Biggest Questions Surrounding the 2023 Season
Among the many great things to come from the excellent 2022 season, South Carolina found a blueprint for success in the future.
Especially considering many of the Gamecocks on the roster in 2022 are returning for another season, including Spencer Rattler and Antwane Wells Jr, it seems the general idea and makeup of the team should stay consistent through the next season.
With that being said, there still seem to be a few questions surrounding the 2023 season imminent to South Carolina's offense. The mania surrounding the transfer portal has extreme effects on programs across the nation, and South Carolina was no exception. Staff shakeup was also present this off-season for the Gamecocks and will hold many major implications for next season.
How does South Carolina respond to the shakeup at Offensive Coordinator?
Though many people believed that the Offensive Coordinator job was better suited for someone not named Marcus Satterfield, his turnaround and impact with the Offense in the second half of the season were undeniable. Despite that, Satterfield decided to leave South Carolina and take a job with Nebraska as the OC.
Under the direction of Dowell Loggains, the Gamecocks' Offense is undoubtedly to experience drastic changes, some of that may take some time to adjust. Whether the adjustment period can end before the season starts remains to be seen, though it is pivotal for early season success.
Can the Offense retool its weapons?
Perhaps the position groups hit the hardest by this off-season's mass migration to the transfer portal were the offensive weapons, namely the tight ends, wide receivers, and running backs. Austin Stogner, Jaheim Bell, MarShawn Lloyd, Corey Rucker, and Rashad Amos ended their tenures with South Carolina, leaving many high-impact roles up for grabs.
Though South Carolina has been diligent about securing talented players to fit those roles via the Transfer Portal, it's questionable whether the new faces in Columbia will be enough to offset the losses. There is plenty of new talent to be effective. It will just be a difficult journey getting them to mesh in the offense.
How tight will coverage be in the secondary?
Like the skill positions, the secondary also experienced a great deal of turnover between the transfer portal and draft. Projected first-round draft pick Cam Smith announced he was entering the draft and is departing with Joey Hunter, RJ. Roderick, and Tyrese Ross, all entered the transfer portal.
The blows in the secondary are significant and the group coming up to fill the void seems thin. A few freshman defensive backs will get increased playing time next season, such as Kennan Nelson Jr. and Anthony Rose, though their impact is unknown now. Success in the secondary will depend on the coaching staff's ability to coach and develop the underclassman to SEC standards.
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