Now is your time to get on the South Carolina Gamecocks bandwagon for next season. While many college football pundits do not see them the same way I do, I have them as a strong candidate to make the College Football Playoff for the first time ever next December. My FanSided.com colleague and False Start co-cost Cody Williams feels the same way I do. It is all about their two budding stars.
Much has been made about what LaNorris Sellers is and is not as a quarterback. However, even in down years, the Gamecocks always seem to have a star player or two on their defensive. Despite sending a school-record of 11 players to the NFL combine, their best player on defense might have only been a true freshman. Yes, I am talking about their dynamic edge rusher in one Dylan Stewart.
He appeared early in Adam Rittenberg's top playmakers post for ESPN, highlight the very best players who do not play quarterback. Stewart on trailed Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Ryan Williams. The sky is the limit for Stewart, but he needs to get better at this one part of his game.
South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White said he needs to get better at "just understanding big-picture football", citing a necessity to improve upon his pass-rushing skills, recognizing protections better and having a better overall feeling for terminology existing on the offensive side of the football. I would venture to guess that this will come with age and experience.
For now, it is going to be next to impossible for me not to have South Carolina in the playoff mix.
Dylan Stewart needs to become more football savvy for South Carolina
When a player at South Carolina is drawing favorable comparisons to Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Kennard in the trenches, that speaks volumes to me. Clowney was a total play disruptor during his three years in Columbia. Kennard may not have played at South Carolina for all that very long, but he let his presence be known in and every time he lined up opposite of the other team's offensive line.
What I am getting at is the top-end of South Carolina's talent can go toe-to-toe with anyone. Although losing offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains to the Appalachian State job could slow down the offense a bit, White's side of the ball should be what gets this team to around double-digit wins. For some strange reason, the bookmakers do not see that happening, as many have them at only 7.5...
Needless to say, I would gladly take the over, as South Carolina could potentially win upwards of 10 games and make the playoff for the first time. It would not surprise me if they are playing for a playoff berth in the most significant Palmetto Bowl in my lifetime on Thanksgiving Weekend. I have the arch rival Clemson Tigers as my projected national runner-up, and I think South Carolina could win again.
For now, it is all about White and head coach Shane Beamer putting Stewart in positions to succeed.