South Carolina’s offensive line came out of the SEC opener with some encouragement, even in a 41-34 loss to Mississippi State. After watching the film on Sunday, Shane Beamer liked what he saw from a group that was asked to shuffle, adjust and keep LaNorris Sellers upright against a tough opponent.
Beamer said the line “did a great job,” and added that the “pocket was clean” for Sellers for much of the night. That protection helped South Carolina put together a productive run game when sacks were taken out of the equation, finishing with 162 rushing yards at 4.5 yards per carry.
Matt Fuller led the way on the ground with 17 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown. Jabree Coleman added four carries for 18 yards, Christian Clark had one carry for one yard, and a few wide receivers also got involved in the rushing attack.
The Gamecocks logged 86 offensive plays, according to Pro Football Focus, and the snap counts reflected just how many pieces were moving around up front. Of the 15 players who were on the field for at least 27 snaps, Nolan Hay posted the highest grade at 74.9, followed by Jacarrius Peak at 70.7. Darius Gray checked in at 64.4, with Hank Purvis next at 63.1, then Emmanuel Poku at 62.0 and Dayne Arnett at 60.5.
Beamer pointed to the way Randy Clements likes to rotate linemen as part of the reason South Carolina was able to keep multiple bodies involved. He also singled out Gray, who started at left tackle in his first SEC game before moving to the right side and playing right tackle.
“(Offensive line coach Randy Clements), he likes to rotate linemen in and out and keep them fresh, and we played a bunch of guys last night. Darius Gray continues to prove what a special person he is, to be able to not only play in his first SEC game but start at left tackle and then be able to go over to the right side and play right tackle. … Was pretty awesome to see,” Beamer said.
Hay’s night included a move to center in place of Carter Miller, who missed the game with a back injury. That shift pushed Purvis into the left guard spot Hay had been occupying, while Gray and Arnett stayed in the starting group at tackle. Gray also spent time at right tackle while Peak was on the field for 37 snaps.
“We didn't have Carter Miller last night, so that hurt, but Nolan and Hank and Kojo on the inside did a nice job. (Ebubedike Nnabugwu) came in and did some good things at the guard position, so I thought all those guys did some really good things. And then proud of Peak,” Beamer said.
He also said, “To be able to come in after not even going through spring practice and not playing football since last December was pretty awesome to see (Peak) come in and do what he did. You know, our offense in general, certainly there's a lot of plays that we left out there last night and need to be better.
But it was game three in this new system with coach Briles and what he brought. When you play a really good opponent, you learn some things about your team in all three phases, and we certainly did last night.
I know we'll be better going forward.”
In Other News...
South Carolina Fans Had To Sit Through One More Brutal Moment
South Carolina fans have already had plenty to stew over after watching Mississippi State erase a 16-0 deficit and leave Columbia with a 41-34 road win. The Gamecocks built a fast lead, but Kamario Taylor kept the Bulldogs alive with a sharp passing performance, hitting 18 of 26 throws for 251 yards and four touchdowns, while Fluff Bothwell added 115 rushing yards to help fuel the comeback.
The on-field collapse was painful enough, but the broadcast added one more awkward moment for the home crowd. ESPN cameras caught a couple in the stands arguing, and the scene quickly started circulating online, turning an ugly afternoon into the kind of game South Carolina fans will remember for more than the final score. [Read more 🡒]
South Carolina Heads Into Alabama Week With One Big Injury Concern
South Carolina left Starkville with more than a 41-34 loss to Mississippi State, and the injury list may end up shaping the conversation heading into Alabama week as much as the result itself. Defensive tackle Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy, defensive back Gerald Kilgore, linebacker Shawn Murphy and running back Jabree Coleman all did not finish the game, but the early indication is that none of those issues are expected to linger long-term.
The bigger concern is edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who managed only 14 snaps before his back injury flared up again. There is some encouraging news around the roster, though, with offensive lineman Carter Miller, cornerback Vicari Swain and tight end Maurice Brown II expected back for the next game. Even so, South Carolina will spend the week sorting through a defense that took some hits at a time when the schedule is only getting tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Stewart's Return Leaves South Carolina Watching One Big Concern
Dylan Stewarts long-awaited season debut gave South Carolina a chance to ease one of its most important defenders back into the rotation, but the plan was always built around caution. Shane Beamer said Stewart did not finish the game against Mississippi State because his back was not feeling well in the fourth quarter, and the staff had already mapped out a limited role for him after he missed two games with a back injury.
Stewart was on the field for about 14 snaps, part of an approach aimed at balancing conditioning with health as he worked back into form. He still managed to make a small impact with one tackle and two quarterback hurries, but for the Gamecocks the bigger question now is how much workload he can handle going forward without his back becoming a problem again. [Read more 🡒]