3 lingering questions as USC football wraps up third spring under Shane Beamer

South Carolina’s true offseason has finally arrived.

Shane Beamer’s squad concluded spring practices on Saturday when the Black team won the annual Garnet and Black spring game 19-17 in doubleovertime.

So where does that leave the Gamecocks entering the summer? Here are a few questions that need to be answered by the time fall camp rolls around:

What is South Carolina going to do at defensive end?

We — and Beamer — have discussed this ad nauseam, but it’s worth litigating again here.

South Carolina is deathly thin at defensive end following the transfers of Jordan Burch to Oregon and Gilber Edmond to Florida State, and it’s going to need to get creative and/or add bodies quickly if this group is going to hold up come fall.

Jordan Strachan continues to be on the mend from the ACL tear that ended his 2022 season in Week 2 at Arkansas. He should be the bell cow of this group. Behind him? Things get interesting.

Bryan Thomas Jr. played in 10 games last year out of necessity as much as anything else, but performed admirably. Four-star freshman Desmond Umeozulu has also earned high praise for his work this offseason, though he was banged up and couldn’t play in the spring game.

South Carolina also has some versatility with Tonka Hemingway and East Mississippi Community College transfer Elijah Davis. Hemingway missed the spring with an injury, but he played inside and outside in 2022. Expect him to get plenty of pass rush snaps.

Davis is an intriguing prospect in that he wasn’t initially considered an immediate plug-and-play JUCO product. In theory, he might’ve needed some polishing. He sure looked plenty ready to play on Saturday. Davis finished the spring game with three tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble while creating all sorts of disruption at defensive end. He’s technically listed as a defensive tackle, but if he can provide some wiggle as a rusher, that bodes well for the Gamecocks.

Given the depth issues, South Carolina has reason to be active in the spring transfer portal window, which opened Saturday and runs until April 30. (After that date, players can’t formally enter the portal until December, but they’re free to commit to a new school any time they’re once in the portal.) USC already hosted Florida State defensive end Derrick McLendon II earlier this month and he likely won’t be the last.

Spencer Rattler is QB1. Who’s behind him?

It’s no secret Spencer Rattler will be the guy in Columbia again this year. That said, the backup quarterback battle sure could get interesting quickly.

Fourth-year junior Luke Doty is the presumed heir to Rattler’s throne when the latter should depart for the NFL after this year. Doty was the expected starter in 2021, but a foot injury forced him to miss the bulk of the season and he’s since been relegated to the No. 2 role since Rattler committed in December 2021.

Doty has received wide acclaim from Beamer, new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains and teammates for his handling of the situation. He’s also seemingly progressed as a passer over the last year-plus. He’s still going to get his money’s worth.

LaNorris Sellers’ recruitment included commitments to three different schools (Virginia, Syracuse, USC) and a last-minute offer that has him in Columbia. Boy, has he impressed.

Sellers has received about as much praise as any player on the roster since he arrived as a mid-year enrollee in January. He backed it up on Saturday, flashing a cannon of an arm on a zipped 31-yard connection with DJ Black, along with elite athleticism racing around the pocket and creating plays with his legs.

Doty should start the year as the No. 2 quarterback, but don’t be surprised if Sellers pushes for the backup job by year’s end. There’s a lot of hype about Sellers’ future at South Carolina. This may well be the start.

Who can create at receiver alongside Antwane ‘Juice’ Wells Jr.?

Antwane “Juice” Wells Jr. may be the most dynamic returning receiver in the Southeastern Conference, if not all of college football.

He finished second in the league in yards receiving last year behind only Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt while recording four 100-yard games, and he should again be a favorite target of Rattler’s in 2023.

Now comes finding someone to pair with Wells.

South Carolina loses four of its top five pass catchers from last year in Jaheim Bell (Florida State), Austin Stogner (Oklahoma), Jalen Brooks (graduation) and Josh Vann (graduation). That equates to 51% of USC’s yards receiving not including Wells from 2022.

Xavier Legette has shown flashes as a kick returner and receiver during his lengthy South Carolina career. There’s hope internally he can flash as a more consistent threat this year. Memphis transfer Eddie Lewis showed some ability to get open during the spring game, though he’s still getting a hold on the playbook as he transitions to USC.

Ahmarean Brown also possesses serious speed in the slot and on the outside. Brown had a dynamic freshman season at Georgia Tech, but it hasn’t all come together at South Carolina. This could be his chance with snaps up for grabs.

The Gamecocks will also bring in freshmen Kelton Henderson, C.J. Adams and Elijah Caldwell. That’s not to mention five-star athlete Nyckoles Harbor, who’s expected to play receiver at the college level. We’ll see how much any of those four can contribute immediately.