SPECIAL TEAMS LEAD GAMECOCKS IN HOME OPENER
Photo Credit: David Yeazell All Rights Reserved
In what was a rainy Saturday in Columbia, South Carolina, that saw the 7:30 kickoff time get pushed back all the way to 9:20, the Gamecocks had their first home game of the 2025 season. A crowd of 79,705—the most for a home opener since 2017—braved the elements at Williams-Brice Stadium, prompting head coach Shane Beamer to praise the fanbase: “99.9% of schools in the country, if they had a two-and-a-half hour weather delay, they would have came out to a half empty stadium, and we came out to a packed stadium for pre-game warmups. It’s amazing.” The gamecocks took on the 2024 MEAC champion South Carolina State Bulldogs, who, for the first half, gave South Carolina all they could handle. Impressively, the Bulldogs were able to hold the Gamecocks scoreless through the first quarter, while taking a 3-0 lead on a 21-yard field goal by Nico Cavanillas Alti. The star of the game, however, was the Gamecocks' defense and special teams units. Both stepped up while the offense struggled and helped lead the Gamecocks to a 38-10 victory. SC State head coach Chennis Berry reflected positively on his team's effort:
“I was so proud of the South Carolina State Bulldog football team as they went out. They played for 60 minutes. We came a little short, obviously, but against a very good football team at the University of South Carolina.”
Photo Credit: David Yeazell All Rights Reserved
The Good
The Gamecock defense has been electric in the first two games of the 2025 season. The defense led in the front seven by standouts like Dylan Stewart, and the quick Linebacker core of Justin Okoronkwo and Fred Johnson, have been able to make things difficult for both Virginia Tech and South Carolina State. They’ve been a very “bend, don’t break” kind of defense so far this young season, while also capitalizing on turnovers; they’ve forced 3 turnovers in the first 2 games. Against the Bulldogs, the unit recorded a season-high four sacks (by Desmond Umeozulu, Dylan Stewart, Jaquavious Dodd, and Bryan Thomas Jr.) for 33 yards lost, held SC State to just 62 rushing yards and 270 total yards, and forced a key fumble in the third quarter that Jaron Willis returned 46 yards for a touchdown. Beamer emphasized the group's identity:
“I think that’s just our DNA and how we play. We talk about it – that we want to play with great effort, and that you may make mistakes but you can overcome them with great effort.”
Demon Clowney also made his Gamecock debut with one tackle and 1.5 tackles for loss. The special teams unit has been nothing short of incredible, and under a Beamer-led team, you would expect nothing less. Vicari Swain has returned 3 punts for TDs in 2 games, including a 65-yard punt return and a 42-yard blocked punt return (set up by Maurice Brown II's block) in this matchup against the Bulldogs. He’s tied the school record. And he did it in 6 quarters. Swain is two returns away from tying the FBS record for touchdowns in a season, which is held by former Tarheel Ryan Switzer and Chad Owens from Hawaii. Beamer noted the unit's growing reputation:
“They’ve created an identity already where people are going to stay in their seats on fourth down to see what happens.”
Punter Mason Love averaged 49 yards on five punts, and kicker William Joyce was perfect on five extra points while hitting a 49-yard field goal to end the first half. You can’t help but feel hope early in the season; yes, it’s a small sample size, but you have to be excited for these two groups heading into conference play.
Photo Courtesy of University of South Carolina Athletics
The Bad
Offensively, the Gamecocks have left a lot to be desired, but they’ve won the first 2 games of the season. The offensive line failed to keep the running lanes open, which left Rahsul Faison and Oscar Adeway bottled up, unable to gain yards or put points on the board. Even in the passing game, the offensive line has not quite performed to spec. Two games into the season, Quarterback Lanorris Sellers has faced constant pressure, resulting in six sacks. Still, he managed 128 passing yards on 11-of-19 attempts with one touchdown, plus 23 rushing yards. Sellers admitted improvement is needed:
“We just have to get better. We are starting SEC play so we have to communicate, execute, and be on the same page.”
There have still been bright spots, however, like the 64-yard TD to Nyck Harbor and Vandrevius Jacobs hauled in his first career touchdown on a 35-yard strike. Additionally, Donovan Murph flashed promise with 39 receiving yards, but the unit remains a work in progress under play-caller Mike Shula. However, if you want success, you must limit the sacks and negative plays.
The silver lining? No turnovers through two games and a perfect 3-for-3 mark on fourth-down conversions. But as Berry noted from the opposing sideline, it was “a couple special teams blunders … that really changed the game.”
What’s next?
The Gamecocks are at home next week against Vanderbilt for the first SEC game of 2025. South Carolina has historically dominated Vanderbilt, maintaining a winning streak dating back to 2009. However, this is not the Vanderbilt of the past, as Clark Lea and QB Diego Pavia, who last year upset Alabama, have a chip on their shoulder and have something to prove. This game for Vanderbilt has been circled. Vandy is itching to break the streak, and they’re gonna throw the kitchen sink at this game. South Carolina can’t come out flat. The injury report for South Carolina will be something to monitor. Even Coach Beamer, when asked about the injury report, responded, “Not good.”
