South Carolina is heading into its season opener without its two biggest question marks looking like real possibilities for Sept. 5.
Coach Shane Beamer told The Greenville News on Aug. 19 that it’s unrealistic to expect edge rusher Dylan Stewart or left tackle Jacarrius Peak to be available when the Gamecocks open the year. Beamer did say both players should be back “very soon.”
Stewart has been dealing with a back injury that dates to midway through the 2025 season, while Peak has been working back from a knee injury he suffered while playing basketball during a team bonding event in February. Peak also missed spring practice after the injury.
Peak, a transfer from NC State, arrived in Columbia as South Carolina’s highest-rated transfer in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports. He first showed up to media at practice on Aug.
- When reporters saw him, he was in his jersey with a brace on his left knee, moving around the edge of the field with a weighted bag on his right shoulder.
Stewart has been present at every preseason practice open to the media since Aug. 7, but only off to the side. He has watched the other edge players go through drills without taking part himself.
Beamer’s update on Aug. 18 was more optimistic in tone, even if it still stopped short of a firm timetable. He said both players were still progressing and getting positive checkups.
“They each have benchmarks that they’re accomplishing each week and checkups that they have with doctors and specialists," Beamer said. "And both of them had those last week, and everything was positive and ahead of schedule in some ways. So they’re both eager to get back out there and are closer and closer each and every day since I’ve seen you guys last.”
Back in July at SEC Media Days, Beamer was asked whether he might hold Stewart and Peak out of the first two games against Kent State and Towson to give them extra time before SEC play begins Sept. 19 against Mississippi State.
“When they say they're ready to go, then they'll be ready to go and we will put them out there regardless of when and who,” Beamer said.
If Stewart is unavailable, freshman Julian Walker could be in line for a heavier workload. Walker, listed at 6-foot-6, has drawn good reviews from teammates in practice. Tennessee transfer Caleb Herring is another option.
On the offensive line, Beamer said Aug. 18 that South Carolina feels good about who its starters are, which means the staff isn’t scrambling to fill the left tackle spot while Peak recovers. Freshman Darius Gray has also caught Beamer’s attention and is in the mix.
At NC State, Peak played 2,202 total snaps in his career and allowed seven sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. In 2025, he gave up three sacks on 850 snaps and posted a 73.8 grade from PFF.
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Dylan Stewart is still dealing with a back injury that dates to the 2025 season, while Jacarrius Peak has been working back from a knee injury suffered in February and missed spring practice. Neither player is expected to be ready for the 2026 season, leaving South Carolina with more uncertainty than it wanted at a time when depth and continuity matter most. [Read more 🡒]