South Carolina Offensive Players to Watch vs Missouri Tigers
The South Carolina Gamecocks might just be the surprise of the conference this year, now that they've cracked the AP rankings. The Gamecocks' offense has been up and down, but they've still managed a 5-2 record thus far. South Carolina may not have a ton of offensive firepower, but it's going to be a much tougher battle for Missouri than the Tigers' clash with Vanderbilt was.
The big key for the Tigers will be stopping the Gamecocks' ground game, which is led by running back Marshawn Lloyd. South Carolina also has Spencer Rattler at quarterback, but he may not be as much of a factor in this game.
Here are the Gamecocks to watch when South Carolina has the ball...
RB MarShawn Lloyd
2022 Stats: 93 car/526 yards/9 TDs, 17 rec/173 yards/2 rec TDs
Lloyd's shoulders must be hurting at this point because he's been carrying this offense on his back all season. He's got 11 of South Carolina's 27 offensive touchdowns, making up a little more than 40 percent of their scoring. The Gamecocks' offensive line has also been impressive over recent weeks, especially in their win over Texas A&M last Saturday.
It will be imperative for Mizzou to force long yardage second and third downs and try to force South Carolina to put the ball in Rattler's hands instead. There's no doubt that Lloyd is the guy that the Tigers have to contain, but he's not the only Gamecocks ball carrier that can hurt defenses.
RB Christian Beal-Smith
2022 Stats:28 car/88yards/4 TDs
While Lloyd is the workhorse who's on the field most of the time, Beal-Smith is more of a short-yardage specialist. At 5-foot-9, 205-pounds, the senior running back is an absolute bowling ball and requires multiple tacklers to bring him down. He may not have the most versatile skill set in the world, but he is a master at his craft.
Beal-Smith is a player that the Gamecocks can put in after Lloyd's already beaten up the opposing defense, to keep a strong running presence in the game. Missouri's front line will have to plug holes to prevent any easy conversions for Beal-Smith.
WR Antwane Wells Jr.
2022 Stats: 30 rec/412 yards/ 2 TDs
South Carolina doesn't have much of a passing offense this year. Rattler's thrown only five touchdowns to eight interceptions and at this point, that can't be expected to change. Still, Wells is a dangerous receiver with the ball in his hands and the Tigers would do best to keep him quiet on Saturday.
Defensive backs Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. will have to be aware of Wells at all times when he's on the field. The Tigers can't afford to get lulled to sleep by South Carolina's running game and give up a big play action in a crucial spot.
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