David Bucey has spent most of his first two seasons doing the kind of work that doesn’t always grab headlines: covering kicks, filling lanes, and making his presence felt on special teams. Now, with preseason camp moving toward its final stretch, he’s in position to turn that steady buildup into a starting role at safety.
The junior defensive back has appeared in 25 games, but his snaps on defense have only recently started to climb. That included his lone start against Missouri, when he finished with five tackles and showed what he can bring if the job opens up alongside Peyton Williams.
As South Carolina prepares for its second scrimmage on Saturday, Bucey says the approach stays the same.
"It's definitely a goal, but I just try to stay humble," Bucey said on earning a starting position during Tuesday's press conference. "Not be too comfortable. Just keep on working every single day and just getting better, for sure."
That mindset has been part of Bucey’s identity from the start. He has built a reputation for playing fast and physical, and one of his most memorable moments came two seasons ago in Tuscaloosa, when a hard hit on a kickoff against Alabama forced a fumble.
He’s waited behind veteran safeties, but the path is opening now. Bucey says his edge comes from effort and consistency.
"I just know I play with a lot of effort every single play," he said. "I know I could bring that.
Good tackling. Feel like I've done it well.
Just continue to take coaching and just keep stacking days."
He also had praise for freshman J'Zavien Currence, another player in the mix at safety.
"He's a really good player, a really good kid, and it's been fun to watch him learn the learn the defense and pick it up this fast," Bucey said. "So, he's ready."
That work has not gone unnoticed inside the program. Cornerback Judge Collier pointed to Bucey’s toughness and the way his summer habits carry over once the pads come on.
"His toughness. Bucey is physical.
He's tough. He's gritty," Collier said.
"Even throughout the summer workouts. What he does over the summer translates to the field.
Conditioning, running, lifting. Bucey is also the first.
Out there on the field, y'all see him. His tenacity.
He's tough. He's physical.
He's downhill. That's just the type of guy he is."
Head coach Shane Beamer echoed that sentiment last week, saying Bucey was someone that " not enough people are talking about" heading into 2026.
"Another one that just, you talk about the mindset and the physicality and what we want to be about as a team and as a program. He fits that," Beamer said.
"He's just really serious about his work. Great young man.
Same thing with him.
"You go back to his freshman year covering a kickoff against Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and he hits the returner and jars the ball loose, and that's as a true freshman. Everybody kind of realized who David Bucey was at that point, if they didn't already."
Bucey and the Gamecocks will head to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday for a key final scrimmage of preseason camp, with Kent State set to arrive on Sept. 5.
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