WITH VIDEOS WOLFORD, PLAYERS & FEASTER SPEAKS: Thursday practice observations and much more
By FeatheredCock • August 15, 2019
Eric Wolford Media Availability — 8/15/19
The Gamecocks will practice Friday afternoon before photo day, then have their final scrimmage Saturday.
Coordinators: Travaris Robinson and Bryan McClendon will speak with the media next week.
Classes are set to begin Aug. 22 and three days later, game week officially starts for UNC. Muschamp's first in-season press conference will be Aug. 27.
▪ The start of practice had a heavy fundamentals bent.
▪ Defensive end Kingsley Enagbare was back out on the field. Tyreek Johnson, who has been out at points, was also back.
▪ Wide receiver Randrecous Davis, who was in a yellow non-contact jersey on Wednesday, was back in regular uniform Thursday.
▪ The list of players spotted working out with the injured remained the same with wide receiver Tyquan Johnson, wide receiver Chavis Dawkins, corner John Dixon, defensive end Keir Thomas and Buck defensive end Brad Johnson. There was one player not in a jersey with his arm in a sling. But that doesn't quite cover the depth of players absent or not spotted once practice was opened. That group included tailback Rico Dowdle, offensive lineman Donell Stanley, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, wide receiver Bryan Edwards, safety R.J. Roderick and tight end Kiel Pollard. Most of them were not there Wednesday as well. Stanley has a back issue and Pollard a shoulder, but the rest of the injuries are unknown, though Roderick was spotted leaving the indoor facility as stretching began.
▪ The quarterbacks and running backs worked on a drill where they handed off and then balls were immediately pitched to QBs on the run. The order of tailbacks in that drill was Mon Denson, Tavien Feaster, Kevin Harris.
▪ There appeared to be a lot of emphasis on ball security, with plenty of coaches taking whacks at players trying to dislodge it.
▪ Near the end, we saw quarterbacks first throwing routes to receivers lightly covered by staffers and then working on various routes on air at the goal line. Some quick snags and fades to the back corner in there.
Tavien Feaster Media Availability — 8/15/19
Tavien Feaster speaks: Looking forward to his opportunity' with the Gamecocks
Tavien Feaster the orange is gone. "No sir," Feaster said. "Rid of it all."
The South Carolina football running back was standing in the middle of cameras and voice recorders, the center of attention as he spoke for the first time since his transfer from Clemson. He said it only took a few days after he chose to leave the Tigers for South Carolina to reach out. "I liked what I heard," Feaster said. "And I like the opportunity here." He added the relationship with running backs coach Thomas Brown was the biggest deciding factor in his choice, both for his track record and the intensity of his coaching style.
But for Feaster, there has been one challenging part of making his way from the Upstate to the Midlands. "The humidity," Feaster said. "It's really hot out there. It's crazy. I'm from Spartanburg. It gets hot there, but not that humid." Feaster said he's been welcomed by his new teammates and respects the running backs he is competing with like Rico Dowdle and Mon Denson. He said he thought he would've played a lot at his previous school, and even stayed for spring just to see if he wanted to stay. But the way he saw it, the situation with Travis Etienne wasn't going to change much from last season, and that spurred his choice.
Feaster picked the Gamecocks over Virginia Tech after announcing his graduate transfer from Clemson. He missed the first practice, but arrived the next day. In three seasons with the Tigers, Feaster ran for 1,330 yards at 6.0 per carry. He was the team's second-leading rusher in 2017. Feaster was a four-star prospect out of Spartanburg High School and the No. 29 player in the country in his class. He ran for more than 3,700 yards and 40 touchdowns his final three years of high school. Feaster said he's been digging in on the playbook, playing catch up after arriving late. When asked if his was the top guy, he shied away from being that specific, saying that was a choice for the coaches. But Feaster did say the staff had simple goals for him.
"Just come in and you know, learn the plays and be an accountable guy," Feaster said. "That's really the expectations. "All I gotta do is you gotta learn the plays, you know, learn the details, everything, take it day by day"
Jovaughn Gwyn Media Availability — 8/15/19
Hank Manos Media Availability — 8/15/19
Dylan Wonnum Media Availability — 8/15/19
Josh Vann Media Availability — 8/15/19
OrTre Smith Media Availability — 8/15/19
Parker White Media Availability — 8/15/19
Gamecock Football 2019