Shane Beamer says South Carolina is in a better spot as the season opener creeps closer, and he likes what he’s seeing from his team across the board.
With Kent State coming up in just over a week, Beamer said Thursday that the Gamecocks have made real progress during preseason camp, though a few jobs are still up for grabs.
“I really like where we are right now, offensively, defensively, special teams, the progress we made, the way things have come together,” he said on Thursday. “There’s still position battles and rotation battles that are going on. That’s really for me the big emphasis this week, and next week is seeing some of those things solidify themselves as we go into game one.”
The optimism comes with plenty of pressure around the program. South Carolina has to make a major jump in 2026 to get back into the SEC race, and Beamer is coaching with a lot on the line after the Gamecocks fell from 9-4 in 2024 to 4-8 a year later.
A big part of the reset is Kendall Briles, who arrives as the program’s fourth offensive coordinator in the Beamer era and is expected to help spark a turnaround on that side of the ball.
Much of the focus will land on LaNorris Sellers, who was expected to take another step in 2025 after a strong 2024. Instead, his numbers dipped. He went from 2,534 passing yards and 18 touchdowns in 2024 to 2,437 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, while his rushing production dropped from 674 yards and seven scores to 270 yards and five touchdowns.
The ground game was a problem too. South Carolina averaged just 111.1 rushing yards per game, which ranked second-worst in the SEC and inside the bottom 20 nationally.
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 🡒]
Beamer Just Put South Carolina's Opener Lineup In Doubt
South Carolinas preparations for the season opener have already been complicated by injuries, with Shane Beamer saying offensive lineman Jacarrius Peak and defensive end Dylan Stewart are doubtful against Kent State. Peak has been dealing with the injury since February, while Stewarts back issue has lingered since 2025, leaving two important pieces of the Gamecocks front lines in uncertain shape as kickoff approaches.
There was at least a little better news on the availability front with tight end Brady Hunt, who is expected to be on the field for the opener. Beamer said Hunt would be listed as questionable if the game were this Saturday, so South Carolina still has some waiting to do before its first depth chart puzzle is fully solved. [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 🡒]