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SEC Football: Spring 2019 storylines for every SEC team

By John Mitchell

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Confetti falls after the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 35-28 in the 2018 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 01: Confetti falls after the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 35-28 in the 2018 SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) /

South Carolina: Replacing Deebo Samuel

Coming off of a 9-win season in 2017, it was hard not to look at 2018 as a disappointment as South Carolina slipped to 7-6 despite a lot of returning talent on the roster. It could have been worse, too, as the Gamecocks won three games by four points or less, including a complete fluke of a victory over Missouri. Couple that with a no-show in a Belk Bowl loss to Virginia, and the 2018 season left a sour taste in the mouth of the South Carolina faithful.

While there’s plenty of talent returning to Columbia, most notably senior QB Jake Bentley, the Gamecocks move forward without the dynamic Deebo Samuel, who was a homerun threat as a receiver and returner.

Samuel was the team’s leading receiver with 882 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns. He also had four career kick-return touchdowns, providing the game-breaking ability on South Carolina’s special teams.

Senior Bryan Edwards will have to shoulder an even bigger load after being the team’s No. 2 option last season. He’ll step into the limelight at receiver while also handling punt-return responsibilities. Senior AJ Turner is likely to take over as the kick returner, though others will certainly push for the job.

Samuel typically lined up in the slot for the Gamecocks, proving to be a near impossible matchup for slot corners and safeties to keep up with. There isn’t a player on the roster who can replicate his production, but sophomore Josh Vann is likely to get the first opportunity to take over after a solid freshman season.

Junior Shi Smith is also likely to see an increased role, while tight ends Kiehl Pollard and Kyle Markway are likely to see more focused efforts to get them involved in the offense; either could see time lining up in the slot.

Muschamp teams are typically nearly impossible to project as they often overachieve when expectations are low and underachieve when they’re high, so the Gamecocks could surprise in 2019 with a veteran quarterback, particularly if the defense can improve from ranking 40th in defensive S&P+ last season.

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