Offensive Line Developing A Grittier Mentality As Season Nears

The offensive line for South Carolina's Football team has been labeled a question mark all offseason, leading to a change in the mindset of the entire unit.

If Shane Beamer and the South Carolina Gamecocks are going to fulfill the potential they possess coming into this season, which would likely involve challenging for second in the SEC Eastern division and surpassing last season's win total, they'll need some questions answered in the near future. One of those questions surrounds the offensive line, a unit that has struggled for several years but at least was able to lean on an abundance of experience in 2022.

Now, the entire group is undergoing a massive transition stage, losing effectively four starters due to Jaylen Nichols' lower-body injury that'll keep him out for most of the season. Veteran Vershon Lee will slide over to the center position for the first time in his football career, and Yale transfer Nick Gargiulo will be expected to be the lead the charge for the unit, likely at left guard this Fall.

In the spring, there were concerning reports about the offensive line's inability to establish the run, which could significantly hold back Spencer Rattler and the rest of the offense if the season plays out in that manner. On Tuesday, however, Dakereon Joyner, the leading candidate to start at running back this season, said the mentality upfront was changing and conveyed hidden confidence in the group.

"Those guys right now I think are developing a dawg mentality. Those guys are pushing every single day with grit and a chip on their shoulder," Joyner said. "They're leading the team, [and] we go as they go. I love watching them play, I enjoy playing behind them much more now, and I think that they're doing really well."

One other offensive player who'll be playing in conjunction with the offensive line a lot in 2023 will be transfer tight end Trey Knox, who echoed what Joyner said, but to a slightly higher degree.

"O-line play has been a lot better. Boys are looking nasty out there, playing with a little fire and grit. Respect to those boys, they work their butt off everyday, grinding in the meeting room and you can tell it shows on the field. I mean we go as they go, we live and die by the front five. So having them playing well means it'll help everyone else play well."

With consecutive games against Georgia, Mississippi State, and Tennessee in weeks three through five, we'll find out quickly whether or not this is player speak or reality for South Carolina's offensive line.

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