Jacarrius Peak arrived at South Carolina with a reputation that traveled ahead of him.
The Gamecocks’ offensive lineman, a highly regarded transfer from N.C. State, is the kind of player who doesn’t hand out trust lightly. Assistant O-line coach Jason Smith said Peak “watches everybody,” and that building his respect takes time.
“You have to earn his trust and his respect. He’s a very strong-hearted man who has his values very high.”
South Carolina made that process easier in the winter. When Peak came to the football facility, he found the entire coaching staff waiting for him, including the defensive coaches. The gesture landed.
“Just to see how big I was, I guess,” the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Peak said with a smile. “Just little things like that.
Like I knew this was family. I just needed to know the plan, and once I got inside the building and started talking to the coaches, I found out my plan and my reason to come here.”
That reason, in Peak’s words, was simple.
“Get better as a man on the field and off the field,” Peak said. “And just go as God takes me.”
The plan hit an early snag before spring practice even started. Peak suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury while taking part in a team-organized 3-on-3 basketball tournament in February. He was on campus Thursday for media day without a brace and didn’t appear to be limping, and he sounded hopeful about being ready for the Sept. 5 season opener.
Still, coach Shane Beamer said Peak and star defender Dylan Stewart, who is dealing with a back issue, are not expected to be full-go when preseason practice opens Friday.
For Peak, the setback has complicated the early months of his South Carolina career. He missed all of spring practice, which meant no live reps in a new offense and no real chance to build chemistry with a line that needs time to settle in.
That’s a tough spot for any newcomer, even one with Peak’s background as a veteran starting left tackle. He came to Columbia ready to be a presence in the room, but injury changed the job description.
“It’s very challenging because you spend more of your time in the training room than you do actually in the position room,” OL coach Randy Clements said. “(Leadership) hasn’t been the focus for him at this point. It’s been more working on him getting to 100%.”
Peak sees it the same way. He understands that leadership starts with what he does first, not what he says second.
“Just knowing that I have to take care of me and make sure I’m doing everything right before I speak up to someone else,” Peak said. “That played a big part in my leadership.”
And for now, that’s where his focus stays.
“I know I’m doing everything in my power and will to do what I’m supposed to do to get back on the field,” Peak said. “As long as a I keep doing that and trust in God, believe in God, everything will work out how it’s supposed to.”
In Other News...
South Carolinas Rebuilt O Line Is Starting To Reveal Its Identity
South Carolinas offensive line is one of the more interesting groups on the roster heading into preseason practice, mostly because so much of it is being built from scratch. Randy Clements is in his first year coaching the position, the room has 21 players, and 14 of them are first-year arrivals, which gives the unit a very different feel than the veteran-laden lines most teams hope to lean on in August. Clements has spent the offseason sorting through that mix while introducing a simple install and trying to make sure the transfers and newcomers blend quickly enough to function as one group.
Blake Franks is part of that ongoing picture as he continues working his way back and trying to settle into the room with the rest of the line. Clements has emphasized that the next step is less about adding complexity and more about discipline, since negative plays can undo even a promising front in a hurry. With practice set to begin Aug. 7 and a detailed schedule running through Aug. 11, South Carolina should start getting a clearer read on which combinations and traits are actually taking hold. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Defense Enters Camp With One Spot Raising The Stakes
With preseason camp set to open Friday morning, Clayton White is spending his final days before practice looking at more than just who is back on the South Carolina defense. The Gamecocks return several starters, and White said the focus entering camp is on building consistency while carrying over the adjustments the staff made after last season.
The spot drawing the most attention is at safety, where the competition will help define how quickly this defense settles in once the pads come on. For a unit that wants to be steadier from week to week, the early days of camp should start answering one of the bigger questions on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolinas Defensive Front Has A Camp Battle Fans Need To Watch
With preseason camp looming and a season opener against Kent State on the schedule, South Carolinas defensive front is shaping up as one of the more interesting parts of camp. Defensive coordinator Clayton White sounded confident about the group entering 2026, pointing to a mix of proven returners and new pieces that gives the Gamecocks a chance to lean on depth up front. Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, Troy Pikes, Tomiwa Durojaiye and Kelby Collins are among the names White highlighted as the staff takes a close look at how the line fits together.
Defensive line coach Travian Robertson has added a few more players to the watch list, with Jordan Thomas, Noah Clark and Caleb Williams also in the mix as camp approaches. For South Carolina, the real intrigue is how quickly that group turns confidence into clarity, because the staff still has to sort out roles and find the best combinations before the opener arrives. Camp should tell plenty about which linemen are ready to seize the opportunity and which battles are still waiting to be settled. [Read more 🡒]