South Carolina’s Week 1 win over Kent State gave the Gamecocks plenty to feel good about, and on Tuesday, several of the players who helped drive that performance talked through what it meant and what comes next before Saturday’s matchup with Towson at Williams-Brice Stadium.
The group at the podium included offensive linemen Nolan Hay and Darius Gray, running back Jabree Coleman, linebacker Justin Okoronkwo and EDGE Anthony Addison. Each had a hand in the opener in one way or another: Hay earned a spot on Pro Football Focus’ SEC Team of the Week, Gray impressed as a true freshman at left tackle, Coleman paced the team on the ground and scored twice - including a 60-yard touchdown on his first college carry - Addison picked up the first sack of his career, and Okoronkwo finished with three tackles.
For Hay, the opener carried a personal edge after an injury-marred season a year ago. He called the performance “very special,” saying it meant even more because it was shared with his family.
“It was very special for me. Starting the season off right, it's a great way of progressing and building on that.
It was it was very special for me and my family. We were all really excited after that game.”
Hay also pointed to the way South Carolina handled the run game, which became one of the defining parts of the night.
“Obviously, it feels amazing to be able to run as much as we did. We have a great running back room, great offensive line room.
We were very excited about how it turned out, but we weren't surprised by it at the same time. We knew that we're as good as we are, and it's going to keep going from there.”
When asked about sustaining that kind of production, Hay said the focus has to stay internal, no matter who’s on the other side.
“I think we stop looking at who we're playing and focus on us. It doesn't matter who we play.
It just matters about what we are doing. Just got to make sure that our head is at a level state.
It doesn't matter who we play. If we have Georgia this week, we have Towson.
It doesn't matter who we play. It just matters about us.”
Gray’s first start came with the kind of emotion that comes with finally getting on the field after a long wait. He said the preparation eased any nerves, but the moment still meant a lot after being recruited since 2021.
“I think for me, they just did a great job preparing me, so it wasn't too much to be nervous about. Obviously, it was just an exciting time, just because I've been here for a long time, getting recruited since like 2021. To finally go out there in front of Gamecock Nation was a dream come true.”
Even after a strong debut, Gray said the work is just getting started.
“I would say I need to work on everything. Just taking it one day at a time, just getting better at everything I can do, and just growing.
I felt like I played OK. There's a lot of things I need to clean up and fix and be more confident out there.
It's a lot of work to do, and I'm nowhere near close to where I want to be.”
Okoronkwo had family in the stands for the opener, and that made the day even more meaningful.
“They stuck it out the whole game, so I'm proud of them. Was pretty hot out there.
It's definitely great just to have family around. For a lot of guys, it's normal.
But for me, being overseas is definitely special to have them over here.”
Looking ahead, he said the defense should always be chasing a shutout, even while acknowledging there are still things to clean up.
“Of course, that should always be the goal to try to minimize the points and try to go for the shutout. Of course, we had a few mistakes.
They had a couple plays in there that we have to focus on and get right this week. That should always be the ultimate goal.”
Addison’s first sack came with the kind of relief and satisfaction that follows a long stretch of work behind the scenes.
“It just felt like all that hard work I've been doing, just with myself and my coaches, it just felt like it finally paid off. So I'm just ready to get more and help my team out.”
He also credited Deion Barnes for helping shape his development.
“Coach Barnes has helped a tremendous bit. Just his approach to pass rush and the run game.
He takes everything seriously. I feel like he wants to develop me.
He takes that serious, as well. So just having a coach that takes my development as serious as I do is a good thing that I see.”
Coleman’s night was especially memorable. He said his first touchdown run felt surreal, and he didn’t hide how much it meant to him and his family.
“I was ecstatic, and it kind of felt surreal. My first touch ever of college football, I go score.
It definitely boosted my confidence, and it just made me feel amazing. It made my family feel amazing.
Everybody was so happy, including me.”
As for when he realized the play was going to break open, Coleman pointed to the block from DJ Black and the space that opened up once he got around the corner.
“I would say once I passed the corner and DJ Black, our receiver, he had him blocked up really good, and I made it past that. After that, I just knew I had to go running.
I was going to score. I wanted it so bad.
Leading up to the game, I was telling everybody, I redshirted my freshman year at Penn State, so I didn't play. I was telling people, I didn't play football since 2024.
As soon as I get the ball, I'm going to make it count, I got to do everything I can.”
In Other News...
South Carolina May Have Found A Backfield Weapon Fans Werent Expecting
South Carolinas backfield got an unexpected spark in its Week 1 win over Kent State, and it came from a player who had yet to take an offensive snap in a Gamecocks uniform. Jabree Coleman, the Penn State transfer who redshirted last season, made his collegiate offensive debut look easy, piling up 77 yards on just four carries while finding the end zone twice in a game where the ground attack set the tone.
Coleman said the moment was everything he had hoped for, and he was quick to point to the offensive line for making the night possible. It also fit neatly into a dominant team performance on the ground, with South Carolinas running backs combining for 278 rushing yards and four touchdowns, a reminder that the Gamecocks may already have more depth in the backfield than many expected. [Read more 🡒]
Gamecocks Pass Rush Finally Gets A Very Different Week 2 Test
Kent States passing game last week offered a very different kind of challenge for a pass rush, with Dru DeShields getting the ball out in 2.4 seconds on 23 dropbacks. The Golden Flashes kept things compact, leaning on short passes with an average depth of target of 2.5 yards and only four throws that traveled more than nine yards downfield, the sort of script that can take a defenses sacks out of the equation.
Towson should ask more questions of South Carolina in Week 2, though, because Andrew Indorf has been willing to push the ball deeper and his profile comes with a much higher average depth of target. For a Gamecocks front trying to build on its early work, that creates a different kind of test: less about beating a rapid-fire release and more about staying disciplined when the ball starts traveling farther downfield. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Faces An Early Depth Test In First Night Game
South Carolina gets its first night game of the season Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium, and the matchup with Towson arrives with the Gamecocks carrying real momentum from a 57-0 rout of Kent State. They are favored again against a Towson team that is 0-2, but the bigger early-season question for Shane Beamers group is less about the opponent and more about how the roster holds up under another game.
The injury picture adds some intrigue to what should be a comfortable home date. Dylan Stewart and Jacarrius Peak are both doubtful to play, which puts a little more pressure on the depth chart as South Carolina looks to keep its start on track under the lights. Fans who want to follow along will need the streaming option, since the game is set for SEC Network Plus. [Read more 🡒]