BREAKING REPORT : Why South Carolina is trying to build its offensive line through high school ranks……

Kirby Smart, the Georgia football coach, frequently compares the transfer portal to a grocery shop. “You have to know what you have at home before you go grocery shopping,” Smart stated at his signing day press conference. “When we have to buy more bread to go with our sandwich meat, we have to be careful not to buy more bottled water than we need.” That also goes a little bit farther. Everyone has to go to the grocery shop (the transfer gateway), but wouldn’t it be preferable to just need to pick up some bananas rather than a tin of caviar?

Bananas are abundant. These are the skill-position players that are so prevalent in America, whether they are from Group-of-Five institutions or SEC schools, and they put up flashy numbers. If nothing else, there are lots of running backs and receivers accessible; even if some aren’t prime, you can still pick from a large group of them. These offensive linemen are the best. Not only are they highly sought for, but they are also difficult to locate. Which caviar aisle at the local Food Lion? Nobody is aware. There are substantially fewer ready-made offensive linemen in the transfer portal than any other position, mostly because it takes longer for college offensive lineman to develop and receive genuine playing time.

The majority of the trench warriors that are currently available are former three- and four-star recruits who have barely produced any video while attending college. or graduates from smaller universities who transfer. Under coach Deion Sanders, the Colorado Buffaloes are attempting to purchase caviar in large quantities at the supermarket. Colorado attempted to defy expectations last year by acquiring nearly all of its offensive line through a transfer. gateway. Despite adding seven players, they finished the previous season with the second-to-last, or No. 129, national ranking in sacks allowed. Caviar is really difficult to locate if it isn’t stored in your pantry at home. South Carolina is aware of this, and it’s getting clear that head coach Shane Beamer is giving high school offensive linemen priority in order to concentrate his gateway efforts on positions with easier access, such wide receivers or running backs.

entryway. In terms of sacks allowed last season, they were second-to-worst nationally, even with the addition of seven players. When caviar isn’t stored in your pantry at home, it might be very difficult to locate. Coach Shane Beamer of South Carolina is well aware of this and is giving high school offensive linemen priority in order to concentrate his gateway efforts on positions that are easier to fill, such as wide receivers or running backs.

“They simply fell in love with this place once they arrived on campus, and we fell in love with them and just kept on strengthening those relationships,” Beamer concluded. “They’re excellent athletes, and when you have excellent athletes, not just the three tackles but many other kids in our class as well, many schools were attempting to dissuade them from attending South Carolina.”

A year ago, you would have noticed a trend. Markee Anderson, Tree Babalade, Trovon Baugh, and Jatavius Shivers are the other four highly-regarded offensive tackles that South Carolina signed in the 2023 class. The Gamecocks have signed 12 high school offensive lineman in Beamer’s first four classes at South Carolina, compared to just two transfers at the position (Nick Gargiulo from Yale and Sidney Fugar from Western Illinois). During that same period, USC added seven wide receivers through the portal and signed eleven high school players. “You’re constantly searching for ways to improve your team at every position.” Beamer enquired. “As the head coach, it is my responsibility to continuously raise the level of talent, depth, and competition at every position.”

Beamer is aware that the Gamecocks have a wealth of young, skilled offensive linemen, but he also understands that no college football team would pass on a ready-made player who is prepared to start playing right away. “We’re in a really good position (with our offensive linemen), but you can never have enough there, as we saw this year,” Beamer remarked, referencing the numerous injuries the Gamecocks would likely suffer at that position in 2023. It appears as though South Carolina is attempting to construct its offensive line room from the ground up. Hire some of the best high school linemen available, give them time to mature, and maybe the Gamecocks won’t have to compete for the spot in the portal.