South Carolina may have to navigate its 2026 opener without two of its biggest pieces.
During the first “Carolina Calls” of the season, Shane Beamer said offensive lineman Jacarrius Peak and defensive end Dylan Stewart will be “doubtful” for the Sept. 6 matchup with Kent State at Williams-Brice Stadium. The Gamecocks open the year against the Golden Flashes, but the availability picture is already murky for a pair of core players.
Peak arrived from NC State in the offseason, but his South Carolina debut has been delayed since he was injured in February during a pickup basketball game. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that he could be back by Week 3, when the Gamecocks begin SEC play against Mississippi State.
Stewart’s situation stretches back further. Beamer said the defensive end is dealing with a back injury that dates to 2025. Stewart put up 12.0 TFLs and 4.5 sacks in 2025, so his status is a significant one heading into the opener.
There was better news on tight end Brady Hunt. Beamer indicated Hunt should be available against Kent State. Hunt finished 2025 with 168 yards and 21 receptions, and Gamecock Central’s Jack Veltri noted that he “would be listed as questionable if USC were playing this Saturday,” but that he will “be ready to rock and roll” for the season opener.
Even with those injury concerns, South Carolina is expected to be the favorite in what will be just the second all-time meeting between the programs. Kent State went 5-7 in 2025.
In Other News...
South Carolina May Have Found The Backfield Spark It Needed
South Carolinas search for a steadier ground game may have turned up a familiar name in Matt Fuller. ESPN pointed to the redshirt sophomore running back as a potential breakout player for the 2026 season, and the early signs have backed up that buzz. Fuller was the Gamecocks offensive player of the spring, and his continued progress in camp has only added to the sense that he could be ready for a bigger role.
The timing matters because the run game has been a sore spot for this offense, finishing 117th nationally in 2025. Fullers role last season was modest, with 72 carries for 260 yards and two touchdowns, but South Carolina does not need a finished product so much as a spark. If his spring momentum carries into the fall, the Gamecocks may have found a back who can help change the feel of the offense, even if the full payoff is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina May Have Found A Feel-Good Defensive Depth Piece
South Carolinas linebacker room is already built around familiar names, but Jamian Risher Jr. has kept himself in the conversation all summer. Defensive coordinator Clayton White said Risher has been the clear-cut fourth linebacker throughout camp, a sign that the fourth-year player has done more than just fill out the depth chart. After arriving as a walk-on in 2023 and earning a scholarship in January, he has started to draw notice for the kind of steady, adaptable work that coaches tend to value once the pads come on.
Rishers rise matters because the Gamecocks are set to bring back an experienced group at the position in 2026 with Fred Johnson, Justin Okoronkwo and Shawn Murphy in place. For now, South Carolina appears to have found a useful piece behind them, one who has flashed in practice and brings leadership as well as versatility. The next question is whether that camp momentum turns into a bigger role once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Shane Beamer Faces One Big Test As South Carolina Opens Season
Shane Beamer enters this season with a clear mandate after South Carolina slid from 9-4 in 2024 to 4-8 in 2025. The Gamecocks have responded by turning to Kendall Briles as offensive coordinator, the fourth different play-caller under Beamer, in hopes of getting the offense back on track and giving the program a steadier identity on that side of the ball.
Beamer has sounded encouraged by the progress he has seen in preseason camp, but the pressure points are obvious as opening day arrives. Much of the attention will land on quarterback LaNorris Sellers, whose 2025 production fell short of what he delivered the year before, and on whether this latest offensive reset can help South Carolina climb out of the rough stretch that has defined the last season. [Read more 🡒]