Alex Huntley Has Chance To Fill Leadership Role
This offseason, South Carolina's Football program saw an abundance of upperclassmen who helped the Gamecocks become relevant under Shane Beamer walk out the door, with players like Cam Smith, Darius Rush, Josh Vann, and Jalen Brooks all moving on to the next stage of their life. However, when looking at the Gamecocks' current roster, regarding the potential voids left behind the group mentioned above, there's arguably none more significant than the departure of Zacch Pickens on the interior of the defensive line.
There are a few reasons why this loss might be felt to a more substantial degree, especially in South Carolina's upcoming Spring practice slate; both defensive end starters transferred out, Tonka Hemingway will miss the Spring as he recovers from surgery and Jordan Strachan will be a limited participant as he continues to progress in rehabbing his ACL. Defensive end Monteque Rhames is also out while he deals with issues stemming from a February arrest. With all of these circumstances presently playing out, one player in the entire defensive line could rally the troops per se, and that's redshirt junior defensive tackle Alex Huntley.
Like Strachan, Huntley was also plagued with injuries this past fall, as he started only one more game after suffering a lower-body injury against the Arkansas Razorbacks in week two. However, out of the returning defensive linemen who will be total participants in Spring practice, Huntley has the most experience, as he's played in 25 career games at South Carolina.
This combination of factors makes Huntley a prime candidate to take on the leadership mantle that's been left behind by Zacch Pickens, as he could bestow an abundance of wisdom to a younger yet talented core of defensive linemen who haven't been through his experiences as a college player.
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