M
Matt OBrien
Guest
Good morning Gamecocks - there's less than two weeks until kickoff against North Carolina and I'd like to set some expectations for each of the position groups for the Offense. If you missed my last post on 2019 Position Group Headlines, click here.
Offensive Line: Athletically, the offensive line looks about as good as it has in a few seasons. Depth is a major concern and, perhaps more than any other position group, one injury could spell disaster. The biggest improvement should be in the run game and I expect Jake Bentley to feel good about having great athletes like Wonnum and Hutcherson at Tackle. I do anticipate Alabama having far too much strength along the interior DL for the Gamecocks to handle, but that should only get the Gamecocks OL playing at a higher level for the following Missouri and Kentucky games.
Running Back: The headlines this summer have surrounded newcomer Tavien Feaster, who adds some speed and pass-catching skills to the position. I expect Rico Dowdle to be primed for a breakout final season under a legit RB coach and for Mon Denson to be prepared to make solid contribution once again. The RB rotation will be key to maximizing the talent and health at RB and I wouldn't be surprised to 4 different RBs get touches in the season-opener as Coach Brown assesses his group. One wild card is how well Kevin Harris does in weekly game prep and in any limited action, as I've heard strong commentary around the true freshman's outlook.
How would you split the carries between the Gamecock RBs this season?
Tight End: My heart goes out to Kiel Pollard with his retirement due to injury. The entire unit will no doubt play at a higher level for #87 this season. I expect Markway to have a solid season, but this group will need someone to step up as a receiving option. Curious to see if OrTre Smith gets some looks as a Flex-TE, as it could improve both the position and Smith's production.
Wide Receiver: Bryan Edwards and Shi Smith make up one of the best WR duos in the SEC, but the Gamecocks need 2-3 other receivers to step up this season. OrTre Smith could alleviate some of the TE production concerns by playing more in the slot and Josh Vann will look to emerge after a quiet freshman season. One expectation I have is for the dropped passes to be cut more than half from last season (29 drops in 2018) which will no doubt help the offense produce at a higher level.
Quarterback: For me, what's expected of Jake Bentley in 2019 comes down to three main points:1) taking what the defense gives and hitting the easy targets (hitches, crossers), 2) limiting forced throws/turnovers in the red zone, and 3) showing leadership ability to keep team playing at a high level through a brutal schedule.
As Bentley looks to end his Gamecock career on a high note, It shouldn't be expected of Bentley to throw for as many yards as he did against Clemson in 2018 in each game, however it should be expected for Bentley to play much better than he did in 2018 against Virginia, Akron, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Outside of Bentley, the next two guys are unproven in play at this level, but I do expect Dakereon Joyner to be involved in this offense as a running option, depending on opponent. I would only hope to see Ryan Hilinski get some chances if the team is struggling toward the end of the season.
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Overall, the running game is the biggest question mark for me heading into the season. The interior of the offensive line is athletic, but inexperienced, and the running back group is average right now. It's hard for me to believe Coach BMac will call as pedestrian an offense as we saw last year and I expect there to be much more confidence by the second-year play caller when we think about perimeter plays and downfield shots. We all have a good idea for what Jake Bentley can do and Coach BMac's biggest challenge will be to get Bentley to limit forced mistakes and play level-headed in big games - which there are plenty of.
My expectation is for the Gamecocks offense to help improve the team's point-per-game total by +3.0, which will still only keep the team in the middle of the pack in the SEC in scoring, but makes a ton of difference in the tight match ups we will assuredly see in 2019.
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What're expectations for the Gamecock offense in 2019?
Which position group do think needs to step up the most?
Offensive Line: Athletically, the offensive line looks about as good as it has in a few seasons. Depth is a major concern and, perhaps more than any other position group, one injury could spell disaster. The biggest improvement should be in the run game and I expect Jake Bentley to feel good about having great athletes like Wonnum and Hutcherson at Tackle. I do anticipate Alabama having far too much strength along the interior DL for the Gamecocks to handle, but that should only get the Gamecocks OL playing at a higher level for the following Missouri and Kentucky games.
Running Back: The headlines this summer have surrounded newcomer Tavien Feaster, who adds some speed and pass-catching skills to the position. I expect Rico Dowdle to be primed for a breakout final season under a legit RB coach and for Mon Denson to be prepared to make solid contribution once again. The RB rotation will be key to maximizing the talent and health at RB and I wouldn't be surprised to 4 different RBs get touches in the season-opener as Coach Brown assesses his group. One wild card is how well Kevin Harris does in weekly game prep and in any limited action, as I've heard strong commentary around the true freshman's outlook.
How would you split the carries between the Gamecock RBs this season?
Tight End: My heart goes out to Kiel Pollard with his retirement due to injury. The entire unit will no doubt play at a higher level for #87 this season. I expect Markway to have a solid season, but this group will need someone to step up as a receiving option. Curious to see if OrTre Smith gets some looks as a Flex-TE, as it could improve both the position and Smith's production.
Wide Receiver: Bryan Edwards and Shi Smith make up one of the best WR duos in the SEC, but the Gamecocks need 2-3 other receivers to step up this season. OrTre Smith could alleviate some of the TE production concerns by playing more in the slot and Josh Vann will look to emerge after a quiet freshman season. One expectation I have is for the dropped passes to be cut more than half from last season (29 drops in 2018) which will no doubt help the offense produce at a higher level.
Quarterback: For me, what's expected of Jake Bentley in 2019 comes down to three main points:1) taking what the defense gives and hitting the easy targets (hitches, crossers), 2) limiting forced throws/turnovers in the red zone, and 3) showing leadership ability to keep team playing at a high level through a brutal schedule.
As Bentley looks to end his Gamecock career on a high note, It shouldn't be expected of Bentley to throw for as many yards as he did against Clemson in 2018 in each game, however it should be expected for Bentley to play much better than he did in 2018 against Virginia, Akron, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Outside of Bentley, the next two guys are unproven in play at this level, but I do expect Dakereon Joyner to be involved in this offense as a running option, depending on opponent. I would only hope to see Ryan Hilinski get some chances if the team is struggling toward the end of the season.
---
Overall, the running game is the biggest question mark for me heading into the season. The interior of the offensive line is athletic, but inexperienced, and the running back group is average right now. It's hard for me to believe Coach BMac will call as pedestrian an offense as we saw last year and I expect there to be much more confidence by the second-year play caller when we think about perimeter plays and downfield shots. We all have a good idea for what Jake Bentley can do and Coach BMac's biggest challenge will be to get Bentley to limit forced mistakes and play level-headed in big games - which there are plenty of.
My expectation is for the Gamecocks offense to help improve the team's point-per-game total by +3.0, which will still only keep the team in the middle of the pack in the SEC in scoring, but makes a ton of difference in the tight match ups we will assuredly see in 2019.
---
What're expectations for the Gamecock offense in 2019?
Which position group do think needs to step up the most?
