South Carolina got back on the field Saturday morning for its second preseason camp practice, and the first 20 minutes offered an early look at a roster still sorting itself out.
The biggest familiar absence remained on the offensive line. Jacarrius Peak, the N.C.
State transfer working back from a lower-body injury he suffered in February, was again not seen. Edge Dylan Stewart was present, but like Friday he stayed off to the side and did not take part in stretching or individual drills while continuing to manage a back injury that traces back to last season.
Shane Beamer said Thursday that both players are “on track” in their recoveries, but the exact timeline for either one is still unclear.
Without Peak in the mix, the attention inside the offensive line room naturally shifts to who sets the tone. On Saturday, that role looked to belong to Purdue transfer Hank Purvis, who is one of the leading candidates to open at left guard.
Purvis was first in line for every drill and brought a clear edge to the work, pushing the pace and making sure the group matched his urgency. At one point, he even jumped in to help the graduate assistants move gates so the next drill could start faster.
New offensive line coach Randy Clements and assistant Jason Smith have made one thing a constant: feet first. Nearly every drill included ladders, with the goal of keeping linemen light enough on their feet to avoid tripping in games.
There was also plenty of work for the running backs, who had to attack blocking sleds under coach Stan Drayton. Redshirt junior Isaiah Augustave, the 6-foot, 215-pound Colorado transfer who arrived last offseason, looked the most comfortable with that work.
The rest of the group needed a rep or two to get the technique down. Once they settled in, Matt Fuller stood out by driving the sled back with ease.
The kickers were sharp during one open period. Media did not see a miss as Max Kelley, Upton Bellenfant and Malik Orsan all took turns kicking, with Mason Love handling the holds.
At tight end, Brady Hunt and walk-on Reno Roehm were the first names to pop during individual drills. Hunt, now in his sixth season of college football and third with South Carolina, is expected to start this season.
The wideouts were mostly clean too, with very few drops during the portion of practice that was open to the media. Junior Mazeo Bennett also looked like he was moving well, which stood out as a positive sign after Bennett’s down 2025 season.
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