South Carolina heads into SEC play with momentum and, according to Shane Beamer, a healthier-looking roster than it might have feared after Week 2.
The Gamecocks are 2-0 after rolling past Towson 45-9, and the next step is a tougher one: Mississippi State coming to town in the league opener. Beamer spoke Sunday about the week ahead and offered a positive read on several injury situations that had been worth monitoring.
“Beamer: Nothing long-term on Miller, Brown, Black. Not 100 percent today, but should be good for Saturday.
Availability reports start on Wednesday. Will see where Peak and Stewart are as the week goes, but trending in the right direction.”
That update covers a few important names. Carter Miller, a transfer from UCF, is working through back tightness and starts on the offensive line. Maurice Brown left the Towson game with a bruise, while wide receiver DJ Black is dealing with a minor leg injury.
Black’s role has already shown up early this season. In the opener, he caught three passes for 62 yards.
The biggest question mark remains Dylan Stewart. One of the top defensive players in the country, Stewart has yet to play while recovering from the back issue that bothered him last year. South Carolina would certainly welcome him against a Mississippi State offense led by quarterback Kamario Taylor.
Beamer may wait until closer to kickoff to reveal how Stewart is handled, but the goal is clear: get as close to full strength as possible for Saturday’s 4:15 p.m. ET kickoff on the SEC Network.
In Other News...
South Carolina Faces One Big Availability Question Entering SEC Play
With SEC play looming, Shane Beamer spent part of the week sorting through a familiar early-season reality: getting injured players back on the field in time for the games that matter most. Offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak and defensive end Dylan Stewart are both trending in the right direction, Beamer said, a welcome sign for a South Carolina team that has had to monitor several moving parts as it turns the page from the opener and into league competition.
The injury list is not limited to those two, either, with Carter Miller, DJ Black, Maurice Brown II and AJ Holloway also dealing with issues. Beamer also cleared up one other point of curiosity from the opener, saying kicker Ethan Sanchez did not play because of a coaching decision and that there are no eligibility concerns surrounding him. For a team trying to get settled before conference play, the hope is simply to get more bodies available and avoid any lingering questions turning into longer-term ones. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolinas Passing Game Has A Bigger Issue Than One Sideline Spat
South Carolinas win over Towson came with a brief sideline flash point when quarterback LaNorris Sellers and receiver Mazeo Bennett got into an animated disagreement over a route. Shane Beamer said afterward the two simply saw the play differently, and the issue has already been smoothed over as the Gamecocks move on from the moment.
The bigger concern is what the exchange revealed about a passing game that still needs work before SEC play begins. Sellers finished 10 of 23 for 96 yards, and while the result was never in doubt against Towson, South Carolina knows the margin for error shrinks fast once the league schedule arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Shane Beamers Biggest Concern After South Carolinas Sloppy Win
Shane Beamer had plenty to sort through after South Carolinas uneven win over Towson, and the head coach did not try to sugarcoat how the afternoon unfolded. He liked the way his team answered in the second half, but the first half left him with the kind of concerns that tend to linger after a game like this: miscues, the wet conditions, dropped passes and a performance that never quite found rhythm when it should have.
Beamer also touched on a few of the individual decisions and roster notes that shaped the day, including the depth he sees in the running back room and the status of players such as Vicari. He also explained why Ethan Sanchez never got into the kicking game, a choice that fit into a broader picture of South Carolina trying to clean up details while still coming away with a win. [Read more 🡒]