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If someone asks you who will lead the South Carolina Gamecocks in a specific stat category in 2015, answering “Pharoh Cooper” is probably a safe bet.
The senior can do it all from rushing and receiving to kick returns and throwing touchdown passes. Cooper enters the season as South Carolina’s statistical returning leader for receiving and punt return yards, as well as passing. Yes. Passing. But he’s not the only Gamecock who will put up numbers this year.
Who will lead the South Carolina Gamecocks on the stat sheet in 2015? Here are a few of our projections:
RUNNING WILD(S) — BRANDON WILDS/DAVID WILLIAMS
With so much uncertainty at the quarterback position entering this season, the Gamecocks will need to lean on the running game at times. South Carolina has enjoyed a glut of talent at running back the last five years in Marcus Lattimore and Mike Davis — two players both curiously drafted by the San Francisco 49ers.
Attempting to replace Davis’ 1,350 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns from last season is the tandem of Brandon Wilds and David Williams. The duo combined for 1,086 all-purpose yards and 7 touchdowns backing up Davis last year.
In a division that boasts standout running backs such as Georgia’s Nick Chubb, Missouri’s Russell Hansbrough and Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd, the Gamecocks running backs could fly under the radar and surprise the SEC East.
Both Wilds and Williams are big, fast tailbacks with excellent hands. Expect them to split carries and replicate Davis’ numbers from last year and then some.
Further strengthening the backfield is Shon Carson. Carson can do it all from rushing to kick return duties. He drew praise from Spurrier, after the senior scored the only touchdown (on a 25-yard pass from Perry Orth) of the Gamecocks’ first scrimmage. While he only registered 144 yards rushing last season, look for Carson to play a versatile role on offense, picking up 500 yards or so and 5 touchdowns.
MR. AUGUST — JACOB AUGUST
OK, Pharoh Cooper, but can you also punt? Because tight end Jacob August can.
August handled receiving, placekicking and punting last year for Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy. After spurning the likes of Penn State, Southern Mississippi and Temple, August made an immediate impact in Columbia, sharing the team’s Freshman Offensive Player of the Spring award with QB Connor Mitch.
August is battling Jerell Adams and Kevin Crosby to climb the Gamecocks depth chart, and is already making a case to unseat them. The team named August its Most Improved Tight End after the Garnet and Black Spring Game — an honor bestowed upon Adams the last two years.
The senior Adams, however, is poised for a big year. But look for August to build a rapport with Mitch that could last several years. That begins in 2015 with 300 to 400 yards receiving and a few touchdowns.
MAN OF THE PEOPLE — PHAROH COOPER
Despite all the hyperbole about Cooper being able to do it all, the reality is, the Gamecocks need several untested wide receivers to develop. After Cooper, the next leading returning receivers are TE Jerell Adams and RBs Brandon Wilds and David Williams. Ex-quarterback Dylan Thompson even had more receiving yards Shamier Jeffery, the most seasoned returning receiver.
Despite the gloomy numbers, the Gamecocks receivers have potential to be among the team’s strengths. Cooper will again lead the ‘Cocks in receiving. Look for him to at least duplicate last year’s 1,136 yards, 9-touchdown first-team All-SEC performance.
Deebo Samuels has stepped up as the No. 2 option. Samuels, like August, has a chance to forge a rapport with whomever the young quarterback will be — if Perry Orth, Michael Scarnecchia or Lorenzo Nunez beat out Mitch for the starting role.
The redshirt freshman Samuels is a home run threat, earning the squad’s Big Plays Award in the spring. He’ll benefit from defenses having to account for Cooper’s whereabouts at all times. Look for Samuels to haul in about 700 yards this year and five touchdowns or so. Jeffery, despite just two catches for 9 yards, should come into his own as a senior.
The brother of former Gamecocks and Chicago Bears All-Pro wide receiver Alshon Jeffery certainly has the lineage to break out this season. Expect between 350 and 500 yards from him, considering whomever wins the quarterback job should be able to spread the ball nicely, especially in a Spurrier offense.
KANSAS CONNECTIONS — MARQUAVIUS LEWIS/ISAIAH JOHNSON
It was no secret that the Gamecocks defense laid a collective egg last year. That unit promises to be vastly improved this season, thanks in part to the addition of two players who spent their 2014 in the Sunflower State.
South Carolina finished last in the SEC, sacking opposing quarterbacks just 14 times all season. SEC leader Missouri racked up 44 sacks, by comparison.
To fix his porous pass rush, Spurrier brought in Marquavius Lewis, a defensive end from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas — and has been raving about him ever since. The Jayhawk Conference Defensive Player of the Year tallied 20.5 tackles-for-loss to go along with 11.0 sacks last year. He kept that going into the spring and summer.
Spurrier also added DE Dante Sawyer to cure his defensive front seven woes. Lewis and Sawyer were the Nos. 2 and 3-ranked defensive ends on ESPN’s JC50 list.
Look for Lewis and Sawyer to revitalize the Gamecocks pass rush and combine for 10 sacks in 2015.
Solidifying the Gamecocks’ secondary is Kansas transfer Isaiah Johnson. The senior is eligible to play immediately after graduating from KU. He finished his tenure in Lawrence last season second on the squad in tackles with 75. In Columbia, he’ll challenge returning team leader Skai Moore for tops among South Carolina in interceptions. Look for both of them to snag three picks apiece for the revitalized Gamecocks secondary.
Chris Wuensch is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers South Carolina and Tennessee.
