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South Carolina Football: 3 biggest surprises from 2019 season

By Celeste Sabin

COLUMBIA, SC - SEPTEMBER 28: Ryan Hilinski #3 of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Williams-Brice Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SC - SEPTEMBER 28: Ryan Hilinski #3 of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Williams-Brice Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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South Carolina football didn’t have as successful a season as it would have hoped in 2019, but there were still some pleasant surprises.

The South Carolina Gamecocks had many struggles during the 2019 season, finishing with just four wins and eight losses.

The program seemed to struggle from the first game of the season when their neighbors to the north, the North Carolina Tar Heels, rolled over the Gamecocks in the opener, 24-20.  Senior quarterback Jake Bentley was injured in that game forcing true freshman Ryan Hilinski to step up to plate and take over the signal caller position for the rest of the season.

The Gamecocks won their home opener the following week, defeated Kentucky a couple of weeks later, defeated Georgia on the road and won their last game of the season when they played Vanderbilt on homecoming.

Despite the season that produced so many disappointing Saturdays, there were sill a few highlights and surprises.

3. Parker White

Parker White, the junior place kicker, was a pleasant surprise this season. During his first season with the Gamecocks, he kicked a 56 percent field goal average and made 14-of-25 field goal attempts. In the second season, he improved with an 81 percent average and 13-of-16 attempts. Last season, White showed the greatest improvement with 18-of-22 successful field goal attempts and an 82 percent field goal average for the season.

Among White’s successful field goals was the winning kick against Georgia and he put up the only score in the rivalry game versus Clemson. If history is any precedent, White should come back better than ever in his senior year.