men's tennis held off a late surge to escape with a 4-2 win over LSU in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday. (link)
Beach Volleyball: Gamecocks prepare for CCSA Tournament - The beach volleyball team begins its postseason today at the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Championship. The Gamecocks are the No. 4 seed. (link)
– Jackson Fields
4. This Date in Gamecock History
April 19, 2003 – Pitcher David Marchbanks pulled off a rare feat, getting wins in both games of a doubleheader sweep of Mississippi State.
- The previous day's game had been suspended due to rain and when resumed on the 19th, Marchbanks took over for starter Steven Bondurant in the seventh.
- RBI doubles by Jon Coutlangus and Justin Harris gave Carolina the winning run for a 4-3 victory.
- The regularly scheduled game then followed and Marchbanks pitched the first 7.2 innings, leaving with a 2-1 lead.
- Chris Hernandez closed out the game with a scoreless 1.1 innings for his first save.
- Brian Buscher's fourth-inning home run accounted for the Gamecocks' offense.
- Marchbanks' record for the season stood at 9-2 after the two victories as Carolina improved to 25-14 on the year.
5. Birthdays and Celebrations!
Jackie Bradley Jr. – One of the most beloved figured in USC sports, Bradley had been an all-state outfielder in Virginia before signing on at Carolina. He hit .349 with 11 homers as a freshman in 2009, earning freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball as well as making SEC All-Freshman. Bradley's 2010 season climaxed with him winning Most Outstanding Player at the College World Series as he led Carolina to a national championship. He hit .368 that season with 13 homers and 60 RBI. His biggest moment at the CWS that year may have been when Carolina was down to its last strike in the bottom of the 12th but Bradley hit a two-out, two-strike single, eventually coming around to score the winning run. An injury slowed Bradley as a junior, but he returned to contribute four hits in the CWS as USC won its second straight championship. Bradley then moved on to the Boston Red Sox. He's played seven years in Boston, making the MLB All-Star Game in 2016, winning a Gold Glove in 2018. and being named MVP of the 2018 AL Championship Series.
• Reggie Alexander (football/fullback, 1993-95
• Luther Dixon (football/offensive guard, 1991-95
• Maurice Henderson (football/defensive back, 1994-98
• Dominique Moxie (women's soccer/forward, 2017-18
• Victoria Patrick (women's basketball/guard, 2016-18
• Vic Penn (football/quarterback, 1996-97)
• Emma Scheider (swimming & diving, 2018-19)
– John Parker, gamecockarchives.com
6. ⌚ Key Events (Countdown)
• April 25 – NFL Draft begins (6 days)
• May 8 – SEC Softball Tourney (19)
• May 21 – SEC Baseball Tourney (32)
• July 15 – SEC Media Days begins (87)
• July 20 – Muschamp Ladies Football Clinic (92)
• Aug. 31 – Football: Gamecocks vs UNC (134)
More happenings
• April 23 – Augusta, Spurs Up Tour
• April 24 – Midlands, Spurs Up Tour
• April 29 – Lancaster, Spurs Up Tour
• April 30 – Greenville, Spurs Up Tour
• May 2 – York, Spurs Up Tour
• May 4 – Baseball: Earl Bass jersey retirement
• May 7 – Sumter, Spurs Up Tour
• May 8 – Myrtle Beach, Spurs Up Tour
• May 9 – Atlanta, Spurs Up Tour
• May 14 – Charleston, Spurs Up Tour
• May 18 – SC Legends Camp
Will Muschamp is scheduled to appear at all of the Spurs Up Tour events. More information, including specific locations and ticket prices, will be announced as it becomes available.
