College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the South Carolina Gamecocks season with what you need to know.
CFN in 60 Podcast: 2020 South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina preview in 60 seconds
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– South Carolina Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 4-8 overall, 3-5 in SEC
Head Coach: Will Muschamp, 5th year, 26-25
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 58
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 70
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 16
NOTE: Obviously, no one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: South Carolina Gamecocks Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense just didn’t work. How painful was it? The O failed to score more than 27 points against anyone but Charleston Southern, and it closed out the year scoring a grand total of 24 points in the final three games.
The passing game tried, but nothing was happening down the field on a consistent basis – the Gamecocks were fourth-worst in the nation in yards per completion – and moving the chains on third downs was like pulling teeth at times.
In comes new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo – the former Colorado State head coach who should be able to get the passing game going.
CFN in 60 Video: South Carolina Gamecocks Preview
– It all starts with getting more out of sophomore QB Ryan Hilinski. He’s a big, talented passer who threw for 2,357 yards and 11 touchdowns with five picks after taking over the gig, and he’s got the talent to be fantastic with a little more time to work.
Former Colorado State Ram bomber Collin Hill is coming in as a grad transfer, but he’s coming off a knee injury and he’s mainly going to be used as the reliable backup option with former starter Jake Bentley transferring to Utah.
The quarterbacks will be missing now-Las Vegas Raider Bryan Edwards, who led the team with 71 catches last season. Senior Shi Smith should be the main man now after finishing second on the team with 43 grabs, but he’s not the big, physical target Edwards was. The corps doesn’t have a whole lot established after Smith, but junior Josh Vann will get a long look at playing a bigger role after making 19 grabs.
– The running game had its moments, but when it was off, it was really not working. The Gamecocks were held to under 80 yards on the ground five times – and lost all five – but here comes MarShawn Lloyd. No pressure Mr. Five-Star, but go out there as a true freshman and become a superstar right right away. With the top three backs from last year done, it’s the 5-9, 212-pound Lloyd’s backfield to take over.
The line had its struggles, but it was okay at limiting the plays behind the line – for the most part. The tackles are solid around 310-pound veteran tackle Dylan Wonnum. The interior is going to be a wee bit tricky until the practices get going and the job battles start. It’s a versatile group – again, to be nice – with decent size. It really will be a Five Best Guys thing – at least three best guys on the inside.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: South Carolina Gamecocks Defense 3 Things To Know
4. College Football News Preview 2020: South Carolina Gamecocks Defense 3 Things To Know
– You have to look past the stats a bit with last year’s Gamecock defense. It should’ve been stronger at getting into the backfield, and it wasn’t anything special against the run, but it had little to no support at times from an offense that kept coming off the field in a hurry.
To be totally misleading, South Carolina was 4-0 when the defense held teams to fewer than 20 points, and 0-8 when it didn’t. That’s more of an indictment on the Gamecock O.
– You defensive line doesn’t get better after losing Javon Kinlaw, DJ Wonnum and Kobe Smith. The tackles are worse off than the ends, with Kinlaw a nearly impossible force to immediately replace, and with Smith a solid big body inside.
It’s going to be a young bunch, starting with 300-pound sophomore DT Zacch Pickens – the talent is there to be special – needing to be fantastic right away. Aaron Sterling led the team in tackles for loss at one end spot, and 275-pound junior Kingsley Enagbare coming up with seven. Coming up is five-star talent Jordan Burch, a 6-5, 265-pound pass rushing killer who’ll soon be the team’s star up front.
– Overall, six of the top eight tacklers are expected back, with the secondary potentially one of the team’s early strengths. Jammie Robinson came up with a good 62-tackle season at one safety spot, and junior RJ Roderick heads up a deep group to fill in the other roles.
6-4, 205-pound Israel Mukuamu – the three-interception star of the win over Georgia – is a safety playing corner, and veteran Jaycee Horn is a good one on the other side.
The versatility of leading-tackling linebacker Ernest Jones gives the D several options to work with. 230-pound senior Sherrod Greene should get the call at one of the jobs, and then it’ll be a battle to make all the pieces fit.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Top South Carolina Gamecocks Players
College Football News Preview 2020: Top South Carolina Gamecocks Players
Best South Carolina Gamecocks Offensive Player
RB MarShawn Lloyd, Fr.
Oh let’s just go overboard and gush about the superstar recruit before he ever plays a down of college football. The Gamecocks have enough offensive talent to be better, but here’s the difference-maker.
The 5-9, 212-pounder out of Delaware got to school early, but he didn’t get a chance to show off quite yet. The Gamecocks aren’t all that deep at running back, but it’ll be Lloyd and sophomore Kevin Harris carrying the O as soon as the new guy is ready.
2. QB Ryan Hilinski, Soph.
3. WR Shi Smith, Sr.
4. OT Dylan Wonnum, Jr.
5. OT Jakai Moore, RFr.
Best South Carolina Gamecocks Defensive Player
CB Israel Mukuamu, Jr. DE Aaron Sterling, Sr.
It doesn’t matter if you think Mukuamu should really be a safety or if he should stick at corner – he’s a baller who did more than just ruin a Saturday afternoon for Jake Fromm and Georgia. He can be moved around anywhere, but he’s an intimidating force at corner.
Go ahead and throw into the Best Defensive Player mix several other options, including linebacker Ernest Young – he’s going to lead the team in tackles again – and Jordan Burch, who could be one of the SEC’s breakout superstar pass rushers.
2. LB Ernest Jones, Jr.
3. DE Aaron Sterling, Sr.
4. DE Jordan Burch, Fr.
5. S Jammie Robinson, Jr.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: South Carolina Gamecocks Keys To The Season
College Football News Preview 2020: South Carolina Gamecocks Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The South Carolina Gamecocks Offense
Just move the chains. New offensive coordinator Mike Bobo is going to be terrific – the former Colorado State head man is great at the OC thing. He’s able to adapt quickly to what’s needed, and he’ll generate enough balance to get the offense going.
As long as it’s connecting on third down plays, everything else will be fine.
The running backs are relatively thin unless MarShawn Lloyd is ready to go off, and the line needs to give QB Ryan Hilinski the time to operate, but don’t worry about how the sausage is made – just convert.
USC connected on just 32% of its third down chances last season and was under 25% in three of the last five games. By comparison, the 2018 offense converted 42% of the time and was only held to under 25% once all year.
Biggest Key To The South Carolina Gamecocks Defense
Get the defensive tackles going in a hurry. The secondary is loaded with veterans, and the linebacking corps won’t be that much of a worry. Throw in the potential of the defensive ends being outstanding – especially if freshman Jordan Burch is ready right out of the box – and it’s up to the tackles to come through.
Javon Kinlaw was the force everyone had to worry about, but Kobe Smith was a tough guy who did a lot of the dirty work to hold up inside. There’s not a ton of size at the position – there’s no true 330-pound anchor – but 300-pound sophomore Zacch Pickens and 270-pound senior Keir Thomas can move. After those two, the depth has to stay in one piece.
Key South Carolina Gamecocks Player To A Successful Season
WR Shi Smith, Sr.
Let’s just assume that MarShawn Lloyd and Kevin Harris will be fine at running back, and let’s take for granted that all the bodies the coaching staff can throw into the offensive interior will yield three good starters.
Let’s also assume that Ryan Hilinski really is that good as the Gamecock quarterback for the next three years, or Collin Hill is just that good a transfer and he’s amazing this season.
The offense needs a No. 1 receiver.
Shi Smith has been a fine complementary piece behind Bryan Edwards and Deebo Samuel, but after a good three years, now he’s the potential No. 1 guy. Edwards made 71 catches last year – Smith was second on the team with 32. He’s quick, he’s reliable, and he’s not got to be the alpha-dog in a receiving corps that needs playmakers.
Key Game To The South Carolina Gamecocks Season
Tennessee, Oct. 10
For this to be a decent year for the Gamecocks, the SEC home opener against Missouri is a must-win. Beating Kentucky on the road is important, and a loss at Florida wouldn’t be the end of the world. However, for the fan base, losing at home to Tennessee just won’t do.
On the road to the Vols? Maybe, but it’s a home date for the first time in three weeks against a team that won 41-21 in last year’s meeting. Before that, South Carolina had won three straight in the series.
This is one of those games to possibly ensure no worse than third in the SEC East. It’s also one of those games that both fan bases will be circling as a win.
– South Carolina Gamecocks Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 South Carolina Fun Stats
– Rushing TDs: South Carolina 18 – Opponents 9
– Fumbles: South Carolina 12 (lost 7) – Opponents 9 (lost 5)
– 4th Quarter Scoring: Opponents 107 – South Carolina 64
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: South Carolina Gamecocks Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
1. College Football News Preview 2020: South Carolina Gamecocks Win Total Prediction, What Will Happen
It’s not just that South Carolina went 4-8 last year, it’s that it went 4-8 with a team that was a whole lot better than the final record.
The schedule looked and was brutal – playing Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Florida, and yeah, an Appalachian State team that went 13-1. But the Gamecocks were good enough to survive the win over Georgia, and sorry, but …
You don’t lose at home to Appalachian State. And you don’t lose to Missouri by 20, or to Tennessee by 20, or to North Carolina if your team really was any good.
This year’s team might have lost some high-end talents, but the pieces are there to at least go bowling again. That’s not a high bar for long-suffering Gamecock fans whose program is stuck in neutral while that orange in-state ACC school up the road is busy playing for national titles, but a winning season would be a nice step back to respectability.
Set The South Carolina Gamecocks Regular Season Win Total At … 7
Bet at BetMGM Win Total Line: 5.5
South Carolina hasn’t started the year 3-0 since 2012, – Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, and even after last year’s blowout loss, Missouri. There’s your start to the season.
Throw in at Vanderbilt and against Wofford, and there’s no excuse to not have five wins unless the program blows a tire.
Forget at Clemson and at LSU, and hope for the best but expect the worst at Florida and at home against Georgia.
Win two of the three against at Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas A&M, and/or hope for an upset against one of the big boys, and seven wins is a good goal for a young team trying to put it all together.
