Spurs and Feathers March 2017 by Spurs & Feathers

SEC

MARCH 2017 • VOLUME 39 • ISSUE 3 • $1.50

PLAYER F THE

YEAR Bentley poised to lead SC to the promised land

UPCOMING EVENTS

THANK YOU!

Meet Jackie Bradley Jr. at Gamecock Club event The National Capital Regional Gamecock Club in Washington, D.C. will hold a special event that features a Gamecock baseball great later this month. WHEN: Friday, March 31, meet-andGlove finalist in action from group seats greet sometime after 1:30 p.m., game at in center field (outfield section 142). 4:05 p.m. Tickets are $29, a discounted price for our group. To order tickets for this game, WHERE: Nationals Park, Washington, go to https://groupmatics.events/#/ DC event/National. You can also get info at GENERAL INFO: We will do meet-andthe National Capital Regional Gamecock greet with Jackie Bradley Jr. prior to the Club’s Facebook page. game, and then watch the 2016 Golden

s always, thanks for your incredible support of the Gamecock Club and the University of South Carolina. Below is our publication schedule for the 2017 year. Please note, the magazine for December could move to January if the Gamecock football team plays in a bowl game.

April 26 -

Newspaper

Oct. 11 -

Newspaper

May 24 -

Newspaper

Oct. 18 -

Newspaper

June 14 -

Newspaper

Oct. 25 -

BYE WEEK (no publication)

July 26 -

Newspaper

Nov. 1 -

Newspaper

Aug. 23 -

Newspaper

Nov. 8 -

Newspaper

Sept. 6 -

Newspaper

Nov. 15 -

Newspaper

Sept. 13 -

Newspaper

Nov. 22 -

Newspaper

Sept. 20 -

Newspaper

Nov. 29 -

Newspaper

Sept. 27 -

Newspaper

Dec. 20 -

Magazine

Oct. 4 -

Newspaper

Contents 3.

Owens: Bentley generating plenty of buzz

11.

10 questions Gamecocks must answer

RB core gets key addition

Spring game big for program

OTC: The future begins with Bentley

11.

Edwards ready to shine

TO SUBSCRIBE:

Please call 1-800-559-2311 Annual subscription price is $50

STAFF

Rhonda Overbey

Publisher/ Advertising Director Aiken Communications, Inc. roverbey@aikenstandard.com (803) 644-2345

GAMECOCK CLUB

Wilson proves again she is the best

21. Gunter: Seniors built Gamecock program

Photos: Action from spring

14.

Kornblut: Recruiting roundup

15.

Moore: Reading is key

BASKETBALL

BASEBALL

16.

OTC: Thornwell proved to be something special

22. Gamecocks in the pros: From SC to the big leagues

18. Women step up in crunch time

Executive Editor jowens@spursandfeathers.com

326 Rutland Drive N.W. PO Box 456 Aiken, SC, 29801

20.

12.

Jeff Owens

Open to all Gamecock fans on Thursday, April 13. South Carolina running backs coach Bobby Bentley will be the guest speaker with a guest appearance by Cocky. WHEN: April 13 smoked turkey, mac and cheese, green WHERE: Tin Lizzy’s, 2821 Washington beans, slaw, Texas toast, gourmet BBQ sauces; includes a non-alcoholic beverage Rd, Augusta, GA. and Cash bar. SCHEDULE: 5:30-6:45 p.m. — Social Raffle for a football autographed by and Dinner (BBQ Bar, $10 per person coach Muschamp and two passes to be before tax and gratuity) on the field for 2001 at the Kentucky 7 p.m. — Guest speaker Coach Bentley. game on Sept. 16. MENU: Smoked pulled pork butt,

Wolford brings blue-collar approach to OL

FOOTBALL 4.

Augusta Gamecock Club hosting Event

Kyle Heck

Staff Writer kheck@spursandfeathers.com

Kathy Boyette

Advertising Sales Manager (803) 295-3654 kboyette@spursandfeathers.com

Brooks Rogers

Advertising Representative (803) 446-4022 brooks@spursandfeathers.com

24.

Closer Tyler Johnson bringing the heat

SPRING SPORTS 26.

Swimming, diving teams enjoy record-breaking success

27.

Track and field team has speed, strength to contend

28.

Photos: Gamecocks in Action

30.

Gamecock News and Notes

31.

Giradeau: Clemson loss will soon be forgotten

24. Gamecocks

learn cruel lesson

Ed Girardeau

Contributing Editor/ Sales Account Executive ed@spursandfeathers.com (803) 646-9807

Allen Sharpe Photographer

Jenny Dilworth Photographer

Dre Lopez

Graphic Designer

Contributing Writers

Bill Gunter, Langston Moore, Ed Girardeau, Phil Kornblut and Brian Hand.

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

Postal Information:

SPURS & FEATHERS (USPS 12779) (ISSN7454368X) is published 20 times annually. The frequency is monthly in January, April and July. The publication is weekly from September-November. SPURS & FEATHERS also publishes two slickpaper magazine issues — one in August and one in December. The annual subscription price is $50 for non Gamecock Club Members. Members of the Gamecock Club receive a discounted subscription as a member benefit. Spurs & Feathers is published by Aiken Communications, Inc., 326 Rutland Drive NW, Aiken, SC, 29801-4010. Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, SC Postmaster: Send changes to SPURS & FEATHERS, PO Box 456, Aiken, SC, 29802

March 2017

Bentley becoming South Carolina's big man on campus

here is a lot of buzz around the South Carolina athletic program these days. The South Carolina women’s basketball team just won its fourth straight SEC championship, Jeff Owens third straight SEC Executive Editor tournament and has its sights set on playing for a national title. The men’s team is headed for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2004 and star Sindarius Thornwell was named SEC Player of the Year. Despite a slow start, the nationally ranked baseball team is still considered a threat to make another deep run in the Regionals and Super Regionals. And spring football practice has begun, generating excitement and anticipation for Will Muschamp’s second season as head coach. But there is no one on campus with more buzz swirling around them than Gamecock quarterback Jake Bentley. The 19-year-old sophomore rescued the

Gamecocks from a miserable season last year, carrying the team to six wins after a 2-4 start. Bentley took over in the seventh game of the season and instantly drew rave reviews for his poise and leadership (see page 8), not to mention his strong, accurate arm and athleticism on the field. Bentley gave his young team — not to mention Gamecock Nation — something it desperately needed. Hope. Hope that it can compete in the mighty SEC, and hope for brighter days ahead. Bentley was so impressive in his first season that expectations for him and the Gamecock football team are soaring. In half a season, South Carolina went from a program on a downward spiral to one being given a chance to contend for the SEC East title in Muschamp’s second season. Bentley has quickly risen from a four-star recruit who skipped his senior year of high school to a star scouts are already analyzing for the next level. When TV analyst and former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Andre Ware watched Bentley play last year, he warned South Carolina fans to “enjoy him while you can,” speculating that the young QB would be in the NFL in two years. Don’t worry, Gamecock fans, that’s not Bentley’s plan at all. “I’m thinking of staying here for four years right now,” Bentley declared prior to spring

practice. “I want to win a national championship, and however long it takes, I want to do it.” What should excite Gamecock fans is that Bentley does have his eye on the NFL — and has the talent and pedigree to get there. “Jake wants to be a pro. Jake wants to be a great one,” his father, Gamecock assistant coach Bobby Bentley, said. If Bentley develops as expected and reaches his potential, that bodes well for the Gamecocks. He could return the program to the type of national prominence it enjoyed when Connor Shaw, the winningest quarterback in school history, was under center for coach Steve Spurrier. And he could become just the third South Carolina quarterback selected in the NFL draft (Todd Ellis, 1990; Jeff Grantz, 1976). But perhaps the best thing about Bentley is that he is not focused on his long-term future and pro career. Right now, he has tunnel vision, and his mission is clear. “Every year we expect to win the (SEC) East,” he said. “If we don’t do that, we fall short of our expectations. The young talent that we

Photo by Jenny Dilworth

have is definitely ready to win a national championship or an SEC championship, and we are willing to do whatever it takes.” That’s not just coach speak for the son of a successful coach and a player who has been groomed for this moment. It’s a glimpse into what drives Jake Bentley. And it’s the reason there is so much buzz around the young quarterback, and why Gamecock fans should be excited. Jeff Owens can be reached at jowens@spursandfeathers.com or on Twitter at @jowens_SpursUp.

TERRY BISHOP TEAM

#1 RE/MAX agent

in Columbia Former Gamecock Football Player & Letterman

CYPRESS LAKE 6BR, 5BA, 4528 SQ. FT. MLS #410556 $493,700

NEW LISTING

PRICE IMPROVEMENT

BARR LAKE 5BR, 4BA, 3605 SQ. FT. MLS#418271 $339,500

ADESSO 2BR, 2BA, 1412 SQ. FT. MLS#400369 $285,900

(803) 665-1442 TerryBishopTeam.com

March 2017

NEW LISTING

CAROLINA WALK 2BR, 2BA, 1116 SQ. FT. MLS#418719 $269,450

THE SPUR 1BR, 1BA, 800 SQ. FT. MLS#418209 $130,750

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

PRICE IMPROVEMENT CHESTNUT HILL 4BR, 3.5BA, 2256 SQ. FT. MLS#412587 $229,650 AS14-1554555-1 EDITOR'S NOTE

FOOTBALL GAMECOCKS HOPE TO ANSWER THESE KEY QUESTIONS DURING SPRING PRACTICE BY KYLE HECK | STAFF WRITER PHOTOS BY ALLEN SHARPE

outh Carolina officially started spring practice on Feb. 25, and it kicked off a very important stretch for the Gamecocks. For more than a month, the still relatively young team will get an opportunity to practice and develop. It’s an opportunity for head coach Will Muschamp and the coaching staff to see which players made the biggest strides over the offseason, and it’s also a chance for a few early enrollees to try and make a good early impression. The Gamecocks will have 14 practice sessions from late February through March, culminating with the Garnet & Black Spring Game on April 1. Spurs & Feathers writer Kyle Heck takes a look at 10 important questions for the Gamecocks as they go through spring practice.

take over there. A defensive line prospect in high school, the coaching staff has done a great job of developing the big body of Hutcherson and have been impressed with the redshirt freshman. Malik Young is another candidate to start at left tackle. On the inside of the line at the guard spots and center, the Gamecocks have a lot of experience returning. Though Bailey will move outside, South Carolina will have a healthy Donell Stanley to play one of the guard spots. D.J. Park played right tackle last year, but could slide to left guard and switch spots with Bailey. Alan Knott and Cory Helms can both play center and right guard. How Wolford handles this group will be

1. Who will emerge on the OL? After offensive line coach Shawn Elliott departed the program to become head coach at Georgia State, Muschamp decided to replace him with Eric Wolford. Wolford is familiar with the Gamecocks as he was the offensive line coach during the 2009 season. The Gamecocks lose just one starter, left tackle Mason Zandi, from last year’s team, but there will still be quite the shake-up. Left guard Zack Bailey will move to right tackle. It will be interesting to see how Bailey handles the move during the spring. At the vacant left-tackle position, Sadarius Hutcherson is a surprising candidate to

FOOTBALL | SPRING PRACTICE

return of Skai Moore. The senior has been cleared for all activity, according to Muschamp, and will immediately become the Gamecocks’ best defensive player. Moore led the team in tackles his first three seasons before missing last year with a neck injury. After a year off, we’ll have to see how Moore responds to being back in practice. Bryson Allen-Williams is another returnee who made big strides under Muschamp and the defensive staff. T.J. Brunson received playing time as a freshman last season, and is working with the starters early in spring practice. Due to graduation and transfers, those three are the only healthy bodies the Gamecocks will have at linebacker during spring practice. It will be interesting to see how the reps are handled so none of them are overworked. South Carolina will have four more linebackers enroll in the summer, which should alleviate the depth concerns for the time being.

be on Williams since this spring is the first chance many will get to see him in action. Williams joins a stacked running back group that features Rico Dowdle and A.J. Turner. Both played extensively last season and did some good things. Dowdle rushed for 764 yards and six touchdowns, while Turner ran for nearly 500 yards and three more scores. There will almost certainly be some kind of rotation during the season, but we don’t know yet what it will be. Spring practice could shed light on who will step up and take the majority of reps. Generally, teams stick to mainly a two-back set in the backfield, but with the amount of depth the Gamecocks have there, it’s possible that all three could play a lot.

3. Who will be the lead RB?

important to watch. He credited Elliott for implementing a hard-working mentality in the line, but the new coach is sure to throw in his own wrinkles.

2. How will the linebacker group handle its thin depth? The biggest news at linebacker is the

At the running back position, the Gamecocks receive a boost from another player who was around last year but couldn’t help the team. Ty’Son Williams made the border jump from North Carolina to South Carolina and redshirted in 2016. His teammates raved about him during practice last season. Listed at 6-foot, 220 pounds, Williams is able to run over defenders while still having the capability to jump outside and outrun defensive backs. A lot of eyes will

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

4. How much will the defensive line improve? Muschamp was pleased with some of what the defensive line was able to do last season, but it wasn’t nearly enough. One of the biggest problems the Gamecocks have had March 2017

participating in practice. Kaleb Chalmers and Jaylin Dickerson are already getting consistent reps, and Muschamp has been really impressed with Dickerson. He could get a lot of early playing time at safety. Jamarcus King, Chris Lammons and Rashad Fenton all return after playing a lot last year, and they understand what they need to do now. Antoine Wilder showed a lot of improvement in 2016 and could be the starter at nickel, while D.J. Smith and Steven Montac will add to the competition at safety. Javon Charleston has moved back and forth from receiver to defensive back, and it appears he has settled at defensive back entering the spring. He was another player that Muschamp was impressed with.

7. How much improvement did QB Bentley make over the offseason? to overcome the last few years is generating consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks from the defensive line. If you have to blitz to generate pressure, it usually doesn’t end well. Successful teams need to disrupt opposing offenses with a regular four-man front. Defensive line was a big focus during this past recruiting class, and the Gamecocks signed four talented players to help out. Only one, M.J. Webb, will participate in spring practice, however. The biggest storyline of the spring will be how much the returners improved. Taylor Stallworth and Ulric Jones are the two starting tackles to start the spring, and both showed improvement last season. Muschamp mentioned Stephon Taylor, Aaron Thompson and Kobe Smith as players he hoped made big jumps during their redshirt seasons last year. At defensive end/BUCK, Dante Sawyer and D.J. Wonnum are the two leaders there, respectively. Muschamp was impressed with the offseason of Wonnum, who is up to 250 pounds. Muschamp and defensive line coach Lance Thompson will spend a lot of time with the defensive line this spring. Last year they were trying to get to know the players, but this spring the coaches will expect major improvement from the defensive front.

5. Who steps up behind receivers Deebo Samuel and Bryan Edwards? Last season, South Carolina was thin at wide receiver thanks to several injuries to some of the young players. Deebo Samuel March 2017

overcame his own injury woes, as did freshman Bryan Edwards, to become the two major threats for the Gamecocks. No one came close to touching the numbers those two compiled — 1,475 yards combined and 11 total touchdowns. As spring practice ramps up, the Gamecocks will need other players to step up. Early enrollee OrTre Smith is the top candidate, but he underwent sports hernia surgery and will be limited to start the spring. Chavis Dawkins, Randrecous Davis and Korey Banks will be looked upon to make big strides from their freshman seasons and Terry Googer is one of the few veterans in the group. Because of the lack of depth last season, the Gamecocks were forced to use a lot of two-receiver and two-tight end sets. Ideally, offensive coordinator Kurt Roper would like to spread the field with more receivers, and it will be interesting to see if there’s enough development from the young players to do that.

6. How will early enrollees ﬁt in the secondary? Muschamp made no secret last season that he was disappointed at times with his defensive backs. In some games, the defensive backs struggled to be physical enough on the outside and sometimes avoided contact, which obviously does not make Muschamp happy. This spring will be all about engraining a physical mentality into the group, and South Carolina will have two early enrollees

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Jake Bentley received his first career start against UMass last year, and immediately took a firm grip on the quarterback position. He played well during the last half of the season, and was one of the major reasons the Gamecocks were able to make a bowl game after a 2-4 start. Bentley enters his first spring practice as the unquestioned No. 1 quarterback, and like so many of the other young players, it will be interesting to see how much progress he made during the offseason. Bentley has played in big-time SEC games and has shown he can be a good leader. This spring will provide him the perfect opportunity to develop more chemistry with his receivers and tight ends.

8. How will TE group stack up? One of the deeper positions last season was at tight end. Hayden Hurst emerged as one of the best tight ends in the SEC, and as he continues to develop could easily become one of the best in the country. K.C. Crosby was a touchdown machine as a sophomore, catching four touchdowns on just 23 receptions. Jacob August, Kiel Pollard and Kyle Markway all return as well and could get into the mix with good springs. Muschamp praised Pollard for the work he’s put in so far. Hurst is the No. 1 tight end, but that position gets a lot of attention in the Gamecocks’ offense and a lot of times there are two tight ends on the field. South Carolina would like to put more receivers on the field, but one thing that could alter that plan is the vast

Spurs & Feathers

amount of talent at tight end. There will be plenty of opportunities during the spring for every tight end to make an impression on the coaching staff, and it will be interesting to see how the depth chart plays out there.

9. Will the Gamecocks be more physical? Muschamp didn’t mince words during his spring preview press conference when talking about South Carolina’s team physicality last season. In fact, he called the Gamecocks a “soft organization” last year, and that has to change this spring. Last spring was a transition period, but this spring will be all about being more physical. That was a tremendous focus during the recruiting period and offseason program. When talking to players before spring practice started, it was clear that being physical is something they’ve been challenged with every single day since the season ended. South Carolina wasn’t particularly good in road games last season, and Muschamp said that had a lot to do with the lack of mental toughness. The coaching staff will spend a lot of time this spring focusing on those two areas. From what we’ve been able to see in spring practice so far, this year’s group looks much faster and physical, and that should only continue to improve as practice wears on.

10. Who steps up on special teams? South Carolina was a young team overall last season, and because of that return a lot of experience. That isn’t the case with the special teams unit, however. The Gamecocks lose their placekicker, punter and long snapper from last year. Elliott Fry was arguably the best kicker in school history, and punter Sean Kelly was extremely valuable during his two seasons. Long-snapper Drew Williams made everything work and was virtually mistake-free his entire career. One of the biggest questions this spring is finding replacements for those guys. Alex Woznick enters the spring as the leader at placekicker, with Michael Almond close behind. Almond and Joseph Charlton are battling for punter duties while Harrison Freeman, Nick McGriff and Ben Asbury are three guys to watch at snapper. All of those players will battle it out this spring, and ideally Muschamp would like someone to separate at each spot by the end of practice.

SPRING PRACTICE | FOOTBALL

t h a

Talented tailbacks get boost with addition of Williams by Kyle Heck | Staff writer | Photos by Allen Sharpe

outh Carolina had a strong running back duo last season as Rico Dowdle and A.J. Turner combined to rush for more than 1,200 yards for the Gamecocks. That situation will be even better in 2017. Dowdle and Turner return, and the Gamecocks will welcome Ty’Son Williams, a former top high school player in the state of South Carolina. The running back spent his freshman season at North Carolina before deciding to transfer last year. Williams redshirted last season after transferring, and he enters this year “older and wiser,” which can only be a good thing for the Gamecocks. “It was more about trying to develop the body and getting you prepared for playing on Saturdays,” Williams said of his redshirt workouts. Williams dazzled his South Carolina teammates during those workouts and practices and impressed the coaches as well. A big back at 6-foot, 209 pounds, Williams has the ability to run over people and bounce to the outside and run past defenders. While he was impressive during practices, it was tough for Williams on game days last season. “The hardest thing was knowing I couldn’t go out there with my teammates,”

FOOTBALL | RUNNING BACKS

Williams said. “I (was) in there practicing with them, trying to give them a good look, so when they go out there (in a game) you want to go out there with your guys.” However, the year gave Williams a chance to learn from running backs coach Bobby Bentley. As a freshman at North Carolina, Williams rushed 19 times for 57 yards. The redshirt year allowed him to focus on things he could do to become a better player. “There were a lot of things,” Williams

said. “I felt like I wasn’t being patient running the ball. Just working on my cuts, working on where your eyes need to be, just a lot of little things that make a big difference.” Williams’ backfield teammates are excited to finally be able to play with the talented back. “It’s going to be a great season, I feel like,” Turner said. “We have three backs now. There’s never going to be a drop off. That’s always a good thing. Ultimately, we want to win (and) usually you’re supposed to have two backs, but now that we have three, that gives us an advantage. I’m really excited for it.” Turner burst onto the scene last year as a redshirt freshman. He didn’t receive a lot of hype entering spring practice, but great performances in the preseason allowed him

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

to stand out from the crowd. He went on to start four games for the Gamecocks and was second on the team in rushing yards. He is the smallest tailback of the group, but believes he can do a lot of different things for his team. “I feel like I’m versatile,” Turner said. “I can split out wide, run routes, stay inside and run inside zone and stuff like that. I can do a number of different things.” Williams was able to sit back and watch Dowdle blossom into a spectacular player. The Asheville native missed the first four games while recovering from sports hernia surgery, but was a force to be reckoned with when he was able to get on the field. Dowdle rushed for a team-high 764 yards in nine games, and Williams is excited to get on the field with him. “I was very impressed,” Williams said. “A freshman coming in and making that big of an impact, that’s tremendous. You don’t see that a lot of times, especially in the SEC.” All three running backs believe they bring something different to the table, and Mon Denson and Caleb Kinlaw should further enhance the tailback depth. The talented and deep running back core should give the Gamecocks valuable weapons to use behind quarterback Jake Bentley. March 2017

Moving spring game big for recruits, Gamecock Club By Kyle Heck | Staff Writer | Photos by Allen Sharpe

South Carolina. Things will change this season as South Carolina announced that the spring game will be moved to the weekend before The Masters, starting this season. The second spring game under head coach Will Mus-

AS09-1554599-1

n the past, South Carolina’s football spring game has been held the same weekend as The Masters. With the prestigious golf tournament taking place just an hour down the road in Augusta, it made for an extremely busy weekend for the state of

1421 Atlas Road I 776-4466 I www.jeffersmcgill.com I Serving the Midlands for over 50 years March 2017

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

champ will take place on Saturday, April 1. “The Masters weekend obviously did affect us a little bit as far as our crowd is concerned,” Muschamp said. “We need to have a huge crowd for the recruits that’ll be at the game. That was one part of it.” As Muschamp mentioned, it’s important to create a memorable atmosphere for recruits in town. Now they’ll get more of a taste of what it’s really like inside Williams-Brice Stadium in the fall. And Gamecock fans that were wrapped up with The Masters in the past will now have two huge events on different weekends. “Spring games are big right now and coach Muschamp mentioned that it’s a big recruiting tool for us,” Gamecock Club Executive Director Patrick McFarland said. “To have the opportunity for our fans to come out and show how important Gamecock football is, not only during the season but during the spring, I think it speaks volumes.” There are several events planned by the university and the Gamecock Club to coordinate with the spring game. During the game itself, the Gamecock Club will honor members that have been with the club for 50 years or more. It’s a special opportunity to recognize extreme dedication to the Gamecock Club.

Spurs & Feathers

“It’s an opportunity for us to recognize our most loyal members, the people who have been with us the longest,” McFarland said. “It’s a chance to be able to get them up in the 600 level and have a nice brunch for them. It’s a great opportunity to have the chance to thank them in person.” A groundbreaking will also be held for the new football operations building located just outside Williams-Brice Stadium. The ceremony will take place before the game, and fans are invited over to watch it. There will be more entertainment before the spring game as the University of South Carolina Lettermen’s Association will hold the second annual flag football game for alumni. Former players will participate and it should be a must-watch event again. Kickoff for the spring game on April 1 is set for 2 p.m. and can also be seen on the SEC Network.

SPRING GAME | FOOTBALL

NG A WINNER Jake Bentley poised DI to lead SC to the IL promised land BU By Jeff Owens | Executive Editor Photos by Allen Sharpe and Jenny Dilworth

s Bobby Bentley marched around the field at James F. Byrnes High School, preparing his team for another run at the South Carolina state championship, his youngest son jumped up and down in a playpen next to the practice field. Bentley, who was in the process of building one of the most successful high school football programs in the country, watched his young son and knew immediately that something was different about him. “His brother was 5, and he was more dominant athletically than his brothers,” Bentley said. “I knew something was different then.” Four years later, young Jake was playing

FOOTBALL | BENTLEY

flag football when his mother, Paulette, called Bobby one day from practice. “He is faster than everybody he is playing with,” she told her husband. “He may be pretty special.” “We kinda knew at that point that he was going to be good,” Bobby said. Still, it hadn’t quite sunk in yet, the realization that the Bentleys might be watching

the growth and development of greatness. Bobby, a former quarterback who played for a state championship at Byrnes, won four straight state titles at his alma mater before moving on to become the head coach at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. In the process, he raised two college quarterbacks, Chase, who played at Rutgers, and Shuler, who played at Old Dominion. But it was young Jake who continued to awe him. “In sixth grade, he never got tackled,” Bobby said. “He scored every time he touched the ball and was never tackled. We knew then he may have a chance to be pretty good.” Twelve years later, we all know how good

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

Jake Bentley is, and how good he could be. Which is why his father, now the running backs coach at South Carolina, and all of Gamecock Nation are so excited about the 2017 season and the next few years. Jake went to Byrnes High School for only one year before his father moved the family to Opelika, Ala. when he became an assistant coach at Auburn. It was there that Jake grew into a four-star recruit and one of the best high school quarterbacks in the country. As a junior, he threw for 2,834 yards and 28 touchdowns to lead Opelika High School to a 12-1 record. With scholarship offers already pouring March 2017

in, that was enough of high school ball. When his father followed Will Muschamp from Auburn to Columbia, Jake signed with South Carolina and skipped his senior year to arrive on campus and join the football team a year early. The original plan was for the 18-year-old freshman to redshirt his first year and learn all he could about college football. But with the Gamecocks off to a 2-4 start in Muschamp’s first year, that plan abruptly changed. Bentley took over as starting quarterback in the seventh game of the season, and the rest, as they say, is history. Bentley threw for 1,420 yards and nine touchdowns and led South Carolina to four wins in its last seven games, including an upset of No. 18 Tennessee. His 65.8 completion percentage was the fourth-best in school history, and he capped his marvelous freshman campaign by throwing for a record 390 yards and three touchdowns in the Birmingham Bowl. But the young quarterback did much more than that. He instilled something in South Carolina and Gamecock Nation that it badly needed after an embarrassing 3-9 campaign that saw head coach Steve Spurrier step down in the middle of the 2015 season. He gave the program and Gamecock fans hope, hope that the team could very quickly return to the days of double-digit wins and contention for the SEC East title. “He really came in and took control,” sophomore offensive lineman Zack Bailey said of his teammate. “He came in and said, ‘This is our team and we’re going to do it this way and we’re going to change it.’ … He took leadership, and that was a great thing for us.” The sky appears to be the limit for Bentley, who at 19 is 6-4, 223 pounds and still growing mentally and physically. Says offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, “He is big, he is athletic, he has a strong arm, and he is a guy I have a lot of trust in.” Perhaps more importantly, Bentley has all the intangibles to become a great quarterback, one with the potential to play at the next level. It starts with his drive and work ethic. When Bentley is not on the practice field or in the classroom, he is at the football facilities watching video. A few days before the start of spring practice, Bobby Bentley called his son one night and found him at the stadium, studying film. He carries around a notebook he uses to compile information on the various defensive coordinators in the SEC and how they might attack him. “Jake wants to be a pro,” his father said. “Jake wants to be a great one, so it is constantly on his mind and he is constantly over here studying. “That’s the way Jake is built. He has always worked hard. He has always worked hard with his teammates, extra throwing sessions, extra weight-room workouts. And now he is just really captivated by the video, with the extra studying and extra working in regards to March 2017

breaking down defenses and trying to figure out tendencies.” That’s the kind of quarterback Roper wants running his offense. He wants the kind of player who is constantly thinking about football — even in the classroom. “I want that guy when he is sitting in class when his mind wanders, I want it to wander to football,” Roper said. “Jake Bentley is the type of guy who might be in physics class and go, ‘Ooh, what if this happens on this protection.’ “You want a guy who loves the game and loves the process of the game. He doesn’t just love Saturday, but loves being a quarterback, that would rather come over and watch tape on a Thursday night than go hang out with his friends. That’s what I want.” Bentley’s teammates noticed right away that he was not a typical freshman. “He doesn’t act like an 18-year-old kid,” Bailey said. When the team is not practicing, Bentley often

texts his offensive teammates and gathers them for extra

drills. “He’s like, ‘Hey, let’s throw, let’s do 7-on-7 for like 30 minutes or an hour,’” sophomore running back A.J. Turner said. “It’s just little stuff like that that kinda shows his leadership in a lot of different ways.” When Bentley took over as the starting quarterback last season, he began gathering his offensive players together for dinner on Thursday nights. His mission was not to study the playbook or make last-minute preparations. It was about more than that. “He was bonding with everybody,” Bailey said. “He was going to dinner with receivers, running backs, tight ends, O-lineman, everybody. That was a big thing. He bonded with everybody.” It’s that kind of maturity and leadership that made his teammates follow him last season — the kind of leadership that impresses coaches and belies Bentley’s age and experience. “He’s an energetic, passionate, competi-

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

tive individual, and I think people gravitate to that,” Roper says.” They obviously enjoy being around guys who are like that.” Bobby Bentley saw that competitive drive in his son from a young age. He recalls the superintendent at Opelika calling him one Friday afternoon on game day and telling him that Jake was in the high school gym diving for balls to try to win the game — a whiffle ball game. “He’s just a competitor,” his father said. “Even if you are playing a game of cards at home, he is going to find a win to win, even if he has to cheat a little bit to beat you and beat the family and then talk trash to his brothers. That’s just the way he is.” Bentley’s competitive fire nearly got the best of him early last season. He had skipped his senior season of high school to get a jumpstart on his college career. Though such a move is extremely rare, Bentley believed that he should be playing as the Gamecocks struggled to pick up Muschamp’s offense. As week after week went by with senior

Perry Orth and Brandon McIlwain, a true freshman who had participated in spring practice, under center, Bentley got more and more discouraged. “I wanted to play, and I felt like I was ready,” he said recently. “Muschamp told me every week just to be ready.” He was, but not getting the call was tearing him up inside, even though he knew the original plan was to redshirt him. Coach Bentley saw how it was impacting his son. “About that fourth week, he said, ‘Dad, why did I do this? I could be playing in high school,” Bobby Bentley said. “He wasn’t getting any reps. He said, ‘Dad, I wish I had stayed in high school because I’m not getting to play, I’m not getting a chance to play.’” Bentley’s advice to his son was to be patient, listen to his coaches and be ready when his number was called. “I said, ‘You heard what (coach Muschamp) said, just do what he says. Just keep your mouth shut and do your job.’ He did that, and his hard work paid off.” Bentley, the coach, had to resist the temp-

Spurs & Feathers

tation to lobby for his son. Though he knew Jake was ready to play, it was not his decision to make. He said he never talked to Muschamp or Roper about giving Jake a chance. “I didn’t think that was my role,” he said. “It’s kind of a touchy situation when your son is on the team and he is a quarterback and he’s highly recruited. The guy could have played anywhere in the country, from West Coast to East Coast, from SEC to ACC to Big Ten. You don’t really want to say a whole lot. You just kinda say, ‘Hey, it will take care of itself.’ And it did.” Roper admits he was apprehensive about putting a true freshman under center, especially one who had not been through spring practice and who had only been on campus a few months. But the more he saw of Bentley, the more he had a hunch he could succeed. “The things I knew about him is that he was a competitor and it was important to him,” he said. “There are not too many true freshman who play at quarterback, especially midway through the year, because it is such a challenge to understand, not only your system but how people are defending you. “To say that he was ready to go play, mentally, in the sense of understanding, he wasn’t. But he’s a competitor and he knew enough to find a way to go win some football games. And we benefitted from that.” Bentley finally got his chance on Oct. 22. With his team reeling from three straight losses, he was named the starter for the non-conference game against UMass. Bentley responded by completing 17 of 26 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Gamecocks to a 34-28 win. The following week, Bentley was outstanding again in an upset against nationally ranked Tennessee. He completed 15 of 20 passes for 167 yards and two more touchdowns, including the game-winner in the fourth quarter. A week later, he won his third straight game, tossing two touchdowns and completing 22 of 28 passes for 254 yards against Missouri to become the first true freshman quarterback to win his first three college starts since Steve Taneyhill in 1992. It was against Tennessee that Bentley proved Roper and Muschamp right. There was one play in that game that convinced them that their freshman quarterback was the real deal. With the game tied at 7, Bentley tossed a pass to freshman receiver Bryan Edwards on a fade route toward the corner of the end zone. With a defensive back draped all over him, Edwards made the grab for a touchdown. He was able to catch it because Bentley threw the pass in the perfect spot. “That was when I said, ‘OK, this guy is a football player,’” Roper said. “Just the speed of the game, how fast he was able to process it mentally and how fast he was able to do it physically, and then accurately. It was an impressive play.” The victory over SEC rival Tennessee made a believer out of many. And it gave

BENTLEY | FOOTBALL

Bentley the confidence he needed to take control of the South Carolina team and it’s future. “After the Tennessee game, that was definitely a great feeling that I could do it,” Bentley said. “I have confidence in myself, but it takes a game or a play or two to realize that you can do it. Having a big win like that definitely helped me and I think it helped the whole team.” As the team headed into spring practice Feb. 25, the coaching staff was excited about its

Enjoy our beaches every da y... Call about proper ties for sale.

second year under Muschamp, and raved about the potential of its new starting quarterback. Instead of the team being surrounded with uncertainty and inexperience, there was a sense of familiarity and confidence. Muschamp says Bentley must work on his timing, technique and understanding of the game, but he adds, “The game is going to continue to slow down for a guy like him.” “His understanding of our offense should

grow quite a bit and his comfort level should grow quite a bit,” Roper says. “Now it makes sense to him. Before, all our conversations are first-time conversations. Now it’s, ‘Hey, you remember when, you remember this.’ He can draw on experience now so it just makes you a better player.” And unlike last year, there is no uncertainty about who will be South Carolina’s starting quarterback. Bentley, who won’t turn 20 until

Nov. 23, is confident, comfortable and firmly in control. “Now I feel like I definitely have control of the offense and am able to really talk to the guys and fix things when they mess up,” he said. “Getting here in the beginning, it took a while to learn. I was learning myself, so it was hard to have an influence on the other players. “I’m just more comfortable with the whole team and where we want to go.”

Vacation

RENTALS

JAMES W. SMITH REAL ESTATE CO. Real Estate Sales & Vacation Rentals

Over 40 Years....Making Vacation Dreams Come True

North Litchfield • South Litchfield Pawleys Island • Litchfield by the Sea

CALL FOR GAMECOCK SPECIALS! INFO@JWSRE.COM

www.JWSRE.com call 800.746.5651 or 843.237.4246 AS14-1554554-1

10 FOOTBALL | BENTLEY

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

March 2017

Edwards determined to live up to high expectations

Photo by Jenny Dilworth

By Kyle Heck | Staff Writer

ryan Edwards was a highly-touted prospect coming out of high school, and there were high expectations for him as a freshman at South Carolina last season. Despite fighting through a knee injury suffered in high school, Edwards was still able to put together an impressive first campaign in the Garnet and Black. Edwards was third on the team with 44 receptions for 590 yards. His four receiving touchdowns tied for the team lead. His position coach, Bryan McClendon, knew how talented Edwards was coming out of Conway, S.C. and last year’s performance was a good building block for the future. “Bryan has a bunch of ability,” McClendon said. “Not many people his size are able to move and have the feet and hips that he’s able to have. With all that being said, we still have a long way to go. We still have steps that we need to take.” Edwards was one of the best freshmen receivers in the SEC. His 49.2 receiving yards per game ranked second in the league among freshmen. Pretty impressive for a player who wasn’t fully healthy at any point last year. In addition to the knee injury, Edwards

underwent surgery for a sports hernia during the offseason. His recovery went well, but he will be limited for parts of spring practice. The injury started during the Florida game, but Edwards fought through it. He started all 12 games he played in, missing only the Texas A&M game despite the various injuries. That’s just the kind of player he is. “I’m the type of guy who always wants to be on the field,” Edwards said. “Sitting out a game was something I really didn’t want to do.” So how productive can Edwards be when he’s healthy? “I feel like my ceiling is very high,” Edwards said. “Just have to keep working hard and keep my head down and keep trying.” Even with the setbacks, Edwards showed flashes of being a dominant receiver and forms a great one-two punch with junior Deebo Samuel. When Jake Bentley took over as starting quarterback midway through the season, he developed good chemistry with Edwards. That chemistry is important for a receiver and quarterback, and the sophomore duo should be a force to be reckoned with next season.

“I’m extremely excited,” Edwards said. “We have the quarterback situation hashed out and we’re building chemistry. I’m extremely excited for next year.” Edwards was one of several freshmen that got ample experience last season. The Gamecocks were one of the youngest teams in the country, and there obviously were some growing pains as South Carolina finished with a 6-7 record. Still, that was a vast improvement upon a three-win season in 2015, and those young players will be much more comfortable in year No. 2 of the Will Muschamp era.

“We all got a full season of experience under our belts, and we know what to expect,” Edwards said. “Guys are starting to understand how the offense works.”

Wolford brings blue-collar approach in return to SC By Kyle Heck | Staff Writer

ric Wolford left South Carolina after the 2009 season, but he never fully took his eyes off the Gamecock football program. Over the past seven years Wolford coached in Ohio and then out in San Francisco, but when he saw the situation unfolding in Columbia last year, his attention perked up. Rumors began swirling about Gamecock offensive line coach Shawn Elliott being a candidate for the head coaching job at Georgia State. Sure enough, shortly thereafter Elliott was officially named the head coach and left South Carolina, leaving an opening. Wolford was then an assistant coach with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, but he missed coaching college football. He reached out to South Carolina and after San Francisco’s final regular-season game on New Year’s Day, the hiring process quickly sped up. “My wife and I had made the decision that if this opportunity presented itself, we weren’t going to pass it up,” said Wolford, who was officially hired on Jan. 9. Wolford was already familiar with the Gamecocks as he was the team’s run-game coordinator and offensive line coach during the 2009 season. After that year Wolford left to become head coach at Youngstown State in his hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. He was there for five years before coaching with the March 2017

“The atmosphere here, the fans, just some of the things they’ve done around here, it’s just an exciting place to be,” Wolford said. Wolford replaces Elliott, another coach with high energy and high expectations for his players. Because the players already expect to work extremely hard, the transition has been easier for the new coach. “These guys work really hard,” Wolford said. “Their attention to detail, some of the things that we’ve been talking about in the meetPhoto by Allen Sharpe ing room. We just want to focus right now on getting better. Getting better with our weightlifting 49ers for two more seasons. in the weight room (and) getting better at the “He’s a really good football coach and things we need to do to become a productive a really good fit on our staff,” head coach offensive line unit.” Will Muschamp said of Wolford. “I love his Offensive line play is extremely impormentality. He has a blue-collar mentality like tant to any team’s success. One of Wolford’s myself in how he coaches the guys on the mottos is “it all starts up front.” The ball is field.” snapped by the center and the offensive line Wolford and his wife, Melinda, enjoyed has to block well for any play to be successful. their one year in Columbia, which was part of Luckily for Wolford, he loses just one starter the reason they were so anxious to get back.

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

from last year’s team. “I’ll take experience over non-experience anytime,” Wolford said. “The guys have been great. They come to meetings, they take notes, they’re like sponges right now.” Any time there’s a coaching change there is also a transition period. Wolford has spent the last couple of months getting to know his players and seeing what they do well. There is expected to be a significant shakeup on the offensive line. One of the biggest moves is guard Zack Bailey likely moving to right tackle. Wolford is not afraid of mixing it up if the starters aren’t able to get the job done, and so far the current Gamecocks have been receptive to the message. “Any time you have something new, there’s always change,” Wolford said. “It’s part of a growth process that has to take place between player and coach. The fortunate thing for the players is that we’re running the same offense. The only thing that’s changed is some of the terminology that we’re using as far as our blocking schemes.” Wolford was busy coaching in the NFL, and didn’t have many opportunities to watch the Gamecocks last season. He was able to watch some of the Tennessee game, however. “I’ve always kept an eye on them from afar,” Wolford said.

EDWARDS • WOLFORD | FOOTBALL 11

GAMECOCKS

RETURN TO

PHOTOS BY ALLEN SHARPE

PRACTICE

12 FOOTBALL | SPRING PRACTICE PHOTOS

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

March 2017

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

SPRING PRACTICE PHOTOS | FOOTBALL 13

RECRUITING ROUNDUP

BY PHIL KORNBLUT | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Thomas still in play; SC makes offers to several recruits

E Xavier Thomas of Florence and IMG Academy in Florence confirmed he will make his college decision between South Carolina and Clemson known on his birthday, Dec. 20 and enroll at the school in January. Thomas has said the Tigers and Gamecocks have 99 percent of his attention with Alabama holding the other 1 percent. Thomas visited Clemson for junior day in late January. He and some of his IMG teammates are going on a bus tour and one of the stops was SC, his first visit with the Gamecocks since last season. Thomas has made no secret of the fact he grew up a South Carolina fan and recently revealed that he would already be a Gamecock commitment had Steve Spurrier not left. But he also has developed a fondness for Clemson, especially with the opportunity to make an immediate impact for the defending national champions. “He likes South Carolina, he’s always been leaning towards South Carolina,” Thomas Balkcom, his coach at Wilson High, said. “Him being a home-grown product, it’s going to be a big-time war for his services."

CE Murray WR Darius Rush (6-2, 180) committed to South Carolina, giving Will Muschamp his first pledge from a member of the 2018 class. Rush was in Columbia for the Gamecocks junior day. He was leaning strongly toward a commitment going into the visit. “I’m really excited right now,” Rush said. “I knew going in that I wanted to be a Gamecock. Then hearing how coach Muschamp feels about me and his plan for me really confirmed everything.” Rush was offered by Muschamp in February. He also had offers from Old Dominion, S.C. State, Charlotte and Miami of Ohio. Last season Rush had 1,243 all-purpose yards and 18 total touchdowns for CE Murray. Rush actually gives the Gamecocks two commitments for the 2018 class, joining 2017 holdover DE Tyreek Johnson. Saturday’s junior day also put the Gamecocks in a strong place with several other targets. WR Josh Vann (5-11, 175) of Tucker, GA came in with teammate OL Dylan Wonnum, the brother of Gamecock DE DJ Wonnum. Vann got a strong pitch from Muschamp and receivers coach Bryan McClendon. After his visit, Vann said he’s down to South Carolina and Georgia with the Gamecocks out front. He wants to make his decision before his senior season. DE Jabari Ellis (6-5 285) of Georgia Military JC, and a Lake Marion product, has offers from SC and East Carolina and says SC is his top choice.

FOOTBALL | PHIL KORNBLUT

WR Sam Pinckney (6-4, 205) of Greenwood has had a South Carolina offer for several months and got another look at the program in late February. He also has offers from Florida State, Georgia State and Appalachian State and has drawn interest from North Carolina, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Louisville and Notre Dame. Last season Pinckney had 72 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Gaffney WR Dennis Smith picked up his first Power Five offer from SC in early December and his recent visit further established his value in the eyes of Muschamp and company. Smith also has been to Duke and is also going to Clemson. He’s also considering visits to East Carolina and North Carolina. Smith has offers from Old Dominion, East Carolina, Charlotte and Coastal Carolina.

Spring Valley LB Channing Tindall was already on record as claiming SC as his favorite prior to junior day. After another positive experience with Muschamp and company, the Gamecocks remain in the driver’s seat. According to Vikings’ coach Robin Bacon, Tindall is building a strong relationship with the Gamecock coaching staff. Clemson and Florida also want him to visit. Notre Dame also has been in touch and Bacon feels the Irish might offer soon. Tindall also has offers from North Carolina, Auburn, Wake Forest, Florida, Georgia, Colorado State and Appalachian State.

GA has been a frequent visitor to SC and his visit was his first chance to meet new offensive line coach Eric Wolford. Holman is going to North Carolina and has been to Vanderbilt, Duke and Mississippi State. Some of his other offers are Ole Miss, Auburn, Oregon, Florida, Virginia Tech and Miami. He does not have favorites.

DL Kelijiah Brown (6-3, 310) of Saluda is now working on a decision between the Gamecocks and Wake Forest. DB Jaycee Horn (6-1, 170) of Alpharetta, GA, the son of former NFL star receiver Joe Horn, is being recruited by the Gamecocks as a cornerback and naturally drifted over to the defensive side of the field to watch the first spring practice. Horn said he will return for a visit to SC. Horn has visits coming up with Ole Miss, Missouri and Louisville, and he wants to visit Virginia Tech and West Virginia. He has been to Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.

Valdosta, GA LB Zakoby McClain (6-2, 200) said the Gamecocks sit firmly in his top ten after his visit. McClain also has on his list Florida State, Tennessee, LSU, Wisconsin, Auburn, UCLA and Nebraska. He has visited Florida State and will go to Auburn and might visit LSU after that. He’s looking at making his decision in August. Ben Lippen DB Bryce Thompson (6-0, 180), currently a Virginia Tech commitment, remains committed to the Hokies but the Gamecocks continue to give him another option to consider. “It makes my decision a little bit harder,” he said. Thompson is going to Georgia State March 5, Georgia March 20 and he will visit Michigan in April. He has also visited Clemson, Virginia Tech and N.C. State.

OL Casey Holman (6-4, 285) of Snellville,

OL Jovaughn Gwyn (6-3, 290) of Charlotte picked up an offer at SC, his first from an SEC program. He also has offers from Duke, Wake Forest, N.C. State and Coastal Carolina. He is visiting Clemson. DB Jonathan Gipson of Hoschton, GA also visited and said the Gamecocks sit high on his list along with Auburn and Minnesota. He also has offers from Oregon State, Indiana, North Carolina, Georgia Southern and Georgia State. Gipson will visit North Carolina and Auburn. His teammate, DB Shaka Heyward, also visited.

SC offered DL LaMarius Benson (6-2, 300) of Covington, GA. Benson also has offers from Maryland, Georgia Tech, UCF, Georgia State and Marshall. SC added another competitor for the placekicking job in Brandon Chiazza (5-11, 170) of Malvern, PA. He was in for junior day and decided to enroll at SC this fall on an academic scholarship and walk on the football team with a shot at the job. Chiazza also had preferred walk-on offers from Duke and Rutgers. SC also offered DB Verone McKinley III of Plano, TX, LB Alim McNeill (6-1, 262) of Raleigh, DB Joseph Wilkins (6-2, 175) of North Fort Myers, FL., DB Isheem Young of Philadelphia, LB Ernest Jones IV (6-2, 205) of Waycross, GA, DL Jalen Cunningham (6-6, 345) of Odenville, AL, DB Joe Foucha (6-0, 190) of New Orleans, DB CJ Smith of West Palm Beach, FL, LB Xavier Peters (6-4, 215) of West Chester, OH, DE Malik Langham of Huntsville, AL, DB Houston Griffith (6-0, 180) of IMG Academy, DB Jaylon Reed (6-1, 175) of Olive Branch, MS, DB Brendan Radley-Hiles (5-9, 176) of IMG Academy, 2019 DB DJ Turner II of Suwanee, GA and 2019 DB Warren Burrell of Suwanee, GA.

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

2019 prospects that visited SC include:

DB Obi Egbuna of Charlotte, DE Rashad Cheney Jr. of Atlanta, a Georgia commitment who was offered on the visit, DE Derrick McClendon of Tucker, GA, DE Savion Jackson (6-3, 245) of Clayton, N.C. and J.R. Walker (6-

2, 195) of Elizabeth City, NC, who also picked up an offer on the visit.

Fort Dorchester QB Dakereon Joyner was in Columbia for the annual High School Sports Report banquet, where he received the statewide Offensive Player of the Year award. Joyner also went to the SC women’s basketball game where he sat with Muschamp and Kurt Roper. And he was back in Columbia to watch spring practice and plans to return for the spring game. Joyner has had a stated top five of SC, Louisville, Georgia, N.C. State and Virginia Tech. He picked up recent offers from Oregon and Mississippi State and has been talking with Ole Miss.

WR Jatavious Harris (6-2, 176) of Milledgeville, GA has a number of major offers, including SC, Miami, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota and Pitt. USC receivers coach Bryan McClendon is showing a lot of interest in Harris and Harris said the two are in regular contact. Harris has visited Georgia and Miami. He will visit SC this spring and summer.

Basketball news Sharone Wright Jr. (6-4) of West Florence was at SC for the Tennessee game. Brandon Stone (6-11) of Alverton, PA made an unofficial visit to SC. However, it’s likely Stone is going to go to a prep school next fall and reclassify for the 2019 class. Stone has seven offers from low- to midmajor programs but is also drawing interest from Maryland, Pitt, West Virginia, Penn State, Butler, Dayton, Kansas State and Wichita State.

Phil Kornblut Contributing Writer

Phil Kornblut’s latest “Recruiting Roundup” for Spurs & Feathers. Catch Kornblut every night on SportsTalk and get more of his statewide recruiting news at SportsTalkSC.com and on Twitter at @SportsTalkSC.

March 2017

Reading is fundamental — on the ﬁeld and in life

Maybe your talent will make plays for you, to read at an all-conference level to consistently make more of those big plays. Brunson, maybe your teammates will make the play for you, maybe, maybe, maybe ... Or maybe the youngest and least experienced, will have you can read your keys and gain information to trust his reads and act quickly if the Gamethat will lead to one of those ESPN top-ten cocks are to improve this season. highlight plays we all want to be a part of. The linebackers won’t be the only group Seems like a no-brainer, right? That’s the on the team that will have to emphasize the problem, most of us don’t want to rely on the power of “reading.” Second-year quarterback most powerful muscles in our bodies — our Jake Bentley will have to improve his reads brain. along with receiver Bryan Edwards. New The Gamecocks said goodbye to a group and returning offensive linemen will have to of linebackers that had the fortune of coming adapt to the new reads presented to them by into the program together four seasons ago. new OL coach Eric Wolford. Not to menJonathan Walton, T.J. Holloman and Larenz tion replacing a unit of special teams players, Bryant were starters including long-snapper, and contributors for the place-kicker and When it comes to football, as with punter, Gamecock defense. We a punt/kick returner. saw these players make Making big imany vocation, reading is the founda“reads” on the field and provements in all three tion. It’s the fundamentals of all phases this season will come up with big plays positions on the field. because of it. come back to improving This year’s slate of fundamentals, especially Ski Moore, Bryson Allen-Williams and T.J. the fundamentals of reading. The foundation Brunson at linebacker will no doubt be faster, for all positions will be reading the correct more athletic and more talented under coach keys, trusting what was read and playing fast, Will Muschamp’s defense than the previnot guessing. No, cliff notes won’t do (is that ous group. But with improved speed and even a thing anymore?). Digesting the full text athleticism at the linebacker position, being is the only way to eliminate mistakes that cost disciplined with reads will be major keys. us victories last season. With little proven depth behind those three, The foundation of success and achievethis unit will have to be veracious readers. ment, be it on the football field or on the field With Moore being away from the game of life, is reading. Reading is the key that opens for a full year recovering from neck surgery, the door to success and fulfillment. This will his reads will need to be proficient. BAW, a be true for these players now on the playing player with proven big-play ability, will have field and later on the field of life.

Column by Langston Moore | Contributing Writer

March 2017

“Read your keys … we need more reps on our keys … we have to outwork the other guys.” When it comes to football, as with any vocation, reading is the foundation. It’s the fundamentals of all positions on the field. “Key thru the # 2 receiver … read the safety … read the OL hips and stance … .” If you’ve heard it once, you heard it come up a thousand times. “Read!” Coaches all over the country, from Pop Warner to high school to the NFL, preach, teach and SCREAM about the importance of “reading your keys.” They preach that reading keys successfully helps you do two things: know what’s going to happen before it happens; and react quickly once you recognize that something is happening. So if something makes the game (life) so much easier, why do coaches have to continuously remind and reprimand players for not reading their keys? Simple. Because reading takes effort, and throughout the game (life) we just want to rely on our talent and play. Who has time to read a guard when the ball is going the other way? It’s always easier to just react and “W.A.G” your way through a game and hope for the best.

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Delightful. Delicious. DiPrato’s. Brunch at Di Prato’s Voted Best Brunch three times by Free Times, Columbia Metropolitan, and The State Newspaper! Saturday and Sunday 10 am - 2 pm!

Let us cater your event:

HOME OR AWAY

AS09-1554601-1

arch 2 was Read Across America Day, a national initiative created to get kids excited about reading. With so many educational initiatives and emphasis out there, Langston Moore why would educators Contributing Writer put so much value on reading as the key to success? Because the one trait that all successful people in every field have in common is … can you guess? Reading. That’s right, the ability and desire to read materials pertaining to their chosen field has made success stories out of many. Dave Ramsey, the financial guru and syndicated talk-show host, states it simply that “successful people read one book a month.” World-renowned author and business coach Brian Tracy says “reading every day for 30 minutes will double your income.” Educator and author Dennis Kimbro plainly states that if you want to be successful “outread the other guy.” All these testaments sound similar to that “coach’s talk” if you’ve ever played football.

Pick up our Famous Pimento Cheese and other Gourmet items, or order from our Catering Menu to take home! Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm • Sun. 10am-4pm Brunch Served: Sat. and Sun. 10am-2pm AS34-1266227 342 Pickens Street, Columbia • 803.779.0606 • www.dipratos.com Spurs & Feathers

LANGSTON MOORE | FOOTBALL 15

BASKETBALL

all basketball content sponsored by:

SOMETHING SPECIAL Thornwell believed in the Gamecocks and Frank Martin By Kyle Heck | Staff Writer Photos by Jenny Dilworth

indarius Thornwell had plenty of options when he was deciding on a college to attend in the summer of 2013. One of the best high school prospects in the country, the Lancaster, S.C. native was coming off an outstanding season at prestigious Oak Hill Academy.

16 BASKETBALL | THORNWELL, SEC POY

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

March 2017

He could’ve gone to prominent schools like N.C. State, Florida State, Miami, Ohio State or Syracuse, just to name a few. Or he could start a new journey at the home-state school, South Carolina. Of course, the Gamecocks were coming off a 14-win season under first-year coach Frank Martin and the future was uncertain.

tiveness I have just wanting to play and wanting to be a part of something.” It took a while for Thornwell to get over his knee problems. The recovery went into his junior year, and it wasn’t until about halfway through that season that he began feeling like himself again. Now, people everywhere are seeing what a truly healthy Thornwell is capable of.

BUYING INTO THE MESSAGE It was a tough spot for the school, but Thornwell bought into the program and what Martin was offering him. One day that summer, the 6-foot-5 guard woke up “with a feeling” and called Martin to commit to the University of South Carolina. “Being a part of something instead of just going somewhere and playing a couple of years and getting by,” Thornwell said. “Just come here and help coach build something here and build a winning tradition was my reason for coming here.” That decision has worked out well for South Carolina and Thornwell. It’s no coincidence that the Gamecocks have increased their win total every season since Thornwell has been on campus. Sure, there have been other important players during that time, but the South Carolina native was the first major recruit to buy into Martin’s message. Nearly four years later, the Gamecocks are in the midst of a second straight 20-win season and punched a ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 13 years. Thornwell has been a big part of that rise. He came on strong as a junior, and carried that momentum into his senior season, quickly becoming one of the best players in the country. Before the season, Thornwell and the Gamecocks didn’t get much national love. Thornwell was left off the media’s preseason All-SEC team, and South Carolina was picked to finish eighth in the conference. “We were so driven on wanting to prove a point,” Thornwell said. “They had us projected like eighth or ninth at the bottom of the conference, and they didn’t think we were going to be this good. They didn’t know what to expect out of us so we came in with a chip. We were going to show them that we were better than what they think.”

SEC Player of the Year Those preseason predictions about Thornwell and South Carolina turned out to be way off. The Gamecocks spent the entire SEC season at or near the top of the standings, and Thornwell has taken the league by storm. He averages more than 21 points and seven rebounds per game and has also contributed 73 assists and 55 steals in 25 games. It was that do-everything mentality that March 2017

Memories that will last

allowed Thornwell to go from being a player absent on the preseason All-SEC team to being named SEC Player of the Year. It was a remarkable turnaround that Thornwell knew he had in him. “How I’m playing right now is how I’ve played all my life,” Thornwell said. “Everyone is surprised, but I’m not. It’s just how I’ve played all my life. The people that have seen me play all my life are not surprised. It’s just how I envisioned myself coming in and being part of the program and being part of the growth that we’ve become.” Thornwell led the SEC in scoring in league games (22.1) and steals (2.2 per game). He also was a top-10 rebounder in the league. Martin saw the potential in Thornwell all along, and is incredibly proud of his senior guard. No one was happier to see Thornwell receive the well-deserved player of the year honor. “It’s been fun to watch,” Martin said. “I’m real happy that he’s had the year he’s had. If you gave him a choice — postseason basketball or player of the year — he’s going to say postseason basketball every single time. I’m trying to get him both. I’m being selfish. He deserves it, and I’m putting all my energy into making sure that happens for him.” Mission accomplished.

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

The journey wasn’t easy While Thornwell is enjoying a career year and grabbing the attention of national pundits, it wasn’t always like that. There was a reason he was left off a lot of preseason ballots. Thornwell was a top-100 player coming out of high school and had an impressive freshman season, but he fought chronic tendonitis in both knees all throughout the 2014-15 season, and his points average dropped off significantly. Tendonitis is something that surgery can’t fix. The best remedy is rest, but Thornwell still played in every game during his sophomore season. There were times he couldn’t move when he woke up on game days, but he toughed it out and was able to get his body ready by tipoff. However, Thornwell clearly wasn’t himself, and his performance suffered. A lot of players would’ve told their coach their knees hurt too much to play. After all, tendonitis is a painful condition. But for Thornwell, calling it quits and sitting out the rest of the year was something that was just not going to happen. “It’s just in me, I can’t miss a game,” Thornwell said. “I don’t even like missing practice. I think I could’ve sat out and just had surgery and been done and redshirted that year, but it was just in me. The competi-

Spurs & Feathers

Thornwell has a lot of memories that stick out from his time at South Carolina, many of them coming this season. However, there was one dark moment for the senior. In December, Thornwell was suspended indefinitely for violating athletic department policy. He ultimately missed six games, and the Gamecocks went 3-3 during that stretch. It was the first time in his career that he missed a game. Sitting on the bench watching his team struggle without him was an eye-opener for Thornwell. He returned for the SEC opener at Georgia, and promptly led the Gamecocks to victory. Thornwell has stated that the suspension has been a driving force for him this season. That memory sticks out, as well as his historic 44-point, 21-rebound performance against Alabama. Although South Carolina lost in four overtimes, Thornwell was proud, not of his stat line, but of how he and his teammates never gave up, no matter how many times they were down. Thornwell has nailed a lot of clutch shots during his career. It seems that whenever the Gamecocks need a basket, they turn to him to make a shot or get to the free throw line. “You just have to want it,” Thornwell said of what makes him a clutch player. “You can’t be scared of the moment. Ever since I was in high school, my high school coach always told me, ‘Embrace the moment. You can’t be scared of it because when you’re scared of the moment, that’s when you let your team down.’” There have already been several games this season where Thornwell was the difference between a win and a loss. With the Gamecocks about to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 13 years, Thornwell has a chance to make even more lasting memories. There was a lot of pain and heartbreak along the way, but Thornwell never gave up. He continued to be a great teammate and continued to work. That work is paying off in the twilight of his South Carolina career, and he’s cementing himself as one of the best players in program history. “Everything happens for a reason, and God has his way of making things happen,” Thornwell said.

THORNWELL, SEC POY | BASKETBALL

STEPPING UP Gamecocks finish strong to win third straight SEC tourney By Kyle Heck | Staff Writer

Photo by Allen Sharpe

reenville — South Carolina trailed Mississippi State by five points entering the fourth quarter of the SEC Tournament Championship game March 5, but the Gamecocks turned to their MVP, A’ja Wilson, who took over the game as South Carolina surged to a 59-49 victory over the Lady Bulldogs at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

18 BASKETBALL | WOMEN'S, SEC CHAMPS

“It could’ve gone either way,” head coach Dawn Staley said. “But I felt like our players, when it was time to step up, stepped up in a big way to get us to victory.” The victory gave the Gamecocks their third straight SEC Tournament title, and Wilson played a huge role in the victory with senior Alaina Coates out. The junior forward registered seven points, seven rebounds and

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

two blocks in the final quarter, and her two offensive rebounds late in the contest allowed South Carolina to wind down the clock, keeping Mississippi State at bay. Kaela Davis also played a tremendous game, leading the Gamecocks with 23 points. Her 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter jumpstarted the South Carolina offense. “I think the stakes were higher with these March 2017

Photo by Jenny Dilworth

games as well, so I think that was part of it,” took the lead on a three-point play by Teaira Davis said when asked why she was playing McCowan. with so much confidence. “We just have to be It was back and forth again for a while, ready to play.” but back-to-back scores by McCowan gave the Lady Bulldogs a 45-40 lead with just over South Carolina (27-4) started strong a minute left in the third. Staley was forced to in the first two games it played at the SEC call timeout as she tried to regroup her team. Tournament, and the Gamecocks made it The third quarter would end with the three-for-three in the championship game on score still 45-40, and the 6-foot-7 McCowan Sunday, thanks to Davis. was starting to take over the game for MissisThe junior started the game with an sippi State as she registered seven points and off-balance floater, and after the Gamecocks six rebounds in the third quarter alone. forced a turnover on the other end, Davis The Lady Bulldogs had all of the momenscored a layup. On the next possession, she tum entering the fourth quarter, but Wilson nailed a jumper from the corner, giving the and the Gamecocks quickly changed that. Gamecocks a 6-0 lead. First, Davis nailed a trey to cut the deficit to Mississippi State (29-4) was able to get on two points. Then Wilson’s two free throws the board, but Tyasha Harris knocked down a tied the game, and after blocking McCowan’s long jumper that gave South Carolina an early shot on the defensive 10-2 lead and forced end she converted a the Lady Bulldogs to three-point play to call timeout. South the Gamecocks a Carolina held a 14-13 It could have gone either way, but give 48-45 lead. William’s lead after a quarter. I felt like our players, when it was jumper snapped the Mississippi State South Carolina immediately took time to step up, stepped up in a big 8-0 run, but it was sudthe lead to begin the way to get us the victory.” denly a game again. second quarter, and it “There is great would be a back-and— SC Women’s Basketball forth game for the first Coach Dawn Staley talent out there on both teams, but in a part of the frame. But championship game Davis heated up again. it really comes down to who wants it more,” She hit a long jumper to make it a three-point Wilson said. “We came out with a lot of heart game, and then knocked down her first and energy.” 3-pointer of the game to give South Carolina The Lady Bulldogs trimmed the lead to a 23-17 lead. The junior scored 13 of South one, but the freshman Harris stepped up to Carolina’s first 23 points. make the biggest shot of her young career. She The Gamecocks led 29-26 at halftime and nailed a three to put the Gamecocks up by Davis led the way with 13 points. four points. Davis then added a layup, forcing In a one-point game, Davis nailed another Mississippi State to call a timeout. It would be three to make it 32-28 South Carolina early too late, however, as the Gamecocks escaped in the second half. The Lady Bulldogs would with the 10-point win and started celebrating. not go away, however. A Morgan William “It’s amazing,” said Davis, who was able shot tied the game at 34, and Mississippi State

“

March 2017

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

to celebrate a championship for the first time after transferring from Georgia Tech. “There’s really no feeling like it. We’ve been faced with a lot of adversity this year, but we found a way to fight through it.” South Carolina joins Tennessee as the only schools to win at least three consecutive SEC

Tournament titles. The future remains bright as seniors Coates and Tiffany Davis did not play in the championship game. Young players like Harris and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan played important minutes and made important plays for South Carolina throughout the tournament.

an Dream It.. If You C . We Can Build It! Partner With An Award Winning, Established and Respected South Carolina Swimming Pool Company With Endless Referrals of Satisfied Customers. Owned O w and operated ope by Bill Bill Muller, USC team tea captain for fo ‘66, ‘67, ‘68 fo Swim Sw Teams.

AS09-1554606-1

Photo by Jenny Dilworth

Since 1972 Si

South Carolina’s Largest and Oldest Pool Builder!

www.aquarianpools.com Spurs & Feathers

7433 1/2 Broad River Road Irmo, SC 29063 732-3636 ext 10 or “0” info@aquarianpools.com

WOMEN'S, SEC CHAMPS | BASKETBALL 19

A’ja Wilson proves she’s the

‘best player in the country’

By Kyle Heck | Staff Writer Photo by Jenny Dilworth t’s hard to come into a league like the SEC and dominate, and it’s even harder when everyone knows your name and how good you are.

For A’ja Wilson, that didn’t matter. She came out of high school as the No. 1 player in the country, and won the SEC Player of the Year award last season as a sophomore. Make it back-to-back SEC Player of the Year honors. The junior forward helped lead the Gamecocks to a fourth straight SEC regular-season title and third straight SEC Tournament title this year. Even with all that, the Player of the Year award caught Wilson off guard. “Considering the season we’ve had in the conference and the great (conference) the SEC is, I was not expecting this, honestly,” Wilson said. “It’s a blessing to be named back-to-back SEC Player of the Year, and I give it all to my teammates and my coaching staff. They really helped me out a lot this year.” The Gamecocks dropped a couple of conference games this season, and Wilson missed two games with an ankle injury. However, in the games she did play she made a huge differ-

ence. She led the Gamecocks with 17.7 points per game and also grabbed 7.6 rebounds per game. Wilson was also a force on the defensive end as she racked up more than two blocks per

A'Ja Wilson, F 6'5" | Jr. | Hopkins, S.C. G 28

MIN 27.9

FG% .594

REB 7.6

A 43

game and had 32 steals on the season. Wilson was the main driving force in the SEC Tournament, and was named tournament MVP after the Gamecocks claimed the championship on March 5. In the quarterfinal win over Georgia, Wilson scored a team-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds and seven blocks, a record for a Gamecock in the SEC

20 BASKETBALL | A'JA WILSON, SEC POY

Tournament. She had a team-high 26 points in the semifinal win over Kentucky before pouring in 15 points and adding nine rebounds and four blocks in the title game. Wilson’s fourth-quarter stat line was eyepopping. Her seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks in the final quarter of the championship game allowed South Carolina to pull away for the win. “A’ja Wilson is the best player in the country,” head coach Dawn Staley BLK STL PTS. said after the 70 32 17.7 game. “Let’s just get that out there.” Staley obviously knows the talent that Wilson has, but she’s been proud to see the growth that Wilson has shown throughout her career. She’s had to learn what it takes to be a consistent player, and the end result has been back-to-back SEC Player of the Year awards, an impressive feat.

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

Well, maybe. “Tiffany Mitchell made it look a little easy,” Staley joked. “But it is tough in this league, knowing opponents do set up defenses to stop you, and you’re still effective. That’s what A’ja Wilson has been to our basketball team. She’s getting older, she’s getting better and she’s not being denied certain things out there on the floor. She’s much deserving of the honor.” Mitchell won back-to-back SEC Player of the Year awards before Wilson, meaning the Gamecocks have claimed the last four player of the year awards. That streak could very well be extended to five straight next season. Wilson could add more hardware to her trophy case later this year. The junior is one of 15 players on the Wooden Award National Ballot, and is also a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy. However, her focus right now is on making sure the Gamecocks return to the Final Four after being upset in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament last season. Along with Wilson’s award, Alaina Coates was named to the All-SEC first team while Tyasha Harris earned a spot on the All-SEC freshman team. March 2017

Seniors lay foundation for Gamecock Basketball Column by Bill Gunter | Contributing Writer | Photo by Jenny Dilworth

have written a good bit in recent weeks about South Carolina senior Sindarius Thornwell, who is having one of, if not the best, senior season of any Gamecock basketball player ever. Bill Gunter However, there Contributing Writer are other seniors, and without Duane Notice and Justin McKie, it is hard to envision where the Gamecock basketball program would be. On Senior Night against Mississippi State, in one of the biggest moments of the season, it was Notice who stepped forward and hit a big three-pointer late in the game to put the Gamecocks in control. Shots like those have not fallen all season for Notice, but after the game, head coach Frank Martin mentioned just how much it meant to him to see Notice hit one of the biggest shots of the season. “I am so happy for Duane that the three went in for him,” Martin said. “He deserved that ball to go in the basket for him. He means so much to our team and this program and he absolutely deserved for that ball to go in the basket.”

The Gamecocks would go on to seal the victory and wrap up the home slate of the 2016-17 season. With Thornwell, Notice and McKie leading the way, the Gamecocks are now 30-5 at Colonial Life Arena over the past two seasons, making it one of the most difficult venues in the country to play in. The success and support from the home crowd has grown during that stretch and has not gone unnoticed by Thornwell and Notice. “The support has been tremendous, the student section has grown,” Notice said. “I don’t remember us having Fat Heads or guys dressing up in Elmo costumes and stuff like that. It is always fun to interact with the fans and them screaming out your twitter handle or whatever.” Thornwell echoed a similar feeling but shared a different story on how the increased crowd has helped the players. “I remember when we first came in, when you came out of the game, everybody could

hear coach kill you,” Thornwell said. “That was the most embarrassing thing, when you checked out you knew you were about to get it. Whereas now, when you check out, the only people McKie and Martin that can hear are the people that are close.” With seniors like Notice, Thornwell and McKie, the program has grown from one trying to become relevant to one that has become a force in the SEC. Thornwell and McKie are home-grown products from Lancaster and Irmo, respectively, while Notice is from Ontario, Canada. Their contributions to the development of the basketball program should always be remembered as they helped establish a foundation for Gamecock basketball to move forward. Following the win over Mississippi State, Martin shared a similar feeling on how they have impacted his program in their four years. “Those guys are awesome,” Martin said of his seniors. “They have won more conference

games every single year they have played here. It’s not like the league has gotten worse, it has gotten better and yet those guys have led us to win more games every year they have been here. They are special guys.” As Notice and his teammates exited the Colonial Life Arena floor for the final time in a Gamecock uniform, he looked around to take one final mental image. “It was an emotional feeling, seeing everybody there to support us, the growth we had over the years from the fans,” Notice said. “We appreciate it. It was a surreal moment, something you can’t take back. I wish we could stay on the court forever.” The Gamecocks now enter “March Madness” with and the NCAA Tournament on deck. The success in the tournament will likely leave the lasting impression the three seniors have on the Gamecock program but fans should be grateful for how they handled themselves on the court. Thornwell could have gone anywhere in the country to play college basketball and McKie could have elected not to handle the pressure of trying to follow in his father’s footsteps. Notice took a chance on a program that was selling a vision. All three players are responsible for where Martin has taken the Gamecock program.

Any Gamecock .00 Member can get $5 0 5.0 $2 of t ke tic y off an us or more - just show your Gamecock Club Card

BRUNCH BR RUNCH

Sat: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m | Sun: 10:00 a.m. – Noon Full Bloody Mary Bar REGULAR MENU

Sun – Thurs: 11:15 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. (Bar: 12:00 p.m./till) Fri and Sat: 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 a.m. (Bar: 1:00 p.m./till)

AS09-1554596-1

Full Menu at yesterdayssc.com

March 2017

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

BILL GUNTER | BASKETBALL 21

BASEBALL

all baseball content sponsored by:

FIELD OF DREAMS S OU T H C A ROL I N A

B A SE B A L L C ON T I N U E S T O BE P I P E L I N E T O M AJOR L E AGU E S

B Y JE F F O W E N S

here have been 48 former South Carolina Gamecocks who have played in the major leagues, from James “Doc” McJames, who broke in with the Washington Senators in 1895, to World Series hero Mookie Wilson to Jackie Bradley Jr., who made the AL All-Star team for the Boston Red Sox last year. Hundreds of others have played in the minor leagues — a testament to the strength of the South Carolina baseball team over the years. Of course, you would expect a program that has played in the College World Series 11 teams to produce its fair share of MLB prospects and big-league talent.

Along with Bradley, the 2010 CWS MVP, four other former Gamecocks are currently in the majors, with others on the way. There are 24 former Gamecocks now in the minors, including four who have previously played in The Show. At least half a dozen more are likely to join them after this year’s MLB Draft in June. Here’s a look at the former Gamecocks currently in the Major Leagues or playing professionally:

Jackie Bradley, CF | Boston Red Sox

Drafted: First round of 2011 Supplemental Draft (40th overall) by Red Sox CAREER MLB STATS G AB R 394 1258 200

H 298

HR 40

RBI 170

BA .237

OBP .316

SLG .409

2016 MLB STATS G AB 156 558

R 94

H 149

HR 26

RBI 87

BA .267

OBP .349

SLG .486

COLLEGE STATS G AB 172 659

R 157

H 218

HR 30

RBI 133

BA .331

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Bradley was the Red Sox starting center fielder in 2016 • had a 29-game hitting streak in 2016, tying Johnny Damon for fourth-best in Red Sox history • named 2016 MLB Player of the Month in May • named to the 2016 AL All-Star team • became the eighth player in the modern era with fi ve extra-base hits in one game (two HRs, three doubles) in 2015 game • made his Major League debut on April 1, 2013 at Yankee Stadium • most outstanding player and All-Tournament team at 2010 College World Series • second-team All-SEC • played for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National team • 2009 Freshman All-American • SEC All-Freshman Team • NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team.

Sam Dyson, RHP | Texas Rangers Drafted: Fourth round of 2010 Draft by Blue Jays CAREER MLB STATS W L ERA 11 9 2.93

G 186

SV 40

IP 199.1

SO 165

WHIP 1.28

2016 MLB STATS W L 3 2

ERA 2.43

G 73

SV 38

IP 70.1

SO 55

WHIP 1.22

COLLEGE STATS W L 23 9

ERA 4.61

G 46

GS 42

SV 0

IP 255.2

SO 239

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Made his Major League debut on July 5, 2012 for the Toronto Blue Jays • traded to the Rangers on July 31, 2015 • pitched in Game 1 of the 2015 ALDS, earning a save • took over as closer for the Rangers midway through 2016 • earned 38 saves in 43 chances with a 2.43 ERA • made 18 starts for the Gamecocks in 2010, going 6-5 with a 4.25 ERA • struck out 101 batters in 103 innings • earned a win over Arizona State in College World Series • allowed just two runs on five hits in no-decision against Clemson in CWS • named SEC Pitcher of the Week twice • beat George Mason in 2009 NCAA Regional • beat Georgia, Vanderbilt, LSU, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Auburn in SEC play • Freshman All-American with an 8-0 record and 4.09 ERA.

22 BASEBALL | GAMECOCKS IN THE PROS

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Whit Merriﬁeld, 2B | Kansas City Royals Drafted: Ninth round of 2010 Draft by Royals CAREER MLB STATS G AB R H 81 311 44 88

HR 2

RBI 29

BA .283

OBP .323

SLG .392

2016 MLB STATS G AB R 81 311 44

H 88

HR 2

RBI 29

BA .283

OBP .323

SLG .392

COLLEGE STATS G AB R 195 800 197

H 263

HR 27

RBI 117

BA .331

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Made his Major League debut with Kansas City on May 18, 2016 • took over starting 2B job from veteran Omar Infante • hit his first Major League triple and home run on June 13, 2016 • hit .321 with 13 HR, 42 RBI and 72 runs scored as a senior in 2010 • had game-winning RBI single in 2-1 11-inning win over UCLA in 2010 national championship game • went 3-for-5 in 4-3 win over Clemson at 2010 CWS • went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in CWS win over Arizona State • hit .326 as a freshman • named to SEC All-Freshman team • named to 2008 NCAA Regional All-Tournament team.

Spurs & Feathers

March 2017

Steve Pearce, 1B/OF | Toronto Blue Jays Drafted: Eigth round in 2005 Draft by Pirates CAREER MLB STATS G AB R 569 1639 208

H 416

HR 66

RBI 215

BA .254

OBP .333

SLG .441

2016 MLB STATS G AB 85 264

R 35

H 76

HR 13

RBI 35

BA .288

OBP .374

SLG .492

COLLEGE STATS G AB 128 495

R 110

H 174

HR 42

RBI 132

BA .352

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Has played in the majors for the Pirates, Astros, Yankees, Rays, Orioles and Blue Jays • signed a two-year $12.5 million contract with the Blue Jays in December, 2016 • hit a careerhigh 21 home runs in 2014 for the Orioles • hit .309 with 10 home runs for Rays in 2016 before being traded to Orioles in August • hit 31 home runs in the minors in 2007 • made his Major League debut for the Pirates on Sept. 1, 2007 • made the Pirates Opening Day roster in 2011 • earned 2005 All-America honors by Baseball America • second-team All-SEC at 1B • named to Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy watch list in 2005 • team’s triple crown winner in 2005 with .359 average, 21 HR and 63 RBI • triple crown winner in 2004 with .346 average, 21 HR and 70 RBI • named to the 2004 College World Series All-Tournament team • NCAA Regional All-Tournament team • NCAA Regional MVP.

Justin Smoak, 1B | Toronto Blue Jays Drafted: First round in 2008 Draft (11th overall) by Rangers CAREER MLB STATS G AB R 824 2555 285

H 571

HR 106

RBI 327

BA .223

OBP .308

SLG .392

2016 MLB STATS G AB 126 299

R 33

H 65

HR 14

RBI 34

BA .217

OBP .314

SLG .391

COLLEGE STATS G AB 195 739

R 188

H 246

HR 62

RBI 207

BA .333

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Made his Major League debut on April 22, 2010 • hit his first Major League home run on April 29 against the White Sox • was traded to the Seattle Mariners on July 9, 2010 • Claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays on Oct. 28, 2014 • hit his first career gland slam on Aug. 8, 2015 • signed a two-year extension with the Blue Jays for $8.25 million • 2008 All-American • first-team All-SEC • semifinalist for Golden Spikes Award in 2007 and 2008 • set school record with 62 career home runs • one of only seven players in SEC history with 60 or more home runs • tied school record twice with three home runs in one game • third-team AllAmerican, second-team All-SEC in 2007 • 2006 Freshman All-American • SEC All-Freshman team.

Billy Buckner RHP

Triple-A Reno (Diamondbacks) Drafted: Second round of 2004 Draft by Royals

1. Tanner English OF Triple-A Rochester (Twins) Drafted: 11th round of 2014 Draft by Twins

Joel Seddon RHP

Double-A Midland (A’s) Drafted: 11th round of 2014 Draft by A’s

2. Grayson Greiner C Triple-A Toledo (Tigers) Drafted: Third round of 2014 Draft by Tigers

LB Dantzler 1B

High-A Dunedin (Blue Jays) Drafted: 14th round of 2013 Draft by Blue Jays

Bryan Harper LHP

8. Kyle Martin 1B High-A Clearwater (Phillies) Drafted: Fourth round of 2015 Draft by Phillies

Triple-A Syracuse (Nationals) Drafted: 30th round of 2011 Draft by Nationals 3. Jordan Montgomery LHP Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees) Drafted: Fourth round of 2014 Draft by Yankees

4. Michael Roth LHP Triple-A Round Rock (Rangers) Drafted: Ninth round of 2012 Draft by Angels

High-A Modesto (Rockies) Drafted: Sixth round of 2015 Draft by Rockies

Taylor Widener RHP

Triple-A Omaha (Royals) Drafted: Fifth round of 2005 Draft by Twins

Low-A Charleston (Yankees) Drafted: 12th round of 2016 Draft by Yankees

5. Christian Walker 1B TBD (Reds) Drafted: Fourth round of 2012 Draft by Orioles

10. Gene Cone OF Rookie Brooklyn (Mets) Drafted: 10th round of 2016 Draft by Mets

Tyler Webb LHP

6. Evan Beal RHP Double-A NW Arkansas (Royals) Drafted: 21st round of 2014 Draft by Royals

11. Marcus Mooney INF Rookie Danville (Braves) Drafted: 10th round of 2016 Draft by Braves

Dom Thompson-Williams OF Rookie Staten Island (Yankees) Drafted: Fifth round of 2016 Draft by Yankees

Evan Marzilli OF

12. Matt Vogel RHP Rookie Gulf Coast League (Rays) Drafted: 25th round of 2016 Draft by Rays

Double-A Mobile (Diamondbacks) Drafted: Eighth round of 2012 Draft by Diamondbacks

Peter Mooney INF

Double-A Jacksonville (Marlins) Drafted: 21st round of 2011 Draft by Blue Jays

March 2017

9. Joey Pankake INF High-A Lakeland (Tigers) Drafted: Seventh round of 2014 Draft by Tigers

Jack Wynkoop LHP

Steve Tolleson INF

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre (Yankees) Drafted: 10th round of 2013 Draft (Yankees)

7. Max Schrock INF Double-A Midland (Nationals) Drafted: 13th round of 2015 Draft by Nationals

Photos 1-8, 10-12 by Allen Sharpe Photo 9 by Jenny Dilworth

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

Braden Webb RHP

Rookie Arizona League (Brewers) Drafted: Third round of 2016 Draft by Brewers

GAMECOCKS IN THE PROS | BASEBALL 23

SC looks to bounce back after heartbreaking loss By Jeff Owens | Executive Editor | Photos by Allen Sharpe

aseball can be a cruel game. Chad Holbrook knows that, and his players learned that hard lesson during two crushing defeats to rival Clemson. On March 5, the Gamecocks had the Tigers on the ropes for the second straight day but could not put them away, watching a chance to win the three-game series slip away with a Clemson rally. On Saturday in Greenville, South Carolina held a 5-2 lead only to watch Clemson score six runs against the vaunted Gamecock bullpen — a bullpen that had secured a 2-0 win in the opener on Friday night — for an 8-7 victory. On Sunday, the Gamecocks suffered an even more devastating loss. They were one strike away from winning the series for the first time in three years when Clemson’s Seth Beer, the 2016 national player of the year, hit a monstrous home run to tie the game in the ninth inning. Two innings later, Beer was at the plate again when South Carolina reliever Tyler Haswell unfurled a wild pitch while trying to walk Beer intentionally, allowing the winning run to score from third. “They played their guts out but sometimes baseball can be cruel. We are on the cruel end of it today,” Holbrook said after the game. It was indeed a heartbreaking loss and a cruel blow in a tense series that lived up to the hype in terms of excitement and drama. You could see it in the faces of the Gamecock players as they hung their heads in the dugout. And you could hear it in their voices as they

tried to comprehend the shocking loss. “It’s hard. We were that close to winning,” center fielder TJ Hopkins said. “I am a little bit overwhelmed with everything that has

in scoring position with no outs in the bottom of the ninth but Justin Row failed to get a bunt down, Jonah Bride grounded out to first and Madison Stokes struck out with the bases

happened.” “We were a strike away, and that’s a tough pill to swallow,” first baseman Matt Williams said. What made it even tougher to was that the Gamecocks had their chances to win both games. They rallied for two runs in the ninth on Saturday, but Jacob Olson was thrown out at the plate after doubling in a run and Alex Destino took a called third strike to end the game. On Sunday, the Gamecocks had runners

loaded. They had another runner in scoring position in the bottom of the 10th but Williams hit into a double play. Holbrook found solace in the way his team bounced back after nearly every Clemson rally. They made several big plays to take the opener of a series billed as the best rivalry in college baseball. With starter Clarke Schmidt pitching out of jam after jam, the Gamecocks scored two runs on a costly Clemson error. With a 2-0 lead, the bullpen shut down the Tigers and

Hopkins ended the game with a spectacular diving catch in center field. They bounced back on Saturday with five runs after Beer hit a towering home run off Will Crowe in the first inning. Then, after Clemson’s six-run rally, they almost pulled off a dramatic comeback of their own. The thrilling game on Sunday turned on two costly pitches — Josh Reagan’s 3-2 pitch to Beer and Haswell’s wild pitch. “I’m proud of my team, the way they handled themselves and the class they showed and how hard they played,” Holbrook said. “We didn’t hang our heads, we just couldn’t get that big hit to fall. It’s a tough loss … but I have a great group of kids and they are hurting right now, but they will bounce back.” The Gamecocks bounced back with a 12-5 win over The Citadel and a 8-6 win over Winthroop before turning their attention to a weekend series against Michigan St. “The last thing we are going to do is fold up the tent around here,” Holbrook said. “They don’t give championships in March. We have a lot to play for.” Holbrook reminded fans that in 2010 Clemson beat South Carolina 19-6 in Columbia to win the series, but the Gamecocks rallied to win the College World Series three months later. “Our hearts are ripped out of our chest, but the kids are resilient,” Holbrook said. “Everything that we want to play for and the goals that we have set forth are in front of us and I think my group is capable of playing great baseball.”

Tyler Johnson ﬂashing big numbers, creating buzz By Jeff Owens | Executive Editor

hen South Carolina closer Tyler Johnson enters the game, there is a buzz around Founders Park and in the Gamecock dugout. Fans rise to their feet, or slide to the edge of their seats. Johnson’s teammates are up on the dugout steps or leaning over the railing. They’ve suddenly got a bounce in their steps, their adrenaline pumping, like they’ve just drained a Red Bull, or know something mind-blowing is about to happen. Maybe it’s the music. The blaring siren from The Purge, followed by the thumping techno beat of the movie theme song. “It’s cool. The music is phenomenal. The young guys love it,” junior OF/DH Alex Destino says.

Or maybe it’s the anticipation of Johnson’s blazing fastball. Or the eye-popping numbers that flash on the scoreboard from the stadium’s radar gun. The 97s, 98s, 99s and … “Playing in this league, you see velo (velocity) a lot, but when you are seeing 98s, 99s and hopefully some zeros up there, it’s pretty fun,” Desinto says. “A lot of guys get riled up. Tyler is nuts. We just like watching him pitch.” Johnson, a junior from Midlothian, Va., emerged as one of the top closers in the country last season, compiling nine saves and a 2.42 ERA with 59 Ks over 52 innings while sharing the role with left-hander Josh Reagan.

24 BASEBALL | CLEMSON RECAP • TYLER JOHNSON

Rated the No. 31 college prospect in the country and one of three Gamecock pitchers expected to go in the first round in the June MLB Draft, Johnson pitched for the USA National Team last summer, and then took the fall off to prepare for his junior season at South Carolina. Despite a sensational complete-game start against UNC-Wilmington in the NCCA Regionals last year, he entered the season as the undisputed closer and got off to a strong start. Through 10 games, Johnson had four saves and 12 strikeouts in 6.2 innings, consistently flashing speeds in the high-90s. “We think he’s one of the best in college baseball,” South Carolina head coach Chad Holbrook said. “He’s one of those unique guys

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

who throws an mid- to upper-90s fastball but also has great command, and that’s very rare.” Johnson insists he doesn’t let his eyes drift to the scoreboard or his mind wander to the radar gun when he’s on the mound to close a game. “I don’t go out there and look at the radar gun. If I look out there, it’s to make sure that balls that I spot are consistently the same speed as balls I try to get them to chase,” he said. “It’s not a I’m-trying-to-throw-hard thing, but I am awfully aggressive with my fastball, and that’s the way I like to be. But it’s not something I think about when I pitch. I just concentrate on trying to get those outs.” Hitters are certainly aware of his velocity. He entered the Feb. 24 game against Wright March 2017

State with a 4-3 lead and blew away all three hitters he faced. Against Appalachian State on Feb. 28, he struck out five of the eight batters he faced. Against Clemson March 4, he got into trouble in the eighth inning, and then struck out slugger Seth Beer, the 2016 national player of the year, on a 98 mph fastball. Johnson may not be watching the radar gun, but his teammates certainly are. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The whole dugout does,â&#x20AC;? Destino says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care what anybody tells you, every coach weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got, everybody is looking up there.â&#x20AC;? Johnson hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always thrown that hard. When he first came to South Carolina, his fastball was in the mid-80s and he pitched just 6.5 innings as a freshman. But through hard work on the mound and in the weight room, Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s velocity began to climb. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I came here, I quickly realized that I was very small for an SEC team,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It showed pitching only seven innings. I just wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t physically ready. Sometimes guys take time and need a year to get kinda acclimated to every thing. So I took it upon myself to become a little more physically competitive.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worked extremely hard to put himself in this position,â&#x20AC;? Holbrook said. Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s velocity began rising last fall and during spring scrimmages. He was hitting the mid-90s when last season started and raised some eyebrows when he hit 98 during an SEC game against Florida last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coming into spring last year, I would

bump 95 but with the guys Photo by Allen Sharpe we have on staff, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that big of a deal, but it just kept climbing,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we played Florida, I hit 98 that day and that was the fastest I have ever thrown, and it just kept climbing.â&#x20AC;? Though Johnson is one of the hardest throwers in the country, he insists heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not thinking strikeout when he enters the game. He would rather induce ground balls, he says, because â&#x20AC;&#x153;it takes a lot more stress off myself.â&#x20AC;? In Game 1 against archival Clemson, he entered the ninth clinging to a 2-0 lead and facing the top of the Tiger order. He walked a batter but got a groundout, a popup and a diving catch by center field TJ Hopkins to end the game. to beat Tyler. He usually doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t walk you and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just trying to get itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very comforting to have that at the end of those three outs any way possible,â&#x20AC;? Johnson the game.â&#x20AC;? said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really think about what the score Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two biggest challenges are not is. I know that if I make quality pitches to worrying about the radar numbers on the three guys that I should be able to get them scoreboard or the scouts in the stands, espeout.â&#x20AC;? cially with the ballpark all abuzz. When heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got a great demeanor about him and on the mound, he says, he has tunnel vision, he throws strikes,â&#x20AC;? Holbrook said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have

with one single focus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All summer long, I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been thinking about the draft, I have been thinking about coming back here to win, just because of the way we left with Oklahoma State (in the 2016 Super Regionals),â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a sad feeling. I like this team and I think we can go a long way. â&#x20AC;Ś I want to win games.â&#x20AC;?

GAMECOCK MARKETPLACE Mac Senn Financial Advisor

SENIOR RATES $22 MONDAY - FRIDAY $34 SATURDAY-SUNDAY-HOLIDAYS Pine Ridge Township â&#x20AC;˘ 222 Clubhouse Drive West Columbia, SC 29172 â&#x20AC;˘ 803.755.2000 WWW.CHARWOOD.COM Monday-Friday 7am to 6pm Saturday 7am to 4pm Closed Sunday

7235 St. Andrews Rd. Columbia, SC 29212 MathiasSandwich.com

March 2017

www.edwardjones.com

The Publick House

phone 803.781.4002 fax 803.781.4220

Family Hair Salon

OPEN for LUNCH 11:00 am Monday-Saturday

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The best Pimento Burger in town! It melts in your mouth!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ed G S&F

101 Westpark Blvd. Suite D Columbia, SC 29210 Bus. 803-772-2221 mac.senn@edwardjones.com

Restaurant & Pub

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Haircuts $15 and up 1410 Colonial Life Blvd. In Colonial Village

2307 Devine Street 803-256-2625

www.publick-house.com

Established in 1970

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GREAT TO BE A GAMECOCK! spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

AS14-1554588-1

TYLER JOHNSON | BASEBALL 25

SWIMMING & DIVING

all swimming & diving content sponsored by:

Swimming, diving teams enjoy record-breaking success By Kyle Heck | Staff Writer | Photos courtesy of South Carolina Athletics Department

ike any coach, McGee Moody had high expectations for his team entering the SEC Championships. If the Gamecocks could crack double digits in school records and set around 35 personal records, the meet would be a success. After the conclusion of the five-day meet, Moody had to rethink the expectations for his team. “We talked a few weeks ago about what would make this meet a successful meet for us, and to me we shot the moon,” Moody said. “We were looking for lifetime bests (and) we had 81 lifetime bests. A lot of teams are happy if you can put up 30-35 in a championship meet and we had 81. They far exceeded our expectations.” Along with that incredible amount of personal bests, the Gamecocks set 21 school records at the SEC Championships. The previous high at the meet was eight. On the men’s side, Fynn Minuth came out a winner in the 500-yard freestyle and also took third in the 200-yard freestyle. Akram Mahmoud was victorious in the 1650-yard freestyle, while Nils Wich-Glasen finished second in both the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke. Mahmoud’s mile swim was 14:38, which ranks as one of the top-five fastest times in the nation this year. As the Gamecocks prepare for the NCAA Championships March 15, Mahmoud has even higher aspirations for himself. “My main goal this year is to be a NCAA

Champion for South Carolina,” said Mahmoud, who represented Egypt at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. “That would be huge for the program and for me as well. I’m trying to chase the NCAA record as well, which is 14:24, so that would put me in a very good situation. I have to be mentally prepared and mentally focused because I have to drop six seconds from last year.” Mahmoud claimed a second-place finish in the 1650 at the NCAA’s last season. Meanwhile, Minuth is coming into his own as a sophomore, and with a year of experience under his belt hopes to have a strong showing when he travels to the NCAA Championships. Minuth was confident entering the SEC meet and is trying to keep that same mindset over the next couple of weeks. “I was very confident in the work I put in with the guys and Dino (associate head coach Mark Bernardino), so it wasn’t really a huge shock for me with how I did, but I was very happy,” Minuth said. On the women’s side, diver Julia Vincent

26 SPRING SPORTS | SWIMMING & DIVING RECAP

was champion in the three-meter dive and finished third in the one-meter dive. Allyson Nied added a title in the women’s platform dive. There were other strong performances as well with the women claiming a ninth-place finish at the SEC Championships, their best since 2012. The men finished eighth. Kersten Dirrane was one of the many who set personal records as her time of 1:00.59 in the 100-yard breaststroke was good enough for ninth place. There were plenty of Gamecocks at the meet, and while there were a lot of stress-filled moments, all of the athletes still found time to support their teammates. “I remember right after my 200 breaststroke, Emma (Barksdale) had swum just before me and so had my teammate Albury (Higgs), and being able to walk out into this giant facility and having those two, the girls I train with every single day, (support me) made it a lot more special,” Dirrane said. “It’s one thing if you do it by yourself, it’s another to do it for the team.” Thanks to the strong performance at the SEC meet, the Gamecocks have a record number of men and women eligible for the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis. Not everyone

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

that is eligible will be picked to go, but South Carolina will likely send 9-12 male athletes to compete and about half that number on the women’s side. The Gamecock women could be heavily represented in the diving competition as well. While Moody was surprised by the success at the SEC Championships, he didn’t think the feat was impossible. He knows how hard his athletes have worked and, luckily for him and his team, everything came together. He just hopes that’s the case again at the NCAA Championships. Regardless, the future is bright for the Gamecock swimming and diving program. The recent success was amazing in and of itself, but even more so when you consider the number of freshmen and sophomores who broke those records. “It’s huge for the future of the program,” Moody said. “Not only just for the active members on the team, but for recruiting as well. Our freshmen played a huge role in the success of our program this year. It’s attributed to our leadership. Having the leaders be able to prepare our freshmen for that is huge.” March 2017

TRACK & FIELD

Track and ﬁeld team has speed, strength to contend By Kyle Heck | Staff Writer | Photos courtesy of South Carolina Athletics

fter a successful season to date, the South Carolina track and field team headed to College Station, Texas, looking to make some noise at the NCAA Indoor Championships March 10. The Gamecocks sent four athletes — two men and two women — and one women’s relay team to the meet. Of course, a couple of milliseconds can mean the difference between first and fourth place, but all four individuals as well as the relay team had high expectations entering the meet. Triple jumper Natasha Dicks, long jumper Rougui Sow and the 4x400-meter relay team were expected to represent the Gamecocks on the women’s side, while shot putter Josh Awotunde and 200-meter sprinter Ncincilili Titi were set to represent the Gamecocks in the men’s competition. Head coach Curtis Frye and his staff saw Awotunde when he was a state championship-winning high school quarterback in New Jersey and were impressed with his raw ability. In addition, athletes that play other team sports are attractive to Frye because he knows those kind of individuals will come to college with a team mentality. The Gamecock staff has been able to develop Awotunde into a national title contender in the shot put. “(He) was kind of a risk that we develMarch 2017

oped,” Frye said. “Coach (Assistant coach Mike) Sergent and the weight room developed him during his redshirt year, and during that redshirt year he threw some and qualified for the junior nationals and made the finals. He caught up to some of the people who were ahead of him.” Awotunde entered the championships ranked 11th nationally in the shot put and is ready for his first experience at the indoor event. He placed seventh to earn All-American honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last year. His experience as a high school quarterback has helped Awotunde develop into the athlete he is now. “It prepared me for a lot of the situations I’m going through now,” Awotunde said. “Being a high school quarterback, every day holding my teammates accountable and making sure everyone was doing the right thing all the time, it was tough, but we did a good job.” Dicks headed back to the NCAA Indoors looking to improve upon last year’s thirdplace finish at the event. The senior finished on the podium in every regular-season meet she participated in this year, and has an immense amount of ability. Frye said that there may be only one other triple jumper in the country that can go from takeoff to landing farther than

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Dicks. The key is getting her not to foul and have a jump that can be scored. “She is either going to get it big, or not get it,” Frye said. “And you don’t want to take that away from an athlete. She’s all out to go get the big one. We’re trying to get her coached to the point where you’re consistent enough that you don’t foul on the big ones.” Last year’s NCAA Indoor Championships were a whirlwind for Dicks because it was her first experience. She didn’t realize the impact of the event until after it was over. This time, she enters the event with a goal to win it all. “People say ‘be realistic.’ Well, if you believe in yourself and put in the effort, everything is real,” Dicks said. Sow is coming off a fifth-place finish at the SEC Championships in the long jump, and hoped to build off that performance. She is in a unique position as the France native has been with the Gamecocks for only about six months, so she’s still getting adjusted to things. However, as her performances so far this season indicate, she has the potential to fight for a top-eight spot and a first team AllAmerican nod. “Rougui is not going to beat herself,” Frye said. “She’s going to hit the board, she’s technically sound, so if she’s on and the weight room is working, then we may get two

Spurs & Feathers

or three inches (on her distance). That makes a big difference.” If Dicks, Sow and the relay team do what they’re capable of in Texas, the South Carolina women’s squad can post a top-25 team finish, according to Frye. Currently, Titi holds the ninth-fastest 200-meter time in the country, which puts him just off the pace to be a first team AllAmerican. His only disappointing meet this season came recently in the SEC Championships, and the time between that event and the NCAA Indoor Championships was spent trying to get Titi back on track. “We have to get his confidence back up,” Frye said. “But he’s good enough to be top eight.” The women’s 4x400-meter relay team has all the talent in the world, but things were a little uncertain because of injuries. Aliyah Abrams, Precious Holmes, Tyler Brockington and Briana Haith were the listed members of the relay team, but Haith and Abrams were questionable for the indoor meet. If the Gamecocks are healthy, they have the potential to at least get a top-four finish. Regardless, South Carolina entered the meet in great position to make a strong impact in College Station before the outdoor season begins later this month.

TRACK & FIELD PREVIEW | SPRING SPORTS 27

Gamecocks in Action P h o t o s b y A l l e n S h a r p e a n d J e n n y D ilw o r t h

28 GAMECOCKS IN ACTION

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

March 2017

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

GAMECOCKS IN ACTION 29

Gamecock News & Notes Staley named coach of US National Team; McIlwain transferring Coaches Association’s weekly national poll for the first time in its history on March 6. The Gamecocks were ranked 15th in the first poll of the year, and the young season already includes an upset over No. 11 Florida

Photo by Jenny Dilworth

outh Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley added another prestigious honor to her illustrious career March 10 when she was named head coach of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team through 2020. Staley, who was an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Team, will lead the USA Women’s National Team in the 2018 FIBA World Cup in Spain and, if it qualifies, the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. “Being named head coach of the USA National Team is a tremendous honor,” said Staley, who was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. “As a player, I was humbled each time I wore the uniform and this feels no different. I will do my very best to uphold the standards and winning tradition of the national team.” The 2016 Olympic finish marked Team USA’s sixth straight Olympic gold medal, and Staley was on the roster for five of those — three times as a player (1996, 2000, 2004) and twice as an assistant coach (2008, 2016). Staley won 10 gold medals as an athlete, including three Olympic and two FIBA World Championship gold medals. Staley's No. 4 Gamecocks just won their fourth straight SEC regular-season championship and third straight SEC Tournament championship. She owns an overall record of 215-80 (.729 winning percentage) at the school and led South Carolina to its first Final Four appearance in 2014-15.

Brandon McIlwain transfers

The biggest news of football spring practice so far may be the transfer of backup quarterback Brandon McIlwain. A highly-regarded recruit out of Pennsylvania, McIlwain was also a top-notch baseball prospect and a member of Chad Holbrook’s team.

30 GAMECOCK NEWS & NOTES

McIlwain was expected to compete for the starting quarterback job as well as a starting role with the baseball team, but was never able to latch onto a job. With Jake Bentley emerging as the unquestioned starting quarterback and McIlwain not being able to force his way into the baseball lineup, the sophomore chose to announce his intentions to transfer at the end of the semester.

Football greats coaching

Two former South Carolina football team captains are joining forces once again. Brandon Bennett and Toby Cates, captains on the 1995 team that won the Gamecocks’ first-ever bowl game, will be coaching at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Greenville. Bennett, who played in the NFL with the Bengals and Panthers, will be the head coach and he is bringing along Cates as an assistant. The private school is one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in the nation.

Soccer star turns pro

South Carolina men’s soccer assistant coach Joey Worthen was announced as the new head coach at Florida Atlantic. Worthen spent five seasons coaching under legendary coach Mark Berson at South Carolina, and becomes the 14th Gamecock assistant/former player to accept a head coaching role for another program. Danny Deakin, a two-year star for the Gamecocks who recently wrapped up his final season, signed a contract with MLS club Orlando City SC. Deakin was a 2017 MLS SuperDraft third-round selection of the Lions. The England native scored 18 goals and dished out eight assists in 41 games at South Carolina.

Beach volleyball ranked

Thanks to a strong start to the season, the South Carolina beach volleyball team was able to crack the American Volleyball

noise at the NCAA Indoor Championships, which started on March 10 (page 27).

Equestrian team finishes strong, looks to postseason

Overall, the South Carolina equestrian team had an up-and-down season, but on Senior Day on March 4, the Gamecocks beat SMU 14-5 at One Wood Farm in Blythewood. It was a great way to cap the careers of nine seniors, and will hopefully create some momentum entering the SEC Championship that begins on March 24. The No. 8 Gamecocks will travel to Auburn to compete against Auburn, Georgia and Texas A&M for the right to be crowned SEC Champions. South Carolina won the 2013 SEC Championship and the 2015 National Championship.

Women’s golf on a roll

International. The Gamecocks will continue competition throughout March and April, with home matches played at Wheeler Beach in Gamecock Village.

Tennis teams off to strong starts

Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams are in a good place in the middle of March. Both programs are nationally ranked, and the men’s squad has been ranked as high as No. 16. One of the highlights of the women’s season so far was a dominating, 7-0 win over rival Clemson in February. That team will look to continue the success and make the NCAA Tournament for a 22nd consecutive year. On the men’s side, junior Gabriel Friedrich was named the SEC Player of the Week in mid-February. One of the veterans on a fairly young team, Friedrich helped South Carolina get off to a 8-0 start, the best since 2012.

Track athletes honored

Several South Carolina track and field athletes have been honored over the past few weeks as the Gamecocks go through their regular season. On March 6, Eric Favors and Alycia Springs were named to the SEC AllFreshman team for their efforts at the SEC Indoor Championships. Both participate in the shot put. On Feb. 21, Taranisha Taylor was named the SEC women’s Runner of the Week and on the same day Favors was named the SEC men’s Freshman of the Week. The Gamecocks are hoping to make some

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

At the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate that concluded on March 5, the South Carolina women’s golf team clinched yet another topfive finish. The Gamecocks finished fourth in Hilton Head, their fourth straight top-five finish at an event. One of the top young players on the team, Ana Pelaez, was recently named the SEC women’s Freshman Golfer of the Week twice. Her score of 208 at the Florida State Match-Up was the lowest 54-hole score by a freshman in school history. She was named Freshman of the Week again March 8 for her 54-hole score of 218 at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.

McCaskill impressing Team USA

South Carolina women’s soccer star Savannah McCaskill was selected to compete with the United States U-23 team in Spain, and she immediately made an impact. The rising senior recorded a game-winner in her debut against Japan. McCaskill is one of four collegiate players on the 22-women roster, and was named a captain for the opening match. She is coming off a season at South Carolina where she set a school record for points (45) and goals (17) en route to 2016 SEC Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Softball starting strong again

The South Carolina softball team got off to a great start last season, and the Gamecocks have done the same this year. As of March 8, South Carolina held a 16-5 record, and nearly pulled off a couple of upsets against top-20 teams. Freshman second baseman Mackenzie Boesel earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors on March 6 for her performance during the Judi Garman Classic. The California native batted .571 during the classic, and currently leads the Gamecocks in home runs. March 2017

Like in 2010, the Clemson loss will soon be forgotten Column by Ed Girardeau | Contributing writer

n the past, I have complained about February and March baseball and how the weather was not conducive to sitting outdoors and enjoying the festivities, much less playing. Ed Girardeau That has taken a turn Contributing Writer for the better so far this season with some incredibly warm and very nice days. Sunday March 5 was a perfect day. Blue skies with high, thin clouds and a very slight breeze made for a great atmosphere, particularly for playing. My father, brothers and I made our annual trek for the Clemson game in Columbia for my birthday, an event that goes back to the days when we played at Sarge Frye Field. We’ve seen some great ones. Trey Dyson’s game-tying home run in the ninth, and game-tying double in the 11th to lead Carolina to a win in 12 innings comes to mind. And we’ve seen some not-so-good ones. Sunday’s result was one of them. In fact, the back-to-back losses were particularly disheartening, as both games appeared to be won, only to see defeat snatched from the jaws of victory late in both games. Needless to say, the four of us were pretty unhappy on the ride home. From what I have heard, we are not alone. It’s been a pretty tough start. The Gamecocks fell to 7-5 on the season with three one-run losses, one two-run loss in extra innings, and another one that got away at the end. It kind of reminds me of a few years back when South Carolina got off to a slow start. The Gamecocks lost two close games in a row on the road at East Carolina, and then on the first weekend in March lost on Friday at Clemson and then was just blown out on Sunday in Columbia, 19-6. The team was 6-4 after that game and there was no joy in Mudville.

There were even grumblings that perhaps Coach Tanner had lost it and would never get South Carolina back to the College World Series. He just wasn’t the man for the job. That was 2010. Carolina won it’s next 13 in a row. Even still, they weren’t good enough to win the SEC, finishing second to Florida in the SEC East and losing two in a row in the SEC Tournament. There was no way we could expect the Gamecocks to dig out of the doldrums and win the Regional, much less get back to the Super Regional or the College World Series. In fact, we opened with Bucknell and trailed 5-1 early in the first game of the Regional. I remember I went for a long walk around the stadium. Whit Merrifield hit a home run to right and Carolina went on to win 9-5, swept the Regional, and went on to Myrtle Beach to sweep Coastal Carolina to earn a trip to Omaha. South Carolina lost the opener to Oklahoma before winning through the loser’s bracket to beat Oklahoma in 12 innings after Jackie Bradley Jr. was down to his last strike before tying it with a clutch hit. Then Carolina beat Clemson twice (19-6 was a distant memory at that point) and saw the birth of a star named Michael Roth. They then beat UCLA twice, the second time in 11 innings, to win the National Championship. Less we forget, we won it again in 2011 and finished as the runner-up in 2012. I needed to be reminded of this, and I guess maybe some of you do, too. We may not turn it around, but there’s plenty of reasons to think that this team will. Baseball is the toughest of all sports to manage. It is so easy to second-guess a

Photo by Allen Sharpe

decision if it doesn’t work out. Don’t get me wrong, I was second-guessing along with everybody else. I still do. I second-guessed myself when I was coaching. I second-guessed myself when I was playing. Quite frankly, it’s what makes the game so interesting. There is plenty of time left in the season and things have a way of evening out. Sometimes you pull the right string and sometimes you don’t, but over the long run you get better and things will work out. South Carolina’s starting pitching has been excellent. As the season progresses they’ll pitch deeper into games and that will benefit the team. In the meantime, the bullpen needs to improve. Tyler Johnson getting healthy is important and finding some other arms to depend on — like Michael Roth in 2010 — will be key. The hitting normally improves as the season progresses. It’s been inconsistent in the early going, but the talent is there and I’m sure it will improve. In the meantime, there’s still plenty of blue skies and nice days ahead. The trip

and the company to the game and back on Sunday will long outlive the disappointment of the loss. Remember when the women’s basketball team wasn’t winning the SEC? It’s been a while. What Dawn Staley has accomplished is remarkable. Four regular-season titles in a row and three SEC tournament championships. It’s hard to remember when they were not great. Now they will enter the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed again, and there’s no reason not to expect another run toward the title. The men's team was looking for their first SEC tournament title and have all but wrapped up a trip to the NCAA tourney. It’s been a long ride to get here, but it’s certainly been a heck of a ride. Sindarius Thornwell was picked as the SEC Player of the Year, the first time the men have done that since joining the SEC. The payoff for the men's basketball team is starting to come. Relax and enjoy the ride. It’s a great time to be a Gamecock!

Need more Gamecock Updates? Get More and daily coverage at www.spursandfeathers.com March 2017

spursandfeathers.com

@SpursFeathers

Spurs & Feathers

ED GIRARDEAU | BASEBALL 31

AS14-1540585-1