How Successful Will the South Carolina Gamecocks Defense Be in 2025?

Aug 31, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Jalon Kilgore (24) makes an interception to seal a victory over the Old Dominion Monarchs in the fourth quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

The South Carolina defense was one of the main reasons the team found success in 2024. Now having to replace a lot of talent on that side of the ball, can the team rely on the defense once again, or will it hamper the team this fall?

Last offseason, there were questions marks surrounding the South Carolina defense based on how it played for a majority of a disappointing 2023. But that narrative changed quickly as it became one of the top units in the conference by mid season. For one Gamecocks defender it was all about doing the little things correctly and he says, if they can do that again, "the sky is the limit."

"I fell like everything just molded together perfectly," Gamecocks defensive back Jalon Kilgore said. "Our first game was pretty rough. We came out with the win, but we didn't come out how we wanted to. We had a couple games that we lost by two to three points and it was just small details. Once we clear up the small details, the sky is the limit for this team."

Replacing veteran talent along the interior defensive line, as well in the linebacker room, seems to be the biggest focal point for this team this offseason. Guys like Kyle Kennard, Tonka Hemingway, TJ Sanders, Alex Huntley, Demetrius Knight Jr., Debo Williams, and Bam Martin-Scott all leave a major hole both in level of play and leadership. The hope is that the remaining players picked up a few things from those guys.

"Guys are doing it their own way," South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White added. "Some of our guys were here with those guys last year, hopefully they took some of their leadership game."

Outside of game one versus Old Dominion, South Carolina's defense played very well throughout the year. Kilgore believes this year's team can replicate that success in 2025.

"We see the games that we lost, it was small plays, one or two plays that was the difference. We clean up those one or two plays and we have a shot at everything we can accomplish," Kilgore said.

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